To preserve your rights if you are sued to collect a debt, respond to the lawsuit personally or through your attorney by the date specified in the court papers. If you ignore a court action, it is very likely that a judgment will be entered against you for the amount that the other party claims you owe. Once that happens, depending on state law, the creditor may be able to garnish your wages or move to freeze all or part of the funds in your bank account. If you are disputing the fact or the amount of the debt, you should do that in the court action before judgment.