Bringing civil action against you is clearly demonstration of their seriousness.
It appears that you admit to the debt, so I wont suggest any tactics to dispute the debt.
The fiirst thing you should do is to get an attorney.
If you cant afford that expense, and thus reap the legal advice they can give, then you have to do it yuourself.
When sued, the very first thing you must look at is your legal defense.
Regardless of any facts of the case, if you show up in court, and can show that the legal statute of limitations for debt collection has expired in your state, that is an absolute, affirmative legal defense that will get you immedaite, and summary judgment in your favor.
But must first prove the SOL to the judge.
I believe that VA statute of limitations on debt for credit cards (open accounts) is initially 3-years from your date of first default on the card. But I also believe that VA statute provide for reset of the SOL as 3 years from the last payment or last charge for goods or services rendered on the account. So carefull check out the VA SOL statute, and the dates of any last payments or last charges on the account.
I dont offer advice on what your actual SOL is. You need to order up a copy of your debt collection SOL for VA.
When you go to court, and assert your SOL defense, you need to know the exact dates that govern its expiration, and have documentary proof of those dates.
If you have all that, then your defense is totally affirmative, and will be affirmative in dismissal of their action.
OK assume you have no SOL defense. Then,the WORST thing you could do is to not show up in court. The plaintiff wiill ask for garnishment of property and maybe wages. The judge wiill assess, and rule. If the judge concludes that you did not even care enough to show your presence in court, the judge might just also issue as part of his or her judgment a garnishment. So, at the very least, no matter what, at least show up in court, and talk to the judge.
