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Rutledge Law Firm, PC is a Houston collection law firm. Its website says it handles collection for credit cards, personal loans, student loans, auto deficiencies, and apartment and rental leases. Because the firm handles several kinds of debt, the first question in your case is what kind of debt the lawsuit is about. The facts the plaintiff has to prove, and the defenses that fit, are different for a credit card, a repossessed car and a broken apartment lease.
This guide covers the firm, how to confirm your case, your deadline, and what to look for in each type of claim.
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About Rutledge Law Firm, PC
The firm's website describes it as a Houston-based provider of receivables recovery and collection services. It lists its practice as litigation, judgment enforcement, garnishment and post-judgment recovery, and says it serves Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Its site gives this contact information:
- 2603 Augusta Dr., Suite 500, Houston, TX 77057
- Phone: (833) 856-4700
The firm's FAQ calls it "a law firm that represents creditors" and says its attorneys and employees are debt collectors. The FAQ also says the firm cannot currently respond by email, so if you write, include a phone number. It does not take payments by credit card.
The firm represents the creditor. The plaintiff, the company that says it is owed money, is named at the top of the petition. That might be the original lender or landlord, or a company that bought the account.
Texas Debt Law is not affiliated with Rutledge Law Firm, PC.
Is the Lawsuit Real, and Where Was It Filed?
Look for a citation from a court clerk and a petition with a cause number. Then call that court using a number from the county's official website and confirm the case. Most of Houston lies in Harris County (see our Houston debt defense page), but the firm can file wherever the law allows.
Federal law limits where a debt collector may sue a consumer. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1692i, the suit must be filed in the judicial district where you signed the contract or where you live when the suit is filed. If you were sued far from home, tell your lawyer.
Answer on Time
The court rules set your deadline, counted from the day you were served:
- Justice court: by the end of the 14th day after service (Tex. R. Civ. P. 502.5). Justice courts hear claims up to $20,000.
- County or district court: by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday after 20 days have passed (Rule 99(b)).
Our answer deadline calculator does the math. A payment to the firm, or a promise to pay, does not replace an answer.
Credit Cards and Personal Loans
For an unsecured card or loan, the plaintiff must show that you agreed to the account, that you defaulted, and how the balance was calculated. If the plaintiff bought the account, it also has to prove the chain of ownership from the original lender to itself. In justice court, Rule 508.2 requires the petition to identify the account, state the amount owed, and for an assigned debt name the original creditor and the date of assignment.
Check the dates. Texas generally allows four years to sue on a debt (Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.004), and Finance Code § 392.307 bars debt buyers from suing on time-barred consumer debt.
Auto Deficiency Balances
A "deficiency" is what a lender says is still owed after it repossessed and sold the car. Texas has adopted Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, in Business and Commerce Code chapter 9, which sets rules for that process. Generally, the secured party must send a reasonable notice before selling the vehicle (§ 9.611), every part of the sale must be commercially reasonable (§ 9.610), and in a consumer transaction the lender must explain how the deficiency was calculated (§ 9.616).
In a deficiency case we ask for the repossession notices, the sale records, the sale price and the fees subtracted. Problems with notice or the sale can reduce or defeat a deficiency claim, depending on the facts. More on being sued for a deficiency after repossession.
Apartment and Rental Lease Debts
Landlord claims often combine unpaid rent, early-termination charges, cleaning or repair charges, and fees. The lease controls many of these items, and some charges must be proven, not just listed. Texas Property Code chapter 92 also matters. A landlord generally must refund the security deposit, or give a written description and itemized list of deductions, within 30 days after you surrender the unit (§§ 92.103, 92.104). That duty depends on you having given a forwarding address (§ 92.107). Bring the lease, move-out photos, your forwarding-address letter, and any deposit accounting you received.
Student Loans
Private student loans are generally sued on like other loans, and ownership is often the key issue. Many private student loans have been sold or securitized, so the plaintiff must prove it holds your specific loan and must show the amount owed. Federal student loans follow different federal collection rules. Send us the petition and we will tell you which kind of loan you are dealing with.
Your Rights With the Firm
Lawyers who regularly collect consumer debts through litigation are "debt collectors" under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), as the Supreme Court held in Heintz v. Jenkins, 514 U.S. 291 (1995). That brings protections such as written validation and dispute rights (15 U.S.C. § 1692g) and a ban on false or misleading statements (§ 1692e). Once the firm knows you have a lawyer for the debt, it generally must communicate with your lawyer instead of you (§ 1692c(a)(2)).
Settling is often possible, and the firm's website has pages for settlement offers and payments. Get any agreement in writing before you pay. Make sure it says whether the case will be dismissed or whether a judgment will be entered. A judgment the creditor holds is a different situation from a dismissal.
If a collector breaks the FDCPA or the Texas Debt Collection Act (Finance Code ch. 392), you may have a claim for damages. We bring those claims as a separate federal lawsuit, not as a counterclaim in the collection case, and that is a separate service from debt defense. The FDCPA's deadline is generally one year (§ 1692k(d)). See our Texas FDCPA attorneys page.
If There Is Already a Judgment
The firm's practice includes judgment enforcement and garnishment, so some people first hear of a case when a bank account is frozen. Texas does not allow garnishment of current wages for consumer debt (Tex. Const. art. XVI, § 28). Many kinds of property are exempt, including a homestead and personal property up to $50,000 for a single adult or $100,000 for a family (Property Code chs. 41–42). A default judgment can sometimes be challenged, but the time limits are short. See our post-judgment help, which uses the same flat fees as debt defense.
How Texas Debt Law Helps
We defend Texans against collection suits statewide, mostly by phone, email and e-filing. Attorney Shawn Jaffer and our team file the answer, demand the plaintiff's proof for your type of debt, raise the defenses that fit, and negotiate when that is the better path. Spanish is spoken, and our phones are answered seven days a week.
Flat fees from $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 visit our Texas debt defense attorneys page.
Sources
- Rutledge Law Firm, PC, official website (practice, debt types, states, address, phone)
- Rutledge Law Firm, PC, FAQs (debt collector statement, payment and contact details)
- Heintz v. Jenkins, 514 U.S. 291 (1995)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1692i (venue for suits by debt collectors)
- Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (Rules 99, 502.5, 508)
- Texas Business and Commerce Code ch. 9 (§§ 9.610, 9.611, 9.616)
- Texas Property Code ch. 92 (§§ 92.103, 92.104, 92.107)
- Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code ch. 16 (§ 16.004)
- Texas Finance Code ch. 392 (§ 392.307)
General information, not legal advice for your case.