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Last month, the Minnesota State Bar Association Access to Justice Committee released the Minnesota Consumer Debt Litigation report. This report revealed that more than half of the civil cases filed in Minnesota courts are debt collection lawsuits. With that in mind, we're highlighting our resources on debt collection in this issue.
Self-Help Debt Resources
As the Consumer Debt Litigation report notes, approximately 97% of debtors are unrepresented in their debt collection cases. Luckily, we have a number of resources designed to assist people representing themselves in court.
The Minnesota Legal Services Coalition booklet Dealing With Debt, which is available as a paper booklet or online, is a great resource with Minnesota-specific information. It includes information about managing debt, wage garnishment, bankruptcy, and tips for avoiding scams.
Another helpful resource for consumers is the National Consumer Law Center's free publication Surviving Debt. This is also available as a print book or online. In addition to information about federal debt collection laws, there are also chapters covering how debt can impact your housing and medical debt. There are also practical tips for managing household budgets and avoiding bankruptcy.
The American Bar Association has a similar publication, the ABA Consumer Guide to Understanding & Protecting Your Credit Rights. This publication also includes several chapters on dealing with identity theft's impact on your credit. This title is available in print at the State Law Library.
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Debtor-Creditor Handbook
The Debtor-Creditor Handbook provides a detailed look at debt collection and judgment enforcement in Minnesota. This publication covers every step in the process of obtaining and enforcing a judgment. There are also chapters covering consumer protections and fair debt collection practices. The Handbook includes practitioner tips and dozens of sample forms that can be used in debt collection actions. This resource is available in print at the State Law Library. We can also provide electronic copies of individual forms upon request.
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National Consumer Law Center Publications
For a more in-depth look at collections and consumer law, the National Consumer Law Center is an excellent resource. The NCLC offers publications on Collection Actions, Fair Debt Collection, and other consumer debt related topics. In addition to having these publications in print at the State Law Library, you can also access these titles through the NCLC Digital Library. If you are interested in viewing these as e-books, contact Ask a Librarian to get started.
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Libraries are usually associated with piles of print books, and while we offer an array of print materials, we also know that electronic resources are a vital part of legal research. The State Law Library offers access to a variety of databases free of charge. When you visit the library in St. Paul, you can access Westlaw to find cases and practice materials for Minnesota, other states, and federal courts. We also provide access to Hein Online, which is a great source for journal articles and historical legal materials.
If you can't make it to the library in St. Paul, you can still access some of the State Law Library's databases. As noted in our last issue, we now offer access to Lexis Digital Library, which allows library users to check out digital copies of legal practice guides from wherever they are located. You can also get access to the NCLC Digital Library e-books mentioned above, and the Legal Information Reference Center, which provides access to self-help Nolo titles on a variety of legal topics. All of these databases can be accessed remotely, but you will need to contact us to get connected.
We also have several free databases on our website. You can search appellate court opinions or browse them by date in our Opinions Archive. If you are looking for appellate briefs filed in Minnesota's appellate courts, you can search our Briefs Archive. For Minnesota legal periodicals, like Bench and Bar or Minnesota Lawyer, you can search the Minnesota Legal Periodical Index.
Need help accessing a database? Ask a librarian for assistance! Ask a librarian
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