The first step in defending your credit card lawsuit is to simply fight back. This means you must answer your summons, and show up at all hearings or court proceedings. In addition, you may file motions and take other legal actions to strike Plaintiff’s evidence, or get your case dismissed. There are links to other areas of our site at the bottom of this article that can provide you with information to assist with preparing a defense. One of the things judges look for when reading a legal motion or opinion is case law. Case law is essentially rulings made in higher courts with cases similar to the one being argued. Citing case law may give a Pro Se defendant’s legal arguments a bit more professional heft in the eyes of the judge. It is important to cite case law properly, so I suggest you research proper citation rules before citing case law in your legal documents. With that said, you may find it difficult to find free case law sources on the Internet. I normally use the sites below to assist with searches for case law:

Google Scholar – This little known Google site has a vast collection of case law from nearly every state and federal court in the country. Another nice thing about this site is that it functions just like a regular Google search, so it’s easy to understand and use. Case law results are presented in a format that is easy to read and follow. I highly recommend this site for the lay person who has limited legal experience. I know this define most of us!

Findlaw.com – This site also has a nice repository of case law that may help your case. This site is designed for lawyers; and the information is presented in such a manner that a lay person may find difficult to read. I only recommend this site after you have tried Google Scholar first.

Please keep in mind that citing case law is not a requirement when preparing legal documents to defend your credit card lawsuit. It may, however, give your case a better chance at winning.

Other Resources

• Answering a Summons and Fighting Your Lawsuit
• Credit Card Lawsuit Defense Strategies