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A petition that names Cavalry SPV I, LLC as plaintiff may describe it as the "assignee" of a bank; in the Texas appeal discussed below, Cavalry sued "as assignee of Citibank, N.A." That wording means Cavalry is claiming to have bought your account from the original lender. Calls and letters about the same account may come from Cavalry Portfolio Services, LLC, a related company.
This guide explains how the Cavalry companies identify themselves, what Cavalry SPV I must prove in a Texas court, and a 2023 Texas appeals decision about arbitration in a Cavalry credit card case.
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The Cavalry Companies
Cavalry's website says Cavalry Portfolio Services, LLC was founded in 2002 and works in the acquisition and management of non-performing consumer loan portfolios. The site's disclosures page lists four related entities with licenses in various states: Cavalry Portfolio Services, LLC; Cavalry SPV I, LLC; Cavalry SPV II, LLC; and Cavalry Investments, LLC. It identifies the site as a communication from a debt collector.
For customer service, Cavalry lists 1-866-483-5139 and (866) 434-2995, an email address of [email protected], and a mailing address of 1 American Lane, Suite 220, Greenwich, CT 06831-2200. It says it has Spanish-speaking specialists. Cavalry's FAQ also refers consumers to "the law firm retained by Cavalry," which is consistent with outside law firms handling its lawsuits.
The website does not spell out which entity owns accounts and which one collects them. Your petition and the assignment documents attached to it will show which Cavalry entity claims to own your account; that entity is the one that must prove ownership.
Texas bond filings
Texas requires third-party debt collectors to file a surety bond with the Secretary of State (Finance Code § 392.101). On November 3, 2026, the Secretary of State's registry showed active bonds for Cavalry SPV I LLC (file 20130070), Cavalry SPV II LLC (file 20130071) and Cavalry Investments LLC (file 20130069), each filed April 10, 2013 with Lexon Insurance Company at 500 Summit Lake Drive, Suite 400, Valhalla, New York, and for Cavalry Portfolio Services LLC (file 20090222), filed September 14, 2009. Older Cavalry Portfolio Services bonds show as canceled. The search is free if you want to check the entity on your papers.
Texas Debt Law is not affiliated with Cavalry SPV I, Cavalry Portfolio Services or any Cavalry company.
Your Answer Deadline
Verify the case with the court clerk, using a phone number from the court's official site. Then calendar your answer:
- Justice court: due by the end of the 14th day after service (Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 502.5).
- County or district court: due by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday after the 20th day from service (Rule 99(b)).
Our answer deadline calculator will count the days for you. Conversations with Cavalry or its lawyers do not stop the clock.
What Cavalry SPV I Must Prove
As an assignee, Cavalry SPV I stands in the original lender's shoes only if it proves the assignment. It must show the account agreement, the default, the amount owed after all payments and credits, and a documented transfer of your account to Cavalry. In justice court, Rule 508.2 requires the petition in a debt buyer's suit to give the assignment date, the names of prior holders and the original creditor, and Rule 508.3 requires proof that the plaintiff owns the account and how it acquired it. In county or district court, ownership and the balance can be tested through discovery and summary judgment; for summary judgment motions filed on or after March 1, 2026, a response is due 21 days after filing (Rule 166a).
Debt buyers generally offer their evidence through a business records affidavit under Texas Rules of Evidence 803(6) and 902(10) attaching the bank's statements and the bill of sale. You can object to those records and test whether the bill of sale actually identifies your account. See what is a business records affidavit?
Arbitration After a Justice Court Appeal: Pohler v. Cavalry SPV I
Many card agreements give the cardholder a right to arbitrate, and some exclude cases in small claims court. In Pohler v. Cavalry SPV I, LLC, No. 14-22-00772-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] Oct. 31, 2023) (mem. op.), the Fourteenth Court of Appeals addressed how such a clause works when a justice court case is appealed.
Cavalry, as assignee of Citibank, N.A., sued in a Llano County justice court on a Costco Visa account. The cardholder moved to compel arbitration under the Citibank agreement. The justice court denied the motion and entered judgment for Cavalry. He appealed to the Llano County court, which also denied arbitration and entered judgment of about $8,600. (The case was transferred to the Fourteenth Court from the Third Court of Appeals.)
The appeals court reversed. Applying South Dakota law, which the agreement selected, it held that the arbitration provision bound Cavalry as assignee, because the agreement allowed assignment, said the arbitration clause survives a sale of the account, and covered claims made by anyone claiming through Citibank. It then held that the clause's exclusion for claims in small claims court did not apply once the case was appealed de novo to county court, because a de novo appeal is tried as a new case and a county court is not a small claims court. The court remanded for further proceedings. Cavalry did not file an appellate brief.
Pohler turned on that Citibank agreement and that procedural history, and it says nothing about how your case will be decided. Its practical points are that the account agreement can matter even after the account is sold, that arbitration rights should be raised early and preserved, and that the result can change when a case moves from justice court to county court. Arbitration has its own costs and trade-offs, so it is a decision to make with a lawyer. See can a debt case be moved to arbitration?, can I appeal a justice court judgment?, and our guide to Citibank's own card agreement.
Limitations on Older Accounts
Texas generally allows four years to sue on a debt (Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.004). Under Finance Code § 392.307, a debt buyer may not sue or start arbitration on consumer debt after that period, and a payment does not revive the claim. Regulation F prohibits debt collectors from suing or threatening suit on time-barred debt (12 C.F.R. § 1006.26(b)). Compare the charge-off and last-payment dates with the filing date, and plead limitations in your answer if it applies. More on time-barred suits by debt buyers.
Credit Reporting and Payments
Cavalry's FAQ says it furnishes information to the credit reporting agencies and that, under its policy, it requests deletion of the tradeline about 30 days after the final payment when an account is paid in full or resolved for less. If you settle, get the terms in writing, including how the court case will end, and keep proof of every payment.
Cavalry and Your Rights Under the FDCPA and Texas Debt Collection Act
Cavalry describes itself as a debt collector. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act covers anyone whose principal purpose is collecting debts, or who regularly collects debts owed to another (15 U.S.C. § 1692a(6)). For a Cavalry entity that owns and collects its own accounts, the principal-purpose prong is generally the one that matters (Henson v. Santander Consumer USA Inc., 582 U.S. 79 (2017)). The outside law firms Cavalry retains are covered if they regularly collect consumer debts, including through lawsuits (Heintz v. Jenkins, 514 U.S. 291 (1995)). The Texas Debt Collection Act adds state protections, including for third-party collectors that must be bonded in Texas.
Common violation categories include:
- Harassment, such as repeated calls or abusive language (15 U.S.C. § 1692d; Tex. Fin. Code § 392.302).
- False statements about the amount or legal status of the debt (§ 1692e; § 392.304).
- Unauthorized interest or fees (§ 1692f(1); § 392.303(a)(2)).
- Contacting you directly after learning you have a lawyer (§ 1692c(a)(2)).
- Telling others about the debt, such as your employer or relatives (§§ 1692b, 1692c(b)).
- Suing on time-barred debt (Tex. Fin. Code § 392.307; 12 C.F.R. § 1006.26(b)).
Read more from our debt collector harassment attorneys in Texas.
If Cavalry or a firm collecting for it has harassed, threatened or misled you, save every letter, voicemail and text and request a free case evaluation. FDCPA claims generally must be filed within one year (§ 1692k(d)). If the facts support a claim, we bring it as a separate federal lawsuit, not as a counterclaim in the collection case.
How Texas Debt Law Can Help
We file your answer, confirm which Cavalry entity is suing and what the assignment documents show, review the original account agreement for arbitration and other terms, object to deficient records, and check limitations. When settlement is the better choice, we negotiate it in writing. We work statewide, mostly remotely, with Spanish-speaking help and phones answered seven days a week.
Debt defense is a flat fee based on the amount of the suit, starting at $400, with payment plans available:
| Amount of the Lawsuit | Our Flat Legal Fee | Payment Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $1,000 | $400 | Up to 2 months |
| $1,001 – $3,000 | $500 | Up to 2 months |
| $3,001 – $5,000 | $750 | Up to 3 months |
| $5,001 – $7,500 | $1,000 | Up to 4 months |
| $7,501 – $10,000 | $1,250 | Up to 6 months |
| $10,001 – $12,500 | $1,500 | Up to 6 months |
| $12,501 – $15,000 | $1,750 | Up to 6 months |
| $15,001 – $20,000 | $2,000 | Up to 6 months |
| Over $20,000 | Call for Pricing | |
Call or text for a free case review, or learn more about our Texas debt defense attorneys.
Sources
- Cavalry Portfolio Services, About Cavalry
- Cavalry, Federal, State & Local Disclosures (entities, licenses, contact, debt collector notice)
- Cavalry, Frequently Asked Questions (credit reporting, retained law firms)
- Texas Secretary of State, Debt Collector Search (search "Cavalry")
- Pohler v. Cavalry SPV I, LLC, No. 14-22-00772-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] Oct. 31, 2023) (mem. op.)
- Fourteenth Court of Appeals, case page for No. 14-22-00772-CV
- Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (Rules 99, 166a, 502.5, 508)
- Texas Rules of Evidence (Rules 803(6), 902(10))
- Texas Finance Code ch. 392 (§§ 392.101, 392.307)
- Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code ch. 16 (§ 16.004)
- Regulation F, 12 C.F.R. § 1006.26
- Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1692–1692p
Company profile: Cavalry Portfolio Services. Who it is, what it collects, CFPB complaint numbers and government actions, in our debt collector directory.
General information, not legal advice for your case.