Sued by Michael J. Adams, P.C. in Texas: Lawsuits, Judgments and Receivers

People usually find us after hearing from Michael J. Adams, P.C. in one of two ways. Some have just been served with a new lawsuit. Others are dealing with a case that already ended in a judgment, sometimes with a court-appointed receiver. The firm, based in San Antonio, handles both lawsuits and judgment enforcement, so this guide covers both. First, figure out which situation you are in, because the deadlines and options are very different.

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What the Firm Says About Itself

On its website, the firm describes itself as "a San Antonio debt collection law firm dedicated to protecting creditors' rights." The site says it provides collection services to clients in Texas, Oklahoma and Georgia. It also says it handles litigation to recover accounts and enforcement of "business and personal judgments, including out-of-state claims." Contact details on the site:

• Main phone: 1-877-223-5462 (representatives 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central, Monday through Friday, according to its FAQ)
• A separate line, 800-513-3588, for cases in which Michael Adams has been appointed receiver
• Mailing address: 10004 Wurzbach Road #292, San Antonio, TX 78230 (the site says its Cherry Ridge Drive office does not receive mail)

The firm's online portal lets a registered user see the original creditor, the account open date and the balance. The firm notes that registering "does not imply that you are the rightful account owner of a past due debt." That matters: looking at the account online is not the same as admitting you owe it.

The firm works for creditors. The plaintiff, the party that claims the money, is named at the top of the petition or judgment, and the plaintiff has to prove its case. Texas Debt Law is not affiliated with Michael J. Adams, P.C.

Situation 1: You Were Just Served With a Lawsuit

Confirm it

Use the county's official website to find the court named on the citation. Call the clerk and confirm the cause number. In San Antonio, that usually means a Bexar County justice, county or district court (see our San Antonio debt defense page). Then check the signing attorney in the State Bar of Texas directory.

Answer by the deadline

• Justice court (up to $20,000): by the end of the 14th day after service (Tex. R. Civ. P. 502.5).
• County or district court: by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday after 20 days from service (Rule 99(b)).

Use our answer deadline calculator. If the case reaches summary judgment in county or district court, a response is due 21 days after the motion is filed (Rule 166a, for motions filed on or after March 1, 2026).

Make the plaintiff prove it

The plaintiff must prove the account, the default, the balance and, for a purchased debt, its ownership of your account. Common defenses include limitations (generally four years, Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.004, and debt buyers may not sue on time-barred consumer debt, Finance Code § 392.307), wrong amounts, and accounts that are not yours.

Situation 2: There Is Already a Judgment

If you never answered, the plaintiff may have a default judgment. A judgment lets the creditor use post-judgment tools. It does not let it take everything, and the protections below apply no matter which firm is collecting.

What creditors can and cannot reach

• Wages: current wages cannot be garnished for consumer debt in Texas (Tex. Const. art. XVI, § 28).
• Home and personal property: a homestead is exempt, and personal property is exempt up to $50,000 for a single adult or $100,000 for a family, within the categories listed in Property Code chapter 42.
• Federal benefits in a bank account: banks must protect up to two months of directly deposited Social Security and other covered federal benefits (31 C.F.R. part 212).

Turnover orders and receivers

Under Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 31.002, a court can order a judgment debtor to turn over nonexempt property and can appoint a receiver to take possession of it and sell it to pay the judgment. A receiver acts only under the court's order, and that order also governs how the receiver is paid. If you get a letter or call from a receiver, ask for a copy of the signed order. The order defines what the receiver may do.

Since May 1, 2022, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure 679a and 679b add a key protection. When a turnover order, receivership, garnishment or similar order freezes or takes an individual's personal property, the creditor or receiver must serve a Notice of Protected Property Rights and a Protected Property Claim Form within three business days. Sales and payouts are paused, and if you file the claim form, the court must hold a hearing on what is exempt. Justice courts must generally use the Supreme Court of Texas form order when appointing a turnover receiver against an individual. Read our explanation of Rules 679a and 679b.

Can the judgment be undone?

Sometimes. The time limits are short:

• In justice court, a motion to set aside a default must be filed within 14 days after the judgment is signed.
• In county or district court, a motion for new trial is due within 30 days (Rule 329b).
• A restricted appeal may be possible within six months (Tex. R. App. P. 26.1(c)), and a bill of review in limited cases after that.

Defective service, such as papers delivered to the wrong person or substitute service that does not match the court's order, is a frequent issue. If you learned about the judgment late, tell us when and how you found out.

Settling a judgment

A judgment can often be resolved by agreement. If you settle, insist on a written agreement and a filed release of judgment once you have paid. Our post-judgment settlement work uses the same flat fees as debt defense.

The Firm Is a Debt Collector Under Federal Law

In Heintz v. Jenkins, 514 U.S. 291 (1995), the Supreme Court held that lawyers who regularly collect consumer debts through litigation are "debt collectors" under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). That covers judgment collection as well as lawsuits. Collectors may not misstate what you owe or what they can do (15 U.S.C. § 1692e). They must honor written disputes made within the validation period (§ 1692g). Once they know you have a lawyer on the debt, they generally must contact the lawyer instead of you (§ 1692c(a)(2)).

If a collector violates the FDCPA or the Texas Debt Collection Act (Finance Code ch. 392), you may have a claim. We handle those claims as a separate lawsuit in federal court, never as a counterclaim in the collection case, and as a separate service from debt defense. The FDCPA deadline is generally one year (§ 1692k(d)). See Texas FDCPA attorneys.

How We Can Help

Whether you have a new lawsuit or an old judgment, Texas Debt Law can review the court file, tell you which deadlines still apply, and act on them. We work statewide, mostly by phone, email and e-filing. Attorney Shawn Jaffer and our team speak Spanish, and our phones are answered seven days a week.

Flat fees from $400, with payment plans available:

Call or text for a free case review, or read about our Texas debt defense attorneys.

Sources

• Michael J. Adams, P.C., official website (states served, phone numbers, addresses)
• Michael J. Adams, P.C., About Us (firm description, practice)
• Michael J. Adams, P.C., Commonly Asked Questions (portal, hours, mailing address, receiver line)
• Heintz v. Jenkins, 514 U.S. 291 (1995)
• Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (Rules 99, 166a, 329b, 502.5, 679a, 679b)
• Supreme Court of Texas, Misc. Docket No. 22-9031 (Rules 679a and 679b)
• Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code ch. 31 (§ 31.002, turnover and receivers)
• Texas Property Code ch. 42 (personal property exemptions)
• 31 C.F.R. part 212 (federal benefits in bank accounts)
• Texas Finance Code ch. 392

General information, not legal advice for your case.