Rule 15.030 Consumer Debt Collection—Small Claims

If someone is suing you in small claims court to collect a debt, special rules kick in depending on who is doing the suing.

If the person suing you is a "debt buyer" (a company that bought your old debt from the original creditor, often for cheap, and is now trying to collect it), they have to follow the extra requirements listed in UTCR 5.180(2). These rules exist to make sure debt buyers actually prove they own the debt and have the paperwork to back up their claim, since these cases sometimes involve mistaken identity or debts that were already paid off.

If the case counts as a regular consumer debt collection action (someone trying to collect money you owe from things like credit cards, medical bills, or personal loans), the requirement in UTCR 5.180(3)(b) applies instead. This is a narrower rule aimed at making sure basic information is provided in these types of cases.

The two chapters mentioned after this rule, one on violations and one on local parking violations, are not filled in yet. They are placeholders for rules that may be added later.