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what is considered reasonable attorney fees for a $132 judgment

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M

mbhdude

Guest
Washington State - Being sued by allianceone in Washington State. 2 months ago, they served a summons for total of $1,750 dollars. Included 2 bills. One of them was proven to be wrong and not mine. and I proved I did not owe them the full amount of $1,750, they revised the amount in our local court to just the $132 (that I actually owed from a old medical bill). However, they just served me with a Note For Hearing stating that I owe them $166 dollars -with interest, AND I am to pay their court costs, attorney fees, for a total of $476.00.
My question is, what is fair and reasonable fees for a debt of just $132.00? After they revised the old hearing amount from $1,750 down to just what I owed of $132, I called them to pay, but they demanded the full amount of $466 then .. I said that was not reasonable for just a $132 debt. They informed me that they would take me to court then and garnish my wages to collect the full $466. Is there any action to take.
thankyou :confused:
 


stephenk

Senior Member
Depends. Without seeing the itemized billing of the attorney, who knows how much work needed to be done on the case to locate you, prepare the complaint, etc.? How much of the $466 is interest and late fees? How old is the debt?
 
M

mbhdude

Guest
Debt about 3 years old

Original debt was $132.00. Pre-judgement interest-36.23. attorney fees-$250.Filing fee- $41, and a service fee was $38.50
My medical was supposed to cover it and they did not. Anyway, the original summons was for $1,700. I proved that it was ony $132. When I called to pay the $132 (after proving I did not owe $1,700), they still demanded the full attorney fees and everything too for a total of $466. But when I asked them - "what about the summons I still have for the amount of $1,700, I have not received anything revising or canceling the original summons you served me? I do not want to pay the what I owe you, (and then they still garnish my wages for the full $1,700)" She then said...."it is already in the system, you will just have to take that chance" I decided not to give her my credit card number, because I did not want to take that chance......A few days later, when I wrote my response and filed it at the local court house, the court clerk said that they filed a revised summons for the $132 plus attorney fees ( but I never received a notice ).......
on the summons NOTE OF HEARING i just receved, says that "our records indicate that at the time of the assignment, the remaining unpaid balance was $132............These amounts remain unpaid".
I offered to pay them in my response the $132., (stamped by the court clerk). They are implying that I did not pay them that. I tried but they said on the phone that they will take my $132 now, but we we still come after you for the remaining $250. If we have to, we also will garnish your paycheck to get it. that is when I hung up the phone...........................
My question is, If i go to the NOTE OF HEARING (which was received in the mail, not certified), will it accomplish anything? My original response letter said that I was willing to pay the original claim, but not the additional attorney fees based on the original $1,700 summons.
Can I say that I was afraid to pay them after receiving the summons, because I was afriad that since the original summons for $1,700 was still in the system, i did not want to pay that, and an additional claim?
i never received any revised summons or anything until I was told when I filed my response letter......
do i have any options?

Tahnks
 

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