Worthless Verdicts?: KSL investigates tens of thousands of unpaid judgments in Utah

Every year in Utah, tens of thousands of people won civil judgments in court cases but claim none of the judgment.

[mormonguy]

"Don’t take advantage of the poor just because you can; don’t take advantage of those who stand helpless in court. The Lord will argue their case for them and threaten the life of anyone who threatens theirs." (Proverbs 22:22-23)

There are loan sharks charging 1000 percent interest capitalizing off desperate Americans who go and sue people every day. While more than half of these debtors are probably homeless and therefore unable to respond to the law suits because they never get the notices, they lose the case by default. Let me repeat that. Someone can sue you and if you never get the notice they can claim that it was hand delivered to you even if it wasn't and if you don't show up to the hearing they win the case by default. Moreover, many of the debts that collectors are trying to collect on are expired and way past the statute of limitations and have been sold and resold so many times for pennies on the dollar which is illegal but what person in poverty is going to call them on that?

For those that are calling out for justice and the revival of debtors prisons as a solution in these very hard times where many families are struggling, where people are dying all over the world, where so many are displaced may God have mercy on your souls. Because all it takes is to lose a job to lose that house, to not be able to pay the bills. Or a family member getting sick to get in over your head with medical expenses. You want a solution? Make it illegal for businesses like payday loans and all other loan sharks that prey on desperate people in desperate situations. Offer more services for people to get back on their feet. Provide decent jobs that pay enough, housing that doesn't take 75 percent of your wages, lower the gas prices, empower and provide people the means to grow their own food, and take away credit cards. Sure not all of these solutions may be practical but in a country that's in trillions of dollars in debts, with an economic system that's faulty with its busts and bubbles maybe practical is the last thing we need to save ourselves. We need humanity, compassion. Not greed and more bureaucratic bs.