Troy Spence never imagined he’d be sued over a debt he says was never his. At 64 years old, the Houston-area resident lives on Social Security retirement benefits. He was shocked to learn that a company had filed a lawsuit against him in Harris County district court seeking over $10,000 for an alleged breach of contract.
According to Troy, the collection letters began arriving around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Confused by the claims, he contacted the company directly and explained that he did not recognize the debt. He told them they had the wrong person. Troy says he never signed a contract, never made payments on the alleged account, and never received any benefit from the transaction. “I knew all along I had nothing to do with something like this,” Troy said.
After that conversation, Troy believed the matter had been resolved. Years later, however, he discovered the lawsuit had moved forward against him anyway. Unable to afford a private attorney, Troy was unsure how he would defend himself in court. “It was very stressful,” he said. “I didn’t know how I was going to deal with it.”
That changed when Troy reached out to Lone Star Legal Aid for help. Thai Nguyen, Supervising Attorney with LSLA, reviewed the case, gathered information from Troy, and communicated with opposing counsel about discrepancies connected to the alleged debt. After reviewing the information provided during the litigation process, the plaintiff ultimately dismissed the claims against Troy and removed him from the lawsuit entirely.
The outcome brought relief for Troy after years of uncertainty. “It meant a lot that I had someone in my corner,” he said. “I felt that somebody was actually listening to me.”
Troy’s situation reflects a growing challenge facing elderly and low-income Texans, who are increasingly vulnerable to mistaken identity and unauthorized financial activity as more transactions move online.
“Many seniors live on fixed incomes and simply do not have the resources to hire private counsel when they are suddenly sued over debts they do not recognize,” Thai Nguyen said. “Access to justice means making sure people are heard, treated fairly, and have someone standing beside them during difficult moments in their lives.”
Cases like Troy’s highlight the challenges many low-income Texans face when confronted with debt collection lawsuits and the importance of legal aid services for vulnerable community members, including seniors living on fixed incomes.
Through advocacy and legal representation, Lone Star Legal Aid continues working to ensure Texans facing civil legal problems are not forced to navigate the legal system alone.
Troy said having legal representation made a tremendous difference during one of the most stressful periods of his life.
“Knowing that there is an agency out there that represents people like myself is very much appreciated,” Troy said. “If somebody in my family was going through something like this, I would tell them about Lone Star Legal Aid.”
Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income populations by providing free legal education, advice, and representation. LSLA serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines, who live in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties in Southwest Arkansas. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at www.LoneStarLegal.org.
Media contact: media@lonestarlegal.org