I got sued for a debt. I couldn't find a lawyer who would take my case for what I could pay. So I started reading — court rules, case law, self-help guides, anything I could find. This site is the map I wish someone had handed me that first week, when I didn't even know what the papers in the envelope meant.
The process, step by step
Before the Lawsuit
What debt collection looks like before it becomes a court case.
You Got Served
What that envelope means, what the documents are, and how much time exists.
Responding
What an Answer is and why the court expects one.
Discovery
What gets exchanged between the two sides, and what it means.
Negotiating
What settlement discussions generally look like.
Going to Court
What happens in the courtroom on hearing day.
Every state is different
Every state has different rules, different courts, and different deadlines. What's true in one county might not be true in the next one over. I started with South Carolina because that's where my case is.
Why this exists
I've been sued for debt. I'm not a lawyer. I'm still in the middle of my own case. I built this because the information I needed was scattered across court websites, legal aid PDFs, and forum posts — and none of it was in one place.