Rule 1.205 Assignees; exception

If someone transfers their legal right to collect a debt or claim to another person (called an assignment), the person who owes the money doesn't lose any defenses they had. This means if you owe money on a debt, and that debt gets sold or transferred to someone else, you can still raise the same arguments or defenses you would have used against the original person.

This rule also covers counterclaims. If you had a claim against the original person who transferred the debt, you can still bring that claim up, even against the new owner of the debt. The only requirement is that your claim or defense had to be fully formed and ready to use by the time you actually present it in court.

This rule doesn't apply to situations covered by the Uniform Commercial Code, which has its own separate rules for these kinds of transfers. Those UCC rules mostly deal with business transactions involving goods, sales, and certain financial documents.