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How to clear a bench warrant and resolve the small claims case?
Anonymous4 views1 answers
I was involved in an auto accident 8 years ago where my insurance coverage had just lapsed because I couldn’t afford it. I was taken to small claims and sued by the person I hit almost 2 years after. I never showed up because I was honestly terrified and had no idea what would happen. I just don’t know how to resolve this. One year all of a sudden turned into many years and I don’t know what to do.
If you have a judgment, you can do nothing, or file for bankruptcy, or attempt to negotiate payment. The judgment is now about 6 years old. Judgments lapse after 10 years if they are not renewed. The judgment also gathers interest at 10%/annum once it is entered, so it's a lot larger now than it was.
If no one has contacted you to try to enforce the judgment, then it seems unlikely that they would start now, but there is no guarantee, obviously. The safest way is to negotiate payment or to file for bankruptcy.
If you have a bench warrant, get a criminal defense attorney. Many of us work at firms that do both PI and criminal defense and consultations are generally free. Contact one of us to discuss. You have to reach out to the attorney first.
