Jail for debt???

**dwnloom** · 07-13-2010, 11:34 AM

I just read an article about people going to Jail for not paying a debt....in some cases for debt they didnt know they had. Is there any way to know what states participate in this or how to find out if you have old debts? I know the obvious ways...check your credit report and go thru your mail, but are there any others? I dont want to go to Jail!!!

Thanks for any help you can give.

**Inkstain82** · 07-13-2010, 11:41 AM

I don't believe there is any case in the United States where you can go to jail for not paying a debt, unless you have been court-ordered to pay the debt and the judge rules you have the means but are choosing not to do it.

**dwnloom** · 07-13-2010, 11:45 AM

There was just an article on MSN about people being put in jail for having an outstanding warrant to unpaid debt. In a few of these cases, the people had not been served or given notice of a court date or any other notice. It also listed three states as Arizona, Arkansas and Washington.

**Greebo** · 07-13-2010, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by dwnloom

I just read an article about people going to Jail for not paying a debt....in some cases for debt they didnt know they had. Is there any way to know what states participate in this or how to find out if you have old debts? I know the obvious ways...check your credit report and go thru your mail, but are there any others? I dont want to go to Jail!!!

Thanks for any help you can give.

I know the article in question.

The article is misleading.

They don't go to jail for debt. They go to jail for contempt of court, when the court ORDERS them to appear in court, and they don't.

If they would simply *SHOW UP* in court and explain why they can't pay the debt right now, they'd never get jail time - but ignoring a judges orders is grade a stupid and will get you jailed.

**Inkstain82** · 07-13-2010, 11:50 AM

I'm reading that article, and it's misleading and shoddy writing.

The first woman was not jailed for debt. She was jailed for ignoring an order to appear in court related to the debt. You can't ignore an order to appear in court.

In fact, I didn't see a single example in the article or links of a person actually arrested for debt.

**Greebo** · 07-13-2010, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by dwnloom

There was just an article on MSN about people being put in jail for having an outstanding warrant to unpaid debt. In a few of these cases, the people had not been served or given notice of a court date or any other notice. It also listed three states as Arizona, Arkansas and Washington.

Link, please.

**happymomof4** · 07-13-2010, 01:27 PM

Just go to msn. The article is very misleading.

**piney** · 07-13-2010, 01:27 PM

If they were doing that in Arknsas they have to turn the murders,rapist and drug dealers,thiefs out just to have room for the people that have debt.And i would be one but am paying on mine.

**Greebo** · 07-13-2010, 01:56 PM

That isn't "NEWS" - that's sensationalism. They're definitely not presenting all the facts in that 1 paragraph blurb.

**Inkstain82** · 07-13-2010, 02:21 PM

If the people went to jail, there's a process server somewhere who claims to have served them their papers, informing them of the court date.

Either the process server is lying (possible) or the person who got in trouble is lying (a lot more likely).

**dwnloom** · 07-13-2010, 03:23 PM

Well, I think I'm feeling a lot better. I have been trying to pay everything off and am within three months of having all cc bills paid off. i was just worried that there was something that I forgot, overlooked or didnt know about. Wouldnt that just be awful......

**kcrobertson** · 07-13-2010, 09:39 PM

I its against the FDCPA for someone to be threatened with legal action over debt or even for an implication of legal action much less for someone to go to jail over it.

It was most likely a contempt of a court order or even a bad check.

**Saule** · 07-13-2010, 09:55 PM

I agree. We do not have debtors' prisons in the US. To go to jail because of debt requires something more - a finding of fraud, a bad check, ignoring a court order. That's quite different. Contempt of court can get you into jail in any kind of case.