Right after you're served, the worst feeling is not knowing — how bad is it, what do I do first, do I even have a shot? The Case Diagnostic gives you a framework to replace that fog with a clearer read on your own situation.
What you'll walk away knowing
- Your real deadline and how urgent your next move is.
- How to think about whether you can make a claim — using the general Duty / Breach / Damages framework.
- Common angles to look for — a 7-pillar framework you use to see which pressure points may fit your situation.
- Whether arbitration is actually available to you, which is the question most material on this subject skips. A worksheet that runs from your case number and your card issuer to a straight answer.
- The issuer clause table. We read all 673 consumer card agreements in the public CFPB database and wrote down, per issuer, whether there is an arbitration clause and which way its small claims language runs, because some bar both sides from compelling arbitration and some only promise the bank will not force you in. Every issuer read by hand. Nobody else publishes this.
- Who is suing you and why it changes the case, because a debt buyer has to prove it owns your account and an original creditor does not.
- A statute of limitations worksheet, a document inventory, and the settlement math.
- A next-steps roadmap you build for yourself, plus a "Before You File" checklist.
It's a fillable workbook you complete yourself, at your own pace, with your court papers in front of you. It gives you the questions and the framework; you apply them to your own situation. No appointments, no waiting.
One thing we will tell you for free. Almost every card agreement says something about small claims court, but they do not all say the same thing, and almost nobody writing about this makes the distinction. Some bar both sides from compelling arbitration. Some are only a promise by the bank not to force you in. Some just keep small claims available as an option. The Diagnostic has every issuer in the public CFPB archive read by hand and sorted, so you can see which one yours is instead of guessing. If it comes out as a no, it says so plainly and shows you what does work instead. We would rather lose a Battle Box sale than sell you a book about a door that is closed.
$49
The Case Diagnostic is the Starter package. One-time, instant download.
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30-day money-back guarantee if the material isn't what we described.
Before this, or after it. The
Response Kit covers what to do with the Answer once the free builder has made it: filing, service, the deadline, and the ninety days that follow. It serves everyone, and it comes with this workbook in the
Core package at $149. The
Arbitration Battle Box is the full arbitration guide, in the Complete package at $249, and it is only worth buying if Section 7 of this workbook comes out yes.
Not ready to buy? Start with the free 5-question tool.
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Your plain-English guide to fighting a credit card debt lawsuit: what arbitration is, why it changes the math, and the steps people take. Free, and we will email you when things change.
Not a lawyer. Not a law firm. Not legal advice. The Case Diagnostic is an educational self-help worksheet providing general information only. Nothing here creates an attorney-client relationship, and nobody here can tell you what to do in your specific case. Court procedures and deadlines vary by state and case type and can change — always read your own summons and verify with your local court. Consult a licensed attorney in your state about your situation.