About The Debtor's Guide

I got sued for a debt. The amount was large enough to keep me up at night but not large enough for most attorneys to take on. I called around. Some didn't call back. The ones who did quoted retainers I couldn't afford. So I started representing myself.

I write under the name "The Debtor's Guide" because my case is still active. I'm not a lawyer — I'm a person who has spent a lot of time reading court rules, case law, and self-help guides published by courts and legal aid organizations. Everything I know about this process, I learned because I had to.

When I was first served, the information I needed was scattered everywhere. Court websites had some of it. Legal aid PDFs had more. Forum posts filled in gaps. But nowhere had it all in one place, written plainly, by someone who had actually been through it. That's what this site is — the map I wish someone had handed me.

I'm not going to pretend I have all the answers. I don't know your state's rules. I don't know your case. I can only describe what I've seen in mine and what the public record says about how these cases generally work. If you've been served and you're looking for a lawyer, start with your state bar's referral service. If you can't afford one, look into legal aid. If you're going it alone — I've been there. This site is what I found along the way.