Debt Collection Case Turns Into War of Swear Words

By Pamela Manson, Salt Lake Tribune

You might think a judge would appreciate some plain talk as a break from legal jargon and esoteric arguments. But court filings have gotten so foul in one Utah dispute that a federal judge is calling a timeout.

Christopher W. Livingston, a North Carolina attorney, accused a Draper law firm of being an “ass.” A lawyer with the Utah firm, Riddle & Associates, said Livingston was full of – well, you know.

U.S. District Judge Paul Cassell has had enough.

The war of words began last year when Riddle & Associates (R&A), a debt-collection law firm, attempted to get payment from two North Carolina women, who hired Livingston to defend them.

In a 2004 telephone conversation with a R&A lawyer, Livingston contended the debts were fabricated. The Utah attorney ended the conversation by telling Livingston he was “full of s—-.”

Livingston then sued the firm on the women’s behalf, accusing it of violating the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The attorney also posted portions of the lawsuit on a consumer Web site about debt collections, along with gripes about the firm.

For this complete story, please visit http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_2928041.