Patenaude & Felix is a debt collection law firm that targets people who have fallen behind on their consumer credit and other accounts. If you reside in California and haven’t made a payment on your debt in a long time, there’s a good chance you’ll soon be hearing from them. While having a law firm pursue you for an old debt can certainly be stressful, the good news is that you do have rights and options for how to handle it. If Patenaude & Felix is threatening you with a lawsuit or has already sued you, talk to our debt settlement attorney today. We can advise you of possible debt solutions so you can get the creditors and their lawyers out of your life.
What To Know About Patenaude & Felix Debt Settlement
Patenaude & Felix is a law firm with offices in several states, including California. Although they are a law firm, most employees are not attorneys. Creditors who are unable to collect on a debt may seek a more aggressive solution through the courts, which is where law firms like Patenaude & Felix come in. Representing a number of major clients, Patenaude & Felix is skilled at what they do.
The law firm does not usually purchase debts. However, they may represent companies that do, along with creditors. Debts are sometimes sold by the original creditor to a third-party debt purchaser who will attempt to collect what the creditor was unable or unwilling to. If they are unsuccessful, they may hire Patenaude & Felix to engage in litigation.
The law firm, in turn, will typically use debt collection tactics before turning to litigation. That means standard practices like mailing demand letters. These letters inform debtors that they have 30 days to dispute the validity of the debt. If the debtor still hasn’t paid after 30 days, the firm will follow up with more letters and phone calls. Eventually, they will file a debt collection lawsuit.
Do I Have Rights Against Patenaude & Felix?
Debtors have certain rights when it comes to debt collection, and even law firms have to obey them. The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or FDCPA, governs law firms when they act in a debt collection capacity. That means phone calls, letters, and other debt collection communications and tactics conducted by Patenaude & Felix must comply with certain rules.
The FDCPA prevents debt collectors from engaging in abusive, deceptive, unfair, or harassing collection activities. You also have the right to verify that the debt is really yours. This right is important because outdated files, clerical errors, identity theft, and other mistakes sometimes cause consumers to pay debts they don’t even owe.
Patenaude & Felix must provide you with information pertaining to your debt such as:
- The amount of the debt you allegedly owe
- A statement notifying you that you have 30 days to dispute the debt
- Upon request, the name and address of the original creditor
Patenaude & Felix cannot legally call debtors too early in the morning or too late at night, as this would be considered abusive. If you properly dispute the debt, the law firm must suspend collection activities until it can verify the debt. These are just a few rules, so contact a debt settlement attorney if you believe you’re being harassed or treated unfairly by Patenaude & Felix.
What Can I Do If I Owe The Debt?
If you’ve begun receiving phone calls or letters from Patenaude & Felix, just remember that the law firm isn’t going to stop until it collects. That means there’s a good chance they will sue you.
Although debtors have the right to contest lawsuits and assert any legal defenses they have, they don’t have many options if they actually owe the debt. That means Patenaude & Felix will likely win a court judgment. The judgment allows the firm to take additional steps to collect what you owe, like garnishing your wages, seizing funds from your bank account, and placing a lien on your property.
What Can A Patenaude & Felix Debt Settlement Attorney Do For Me?
One thing to bear in mind is that filing a lawsuit is time-consuming and expensive. Patenaude & Felix would prefer to save time, money, and hassle by settling the debt if they can. Debt collectors know they likely won’t be able to collect everything they are owed, even if they go to court and win. Many debtors are insolvent or difficult to locate. Not only are lawsuits expensive, but enforcing judgments is too.
Whether Patenaude & Felix has threatened you with legal action or has already obtained a judgment, it’s possible to settle your debt for less than what you owe. Debt settlement takes time, and it takes an attorney who understands how much money Patenaude & Felix expect to get from their litigation activities. Our team has experience handling Patenaude & Felix, and we know how to negotiate a settlement so debtors can be free of them once and for all.
Call Our Patenaude & Felix Debt Settlement Attorney Today
Patenaude & Felix is relentless when it comes to collecting debts, so pretending the problem will go away will only make it worse. Don’t ignore collection letters, phone calls, and court papers. Call the Fullman Firm today to get started on settling your debt.
