McKinney Credit Card Debt Lawyer

Are you looking for a credit card debt lawyer in McKinney, TX?

At Leinart Law Firm, we are trusted credit card debt lawyers serving clients across McKinney and the surrounding area.

If credit card balances have outgrown your income in McKinney, the next step depends on who owns each debt and what you can afford. Our McKinney, TX credit card debt lawyer reviews each account, checks for a pending lawsuit, and explains which form of debt relief fits your income.

Since 2005, Leinart Law Firm has helped thousands of North Texas clients obtain debt relief. Schedule a free consultation to go over your accounts with our office.

Credit Card Debt Lawyer McKinney, TX

A credit card debt lawyer represents consumers who owe more on revolving accounts than they can repay. The work includes reviewing statements and collection letters, responding to lawsuits from card issuers or debt buyers, and filing bankruptcy when it offers the best result. Texas law protects current wages from garnishment for this kind of debt. A creditor with a judgment can still pursue other nonexempt property.

According to U.S. Courts filing data, Collin County residents filed 1,499 consumer bankruptcy cases in the Eastern District of Texas during 2025. Most of them were Chapter 7 cases. Nearly all of the rest were filed under Chapter 13.

Types of Credit Card Debt Cases We Handle in McKinney

In every matter below, our clients are consumers. We do not represent card issuers, collection agencies, or debt buyers.

• Credit card lawsuits. Card issuers and debt buyers sue to collect unpaid balances, often in a justice court. A missed answer deadline can lead to a default judgment. We review the petition and the plaintiff’s proof of ownership before deciding how to respond.
• Credit card judgments. A judgment allows a creditor to pursue a debtor’s nonexempt property. Bankruptcy can discharge the debt behind the judgment.
• Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The Chapter 7 discharge ends the legal obligation to pay most card balances. It is the shorter of the two consumer chapters. Filers keep property that Texas or federal law exempts.
• Chapter 13 bankruptcy. In Chapter 13, card balances join a court-approved repayment plan alongside other debts. Many filers repay little or none of their card debt through the plan. The plan runs for several years.
• Debt collector harassment. Federal and Texas law limit when and how debt collectors may contact you. Once a third-party collector knows you have a lawyer, it generally must deal with our office instead of you.
• Charged-off accounts. A charge-off is an accounting entry by the card issuer. It does not cancel the debt. Debt buyers often purchase these accounts and pursue the full balance.
• Store credit cards. Retail cards follow the same discharge rules as bank cards in most cases. Some store purchases, such as furniture, can carry a security interest in the item itself. We identify those accounts before filing.
• Co-signed and joint accounts. A joint account holder or co-signer is responsible for the full balance. In Chapter 13, a co-debtor stay can shield that person from collection while the plan is in place.
• Foreclosure. Card payments can leave too little for the mortgage until a foreclosure notice arrives. A Chapter 13 plan can address the card debt and the mortgage arrearage in the same case.
• Mortgage. Servicers review a household’s full budget, including card payments, when they evaluate a hardship request. Lower card debt can make a loan modification easier to sustain.

Why Choose Leinart Law Firm as My Credit Card Debt Lawyer in McKinney, TX?

Consumers, Not Card Issuers

Marcus Leinart grew up in Sherman, Texas. That city also gives its name to the federal court division that hears Collin County bankruptcy cases. His entire legal career has focused on helping consumers regain financial stability. He earned his law degree at Texas Tech. Since 1995, he has held a Texas law license. In 2005, he founded our firm. Its clients are individuals and families, not card issuers or large corporations. He also belongs to the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, which works to protect consumer debtors’ rights.

Our bankruptcy lawyer in McKinney, TX handles the filing when a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 case is the right way to resolve card debt.

Debt Relief for Thousands of North Texas Clients

Since 2005, our consumer bankruptcy practice has grown to include:

• Thousands of bankruptcy filings by our founder
• Over nine decades of combined attorney experience
• A client base of individuals and families across North Texas
• A 4.7-star Google rating across more than 470 client reviews
• No charge for the first consultation

What Is Important To Understand About Credit Card Debt Cases?

Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13 and What Qualifies

Both chapters treat credit card balances as unsecured debt. The difference is whether you repay any part of them first.

Chapter 7 discharges qualifying card debt without a repayment plan. To file it, a household must pass a means test that begins with a comparison to the Texas median. Card issuers can challenge recent charges for luxury goods or cash advances taken shortly before filing. We review recent statements for those charges before we file any case.

Chapter 13 suits filers with income above the median or property they need to protect. The court-approved plan groups card balances with other unsecured debts. In either chapter, card debt is discharged once the case is completed.

Income, assets, and the age of each debt all factor into which chapter fits. At the consultation, we compare what each chapter would cost you over time.

What Is The Credit Card Debt Case Timeline?

Once card payments stop, an account usually moves through the stages below.

• Missed payments. The card issuer adds late fees and may raise the interest rate. Collection calls begin.
• Charge-off. After several months without payment, the issuer writes the account off as a loss. The balance is still owed.
• Collection or sale. The issuer keeps collecting through its own department or sells the account to a debt buyer.
• Lawsuit. The creditor or debt buyer files suit, often in a Collin County justice court. You must file an answer by the deadline stated in the citation.
• Judgment. If the creditor wins, the judgment lets it pursue nonexempt property.

A bankruptcy filing places an automatic stay on collection at any of these stages.

What Are Important Aspects of a Credit Card Debt Case?

Several details decide how a card debt case is handled.

• Who owns the debt. A debt buyer must prove it acquired your specific account. Gaps in the chain of ownership can defeat a lawsuit.
• How old the debt is. Texas sets a time limit for suing on a credit card account. A creditor who waits too long loses the right to sue.
• When you were served. The answer deadline runs from the date you received formal service of the lawsuit. We confirm that date before anything else.
• What you own. Texas exemptions protect a homestead, current wages, and many personal belongings from creditors.
• Whether collection has stopped. A bankruptcy filing stops calls and lawsuits from nearly all creditors.

What Should You Bring to Your Credit Card Debt Consultation?

Bring what you have. Estimates are fine where exact figures are missing.

1. The most recent statement for each card
2. Collection letters and any notice that an account was sold
3. Court papers, including any citation or petition
4. Recent pay stubs, benefit letters, or other income records
5. A list of other debts, such as medical bills or personal loans

At the consultation, an attorney reviews your income, debts, and assets. We then compare Chapter 7, Chapter 13, and any other option that applies. If bankruptcy is not the right fit for your debts, you’ll hear that at the first meeting.

Eastern District of Texas Bankruptcy Court and Local Resources

These local and federal offices handle many of the card debt matters involving McKinney residents.

• U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Sherman Division. The Sherman Division of the Eastern District of Texas hears bankruptcy cases from Collin County.
• U.S. Trustee, Region 6. The U.S. Trustee’s Dallas office oversees bankruptcy cases filed in the Eastern District. Since mid-2024, most Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 meetings of creditors there take place by video.
• Collin County Justice Courts. Card issuers, debt buyers, and collection agencies file debt claim cases in the county’s justice courts. Justice Court Precinct 1 operates out of the Collin County Administration Building in McKinney.

Reach Out to Leinart Law Firm to Schedule a Consultation

Consultations at Leinart Law Firm are free for McKinney residents dealing with card balances, collection calls, or a creditor lawsuit. Our McKinney credit card debt lawyer will review your statements, any court papers, and your household income. Contact us to arrange a meeting with our office. A member of our office will reach out to set the appointment.