Bill > S923

This bill, titled the Consumer Legal Equalization Act, proposes changes to Chapter 223 of the General Laws, primarily concerning consumer debt cases filed in the district court. It first clarifies that when a legal case is moved to a different court, it will proceed there as if it was originally filed in that new court. The bill then introduces new provisions for actions against individuals based on unsecured credit card debt or other revolving credit. Specifically, if a defendant in such a case, who is represented by an attorney, files a motion within twenty days of their attorney's appearance, the case can be transferred to a different division of the district court requested by the defendant. Furthermore, for cases where the defendant has legal representation, any hearings, conferences, or trials requested by the plaintiff will be scheduled at a date and time agreed upon by the defendant's attorney, provided it's within forty-five days of the plaintiff's request and on a day the court normally handles such matters. The bill also allows for the consolidation of multiple hearings, conferences, and trials for cases where defendants are represented by the same attorney, making it the defendant's responsibility to notify the court and other parties of the need for such consolidation. The bill defines "natural person," "credit card," and "extension of credit" for the purposes of these new provisions.