What if i ignore my civil demand letter $400?

Asked about 3 years ago - California

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Is it okay to just ignore the civel demand letter for $400 from the law office

Attorney answers (1)

  1. Contributor Level 20

    Answered February 25, 2010 17:44. Are you talking about a civil demand letter after a shoplifting arrest, demanding $400 when you were caught in the act and all of the merchandise was recovered?

    If that's the case and you ignore it... you might get another letter or two... then nothing. I have NEVER heard of anyone actually being sued in California after one of these letters.

    These law firms work on volume, kind of like the spammers who send you email offering cheap Viagra. Stamps are cheap, and they still make money if even they only get a reply to a small percentage. However, if there's no response, they cut their losses and move on to the next guy.

    The question comes so often on Avvo that I've written a legal guide. See the link below.

    Please understand that this is a general discussion of legal principles by a California lawyer and does not create an attorney/client relationship. It's impossible to give detailed, accurate advice based on a few sentences on a website (and you shouldn't provide too much specific information about your legal matter on a public forum like this site, anyway). You should always seek advice from an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction who can give you an informed opinion after reviewing all of the relevant information.

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