The harassing company pays our fees.
The Law Offices of Emmett L. Goodman, Jr., LLC (ELG) is a Georgia law firm specializing in third-party debt collection litigation and bankruptcy and social security disability claims. ELG has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), including threatening to take actions that cannot legally be taken and attempting to collect debts not owed. If you have been contacted by ELG,make sure you understand your rights before responding.
According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), the Law Offices of Emmett L. Goodman, Jr., LLC was founded in 1974, established locally in 1975, and incorporated in 2001. The BBB established ELG’s profile page in 2004. ELGis listed as an attorney firm providing appellate and collection services, with a staff size estimated at 40 employees. Buzzfile estimates ELG’s annual revenue at $2 million.
According to its website, Emmett L Goodman Jr employs a “full service legal team with 75 years of experience.” ELG specializes in Social Security disability, bankruptcy law, real estate foreclosure, personal injury, consumer collections, and commercial collections. ELG “services clients from across the State of Georgia.”
Emmett L Goodman Jr’s Social Security division employs attorneys who provide assistance to clients who are unable to work by helping them establish their disability status in court. Their bankruptcy division helps “people who can no longer pay their creditors get a fresh start…by liquidating assets to pay their debts or by creating a repayment plan.” ELG also helps “protect troubled businesses and provide for orderly distributions to business creditors through reorganization or liquidation.”
Emmett L Goodman Jr’s collections division “handles many cases involving debtors…and accepts payments to debtor accounts via secure encrypted fax or mailed check or money order.”
Emmett L Goodman Jr’s website does not provide a lot of detailed information about their business practices or compliance policies. Their Links page provides links to several professional associations for attorneys, as well as links to general information sites and social media sites. However, there are no links or references to consumer protection resources, laws, or protection agencies.
Who are we? We are Lemberg Law, a Consumer Law Firm
Lemberg Law is a consumer law firm helping victims of collection harassment and abuse. We are ranked A+ by the BBB. We’ve helped more than 15,000 consumers stop harassment and recover money from debt collectors. Harassed? Abused? Misled by a collector? Call our Helpline today! There is no charge unless we win.
As of December 2017, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has not received any complaints or reviews about Emmett L Goodman Jr. As of July 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has received 3 complaints about ELG. Justia lists several informational and promotional posts abut Emmett L Goodman Jr, but no records of civil litigation involving this firm.
Absolutely. Here are some Sample Cases against Emmett L Goodman Jr LLC
Complaints against Emmett L Goodman Jr show a pattern of judgements against consumers who have disputed the handling of their debts or the debts themselves. In March 2016, a complainant indicated that he had obtained an unsecured loan after being “forced…out of” work, 9 months of unemployment, and a resulting relocation from Florida to Georgia. He indicated he had been making payments on the loan, which was rehabilitated due to extended unemployment. Subsequently, while checking his credit report, he discovered that the debt had been reported as a judgment; however, he claimed he had never been notified of potential legal action, of any judgments, or even of any collection activity that would have given him a chance to respond. Although he did not make any effort to deny responsibility for the debt, he disputed “the fact that it was placed as a judgment especially since he was paying as agreed.” The complainant did “not agree with the debt being placed as a judgement and…believed that he did not receive his consumer rights to respond prior to the debt being placed in judgement.”
In July 2015, a complainant indicated that someone with “the same name and birthdate…had been using his address to run up debt.” The complainant stated that notification of delinquencies indicated that the “social security numbers are not the same” and that therefore “the debt is not” his responsibility. The complainant indicated further that he gets “calls all the time and now…received a settlement letter from Emmett L. Goodman Jr., LLC… as assignee and purchaser of” the debt. The complainant tried to dispute the information, but he claimed that Emmett L Goodman Jr told him that because the “name, address and birth date are the same,” the debt is his responsibility, despite the discrepancy in social security number information. The complainant indicated that he doesn’t “know how to fix this and the Goodman office won’t do anything.” He claimed that the collection activity constituted harassment, that he has “great credit and has worked hard to keep it up”; that he is “an upstanding citizen in his community”; and the he finds the calls and letters “very stressful.”
In both cases, Emmett L Goodman Jr did not provide a public response, but the CFPB indicated the complaint was closed with a timely response to the consumer.
Emmett L. Goodman, Jr., LLC
544 Mulberry Street, Suite 800
Macon, GA 31201
Telephone:(478) 745-5415
Website: http://www.goodmanlaw.org/
Federal laws protect you. The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) regulates the behavior of collection agencies by prohibiting actions such as the use of abusive or threatening language; harassment; or the use of false or misleading information to collect a debt. The FCRA regulates how collection agencies and creditors report delinquent debts to credit reporting agencies. Additional consumer protection laws include the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA).
But here’s the rub: If you want to enforce your rights, or recover money for violations — you need to sue. These laws provide individuals like you with a means to seek monetary damages in court. For example, the FDCPA allows consumers who have been violated to recover damages of up to $1,000, plus attorney fees and court costs.
Your debt harassment checklist:
“We realize that ours is just one small case among many – and many more serious – but are heartened by the fact that you accepted it and represented us with a professionalism that belied the small dollar amount.”
“If you are unsure about this company…DONT BE!!! They are for real when they say they are here to help you. It only takes a few short minutes of your time to talk to a rep. I was a skeptic, but you did everything you said you would! I can’t say thank you enough!”
”Lemberg Law has saved me from the endless calls, and harassing voicemails. They really do go to bat for you. I didn’t know that debt collection agencies can end up paying your legal bill. What a surprise, to receive free legal help. I’m very grateful for all the hard work they did to finally give me my life back.”
“I won’t be afraid to contact you or recommend your services to others for debt collection difficulties. Please keep up the outstanding work you do, and again, thank you for helping me through this challenging time. I am most grateful.”
We can absolutely help. Call us today.
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Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
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I was sued by Mr. Goodman for outstanding debt. I responded and reported to court on two seperate occasions. No one from his firm was present on either court date. I was told I would get a new court date in mail. I never received it. On Friday I found out that he is now went to a different court and obtained a judgement on this case. I am already behind on bills due to illness and other family issues. I will now be homeless and without adequate transportation to work due to his law suits.
Can you draft sale/ purchase agreement.
There are many complaints against him. There is a pending class action against him and LVNV funding. Don’t be intimidated. Make sure you stand your ground.