My jurisdiction is: Tennessee and Texas
I have unpaid credit card debt incurred when I was living in Texas in 2001. That same year I moved overseas for work, my financial situation changed, and I was no longer able to make payments. When I left the country I had my mail forwarded to my parents' address in Tennessee, and a county sheriff's deputy recently showed up there to serve me with civil papers related to the 2001 credit card debt. All he would reveal to my father was the company name and the amount sought, so I don't know the specifics of the complaint yet. I have lived overseas for the past six years, and don't have plans to permanently return to the US in the near future, but I would like to resolve this issue. So, here are my questions:
1) Can I be sued in a state where I've never resided?
2) Does the Texas statute of limitations apply? Or Tennessee? Or has the SOL been tolling since I left the country?
3) If I hire a local lawyer can they represent me without my physical presence? If this goes to court, roundtrip airfare will cost me nearly as much as the judgement.
4) I currently have no assets, virtually no income, no credit, and live in another country. However, I may go back some day and may want to earn money and buy things. If a judgement is entered against me, for how long is it effective?
I have unpaid credit card debt incurred when I was living in Texas in 2001. That same year I moved overseas for work, my financial situation changed, and I was no longer able to make payments. When I left the country I had my mail forwarded to my parents' address in Tennessee, and a county sheriff's deputy recently showed up there to serve me with civil papers related to the 2001 credit card debt. All he would reveal to my father was the company name and the amount sought, so I don't know the specifics of the complaint yet. I have lived overseas for the past six years, and don't have plans to permanently return to the US in the near future, but I would like to resolve this issue. So, here are my questions:
1) Can I be sued in a state where I've never resided?
2) Does the Texas statute of limitations apply? Or Tennessee? Or has the SOL been tolling since I left the country?
3) If I hire a local lawyer can they represent me without my physical presence? If this goes to court, roundtrip airfare will cost me nearly as much as the judgement.
4) I currently have no assets, virtually no income, no credit, and live in another country. However, I may go back some day and may want to earn money and buy things. If a judgement is entered against me, for how long is it effective?
