Frequently Asked questions

Q. I need legal help but hiring an attorney requires a large deposit of money up front doesn’t it?

A. Not always. Many legal issues include language in the statute that allows collection of attorney fees from the other party. MobileLegal was founded on the belief that access to justice should be available for everyone. Many of the cases MobileLegal handles are unbundled (flat fee) services or accepted on a contingency fee basis. To better understand “unbundled” services think of it as an a le carte menu or an economy airline. You may not want the added fee for the peanuts or checked luggage… (you just want someone to help you with the paperwork or to negotiate a settlement and avoid court altogether). A “contingency” case means you do not pay any money up front, in fact, if your case is not successful, we don’t get paid. After our initial consultation, you will be informed of the cost structure in your case. You can then decide if you would like to move forward with our assistance.

Q. My creditor agreed to a voluntary car repossession, will I owe them any money?

A. In a nutshell, most likely yes. A voluntary repossession does not eliminate any deficiency you may owe. A “deficiency” is the difference between what you owe on your contract (plus certain expenses such as the cost of the repossession) and what your creditor gets for reselling the vehicle. The creditor must send you notices following the repossession. The notices will include the deficiency amount.

Q. My car was repossessed last year, is it safe to assume I don’t owe a deficiency amount?

A. No. In Florida, creditors have up to five (5) years to file a law suit seeking the deficiency amount. It is important to speak with an attorney to discuss the possible outcomes based on your unique facts.

Q. My car was repossessed with personal belongings inside, can the creditor keep them?

A. A creditor may not keep your personal belongings left in the vehicle. The creditor must provide you an inventory of the personal belongings and allow you to retrieve them.

Q. Can my landlord keep my security deposit when I am evicted?

A. Eviction is not an automatic forfeiture of your security deposit. The landlord or property manager must give proper notice of their intent to keep your security deposit. If they intend to keep the security deposit they must provide written notice within 30 days of the day you moved out. The notice must provide information to support their claim.

Q. A debt collector called and asked that I pay just $5. Will this keep them from suing me?

A. Stop! There are a few issues to consider 1) You do not know if this company truly owns your debt or who the person asking for payment information from you is. 2) An offer to pay a low sum of money may be an attempt to reopen a zombie debt. This means, by paying them you may give them the ability to in fact sue you over a debt that is beyond the statue of limitations. I strongly urge you to seek the advice of an attorney before providing any information.