EDWARDSVILLE – A Madison County woman has filed a class-action lawsuit against a firm that allegedly collects wage garnishments after the underlying actions have expired.
Vickie Lampkins filed the lawsuit May 5 in Madison County Circuit Court against Blitt & Gaines P.C. and Credit Acceptance Corp., alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, abuse of process and unjust enrichment.
According to the complaint, after an Oct. 31, 2005 ruling in Madison County Circuit Court against Lampkins for $5,541, Credit Acceptance Corp. requested garnishment of her wages to settle the judgment. Once the ruling became dormant and unenforceable on Oct. 31, 2012, the suit says wage garnishment was legally supposed to end. However, the defendants continued presenting garnishment requests to the plaintiff’s employer, allegedly in violation of the law.
Lampkins seeks punitive damages for herself and other class members in excess of $50,000. She is represented by attorney John Sholar of Sholar Law in Alton.
Madison County Circuit Court Case number 2016-L-640