Dozens of Local Residents Sued Each Month For Credit Card Debt

Upper St. Clair, an affluent Pittsburgh suburb, is not immune to credit card debt.

Magisterial District Judge Robert Wyda said he hears up to 10 credit card debt cases a week. He estimates half the people being sued are from Upper St. Clair, even though the township has a smaller population than the other municipality in his jurisdiction—Bethel Park.

The plaintiffs are commonly law firms from Philadelphia or New Jersey.

"For me the issue is that the plaintiffs usually don't have the evidence to proceed," Wyda said.

However, the defendants often don't contest the delinquent debt and will enter into a voluntary agreement to pay off the debt.

The best way to avoid the problem is—of course—don't run up your credit card debt.

"Civil judgment on your credit record is very undesirable," Wyda said.

Wyda also reminds defendants: "Anyone has the right to ask for the records to be produced. Look at the credit card contract.  A lot of the time lawyers don't have the agreement."

The good news, Wyda said, is that the plaintiffs are at least agreeable to work out a payment plan.

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