Markland Family Legal Defense Fund

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Markland Family Legal Defense Fund

Help us take this case to Supreme Court!

We need your help to take this fight to the Supreme Court and stop Asset Acceptance Corporation from taking advantage of us, and the countless others they would target in the future!

Asset Acceptance Corporation, a nationwide company, is attempting to bankrupt my family by denying us a chance to fight a judgment they levied against us which they cannot prove, nor have original documentation for, telling us we are not allowed to bring any evidence disproving them, and the Oklahoma court system is letting it happen! We are one family representing millions who are taken advantage of every day; and with your help, we can do something about this and stop what I believe to be a form of systemic oppression being allowed in Oklahoma.

**They have a repeated history of these practices! See details about the FTC’s nine-count complaint charged against Asset Acceptance here .

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Our Story
 
This taxing, expensive, and unbelievable fight began two years ago (2019).  Asset Acceptance Corporation attempted to garnish my wages for a debt from the early 2000's they could not show any justifiable proof that belonged to me or my family. I, being completely broad-sided by this occurrence, decided to seek legal counsel.
 
I connect with a lawyer (whom I consider a brilliant attorney) at Boston Avenue Law and began the fight. We could tell very early on that this was about rich and powerful companies extorting and extracting as much income from the vulnerable as possible. Here are some examples of this company's treatment of due process (all of this evidence was presented in court):

  • They have presented no paperwork for the original debt they allegedly bought.
  • I did not live at the address which they served notice of the judgment in 2011
  • On record, I was working a contract job the day they claimed to have served notice
  • My credit report of clear of any such judgment, proceeding, or debt.
  • The first notice I received by mail was after January 2019
  • My stance is the judgment on its face is invalid and should be dismissed.
  • Their stance, because I didn't contest a debt (which they didn't bother to inform me about) within three years, I have no recourse. My stance, I had no clue they levied a lawsuit against me, so I didn’t (couldn't) do anything to defend myself.
 
Here's where I believe Oklahoma law system failed one of its citizens. Asset Acceptance's lawyers used "old case law" to make the case in court that all "evidence should be struck (omitted) from this case and all consideration by the judge." We showed in every way that the judgment of tens of thousands of dollars is invalid based clear evidence, and Asset Acceptance made the case that the judge is not allowed to consider this evidence.
 
We made our initial appeal and were denied. Then, we appealed the decision to the Oklahoma Supreme Court and they essentially said, "We'll pass on this one". This decision essentially means that Asset Acceptance would be allowed to operate in a similar way to any citizen of Oklahoma they decide to target, and the person would have no legal remedy under the law.
 
In my estimation, the actions by Action Acceptance are motivated completely by greed, and taking advantage of the legal system's allowances and prior case law to accumulate and amass as much money as possible by taking advantage of people with the highest amount of impunity.
 
If this decision stands, my family goes bankrupt for being targeted by a money-making machine, and we lose all of the gains we've made in the last 10 years. The worst part is that if I just "fold" and admit to a debt that they cannot prove is mine, they will repeat this action to so many vulnerable people. 
 
Though it is a long-shot, we are taking this case to the Supreme Court. I have already attained counsel and the federal process is very expensive, but if we work together,  I believe we can stop this injustice and allow future victims to fight back! Funds will be used to pay the upcoming, current, and former legal fees, and allow our family to function with some semblance of normalcy as we continue this fight.
 
Thanks a million for locking arms with us. With your contribution, we are able to engage in this fight! 
 
Tim
 

Organiser

Tim Markland
Organiser
Broken Arrow, OK
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