An attorney and his or her employees who are employed primarily to assist in the collection of a consumer debt owed to another, as defined by Section 1788.2 of the Civil Code, shall comply with all of the following:
(a) The obligations imposed on debt collectors pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 1788.10) of Title 1.6C of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code.
(b) Any employee of an attorney who is not a member of the State Bar of California, when communicating with a consumer debtor or with any person other than the debtor concerning a consumer debt, shall identify himself or herself, by whom he or she is employed, and his or her title or job capacity.
(c) Without the prior consent of the debtor given directly to the attorney or his or her employee or the express permission of a court of competent jurisdiction, an attorney or his or her employee shall not communicate with a debtor in connection with the collection of any debt at any unusual time or place, or time or place known, or which should be known, to be inconvenient to the debtor. In the absence of knowledge of circumstances to the contrary, an attorney or his or her employee shall assume that the convenient time for communicating with the debtor is after 8 a.m. and before 9 p.m., local time at the consumer’s location.
(d) If a debtor notifies an attorney or his or her employee in writing that the debtor refuses to pay a debt or that the debtor wishes the attorney or his or her employee to cease further communications with the debtor, the attorney or his or her employee shall not communicate further with the debtor with respect to such debt, except as follows:
(1) To advise the debtor that the attorney or his or her employee’s further efforts are being terminated.
(2) To notify the debtor that the attorney or his or her employee or creditor may invoke specific remedies which are ordinarily invoked by such attorney or creditor.
(3) Where applicable, to notify the debtor that the attorney or creditor intends to invoke his or her specific remedy.
(4) Where a suit has been filed or is about to be filed and the debtor is not represented by counsel or has appeared in the action on the debt in propria persona.
For the purpose of this section, “debtor” includes the debtor’s spouse, parent, or guardian, if the debtor is a minor, executor, or administrator.
(e) An attorney or his or her employee shall not take or threaten to take any nonjudicial action to effect disposition or disablement of property if (1) there is no present right to possession of the property claimed as collateral through an enforceable security interest; (2) there is no present intention to take possession of the property; or (3) the property is exempt by law from that disposition or disablement.
(f) An attorney or his or her employee shall not cause charges to be made to any person for communications, by concealment of the true purposes of the communication. The charges include, but are not limited to, collect telephone calls and telegram fees.
(g) Within five days after the initial communication with a debtor in connection with the collection of any unsecured debt, an attorney or his or her employee shall, unless the following information is contained in the initial communication or the debtor has paid the debt, send the debtor a written notice containing the following:
(1) The amount of the debt.
(2) The name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed.
(3) A statement that unless the debtor, within 30 days receipt of the notice, disputes the validity of the debt or any portion thereof, the debt will be assumed to be valid by the attorney or his or her employee.
(4) A statement that if the debtor notifies the debt collector in writing within the 30-day period that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, the attorney or his or her employee will obtain a writing, if any exists, evidencing the debt or a copy of the judgment against the debtor and a copy of such writing or judgment will be mailed to the debtor by the attorney or his or her employee.
(5) A statement that, upon the debtor’s written request within the 30-day period, the attorney or his or her employee will provide the debtor the name and address of the original creditor, if different from the current creditor.
If the debtor notifies the attorney or his or her employee in writing within the 30-day period described in this section that the debt or any portion thereof is disputed, or that the debtor requests the name and address of the original creditor, the attorney and his or her employee shall cease collection of the debt or any disputed portion thereof, except for filing suit thereon, until the attorney obtains a writing, if any exists, evidencing the debt or a copy of a judgment or the name and address of the original creditor, and a copy of such writing or judgment or the name and address of the original creditor is mailed to the debtor by the attorney or his or her employee.
(h) If any debtor owes multiple debts and makes any single payment to any attorney or his or her employee with respect to the debts, the attorney may not apply such payment to any debt which is disputed by the debtor and, where applicable, shall apply such payment in accordance with the debtor’s directions.
(i) A willful breach of this section constitutes cause for the imposition of discipline of the attorney in accordance with Section 6077.
(Added by Stats. 1984, Ch. 118, Sec. 1.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018