On April 16, The National List of Attorneys published the paper on Debt Collection Laws in Wyoming, the last of our ambitious “50 White Papers in 50 Days” project. We actually published 52 papers in 52 working days, including Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A Bonus for our followers!

Wyoming has relatively low court costs. New court rules require cases under $50,000 to be brought to judgment in seven months.

In Wisconsin it is well settled that when a debtor makes a payment on a credit card, the payment not only tolls the statute of limitations, but also sets it running anew from the date on which the payment was made.

A potentially very significant case with regard to the collection of debt is presently pending before the Washington State Supreme Court.

There are few local statutes addressing the collection of debt in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Collection of consumer debts is addressed by the Territory’s prohibition on unfair trade practices, including deceptive and unconscionable trade practices

Vermont does not require creditors, collection agencies, debt buyers, or Vermont-licensed attorneys to be specially licensed, registered, or bonded in order to engage in debt collection.

The courts are in Rhode Island are ‘Old School.’ Everything remains on paper. Records are not available on computer, nor can they be searched that way. If you need a court document, expect to take a drive to the courthouse.

Arbitrators and judges in Oregon require chain of titles and solid document verification of debt before judgments are awarded.

Each county in Oklahoma, and even judges within the same county, operates independently, and therefore debt collection cases often require an approach that is unique to that county or judge.

North Dakota is one of very few states where suit is commenced by service of the lawsuit, rather than filing the case with the court.

Although there are 100 counties with nearly 100 ways of interpreting NC law, they all agree that NC law does not permit wage garnishment in debt collection cases.

Electronic filing is mandatory for attorneys or firms that file more than 400 DC complaints per year.

In New Mexico, it is very, very difficult to collect on Indian land.

Anyone who wants to be successful in debt collections needs two skills: first, the ability to work with people–debtors, opposing counsel, court staff, etc.; second the ability to apply a solid dose of common sense and business judgment to the day-to-day job of running a successful office and to effectively representing creditors in debt collection cases.

If you’re going to be issuing credit or purchasing debt in Nevada, understanding the basics of associated licensing, fees, regulations, and exemptions will help to better evaluate investment opportunities and avoid some of the common pratfalls that may make eventual collection a headache.

With polite persistence we can get claims paid and obtain the respect of the folks we are collecting from. It does not always pay to be aggressive and mean.

Certain Missouri Civil Procedure rules allow a defendant to defend a claim with filing an answer. In Kansas, the consumer may have additional protections via the Kansas Consumer Protection Act.

Mississippi statutes require certain actions in order for a party to recover attorney’s fees, when they do not have a contract that specifically allows them

Minnesota is a ‘serve first’ state, which means an action is commenced upon service and not upon filing.

Attorneys not licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth, who regularly engage in or whose principal purpose is debt collection, must obtain a license as a debt collector.

What makes debt collection unique in Maine is that garnishment rights are extremely limited.

While Louisiana’s legal system maintains different processes and terminology, creditors will find that the laws, procedures, and Judiciary are fair in the context of debt collection cases.

Be aware of the Kentucky guaranty statute. Creditors who ignore its requirements of stating the maximum amount and termination date do so at their peril.

Judgments in Idaho last for five years and can be renewed for an additional five years. This often makes it difficult for debtors to escape their obligations.