Sued by Cavalry SPV in Ohio? Here’s What to Do

Cavalry SPV I, LLC is a debt buyer headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut. Founded in 1991, Cavalry is a subsidiary of Cavalry Investments, LLC, a privately held company that focuses on purchasing defaulted consumer debt portfolios.

Cavalry buys defaulted consumer debts — typically credit card accounts — from original creditors like Capital One, Synchrony Bank, Citibank, and other major issuers. They pay pennies on the dollar for these portfolios and then pursue collection through letters, phone calls, and lawsuits.

In Ohio, Cavalry is one of the top debt buyer filers. Cases under various Municipal Court thresholds (which differ by court — typically $15,000) go to Municipal Court; cases over those thresholds go to Common Pleas Court. Cavalry’s Ohio cases are handled by a network of regional debt collection firms across the state’s many counties.

The most important thing to understand about Cavalry: they bought your debt for a tiny fraction of what they’re claiming. They have a strong financial incentive to settle for less than the full amount, and an even stronger incentive to abandon cases where the defendant fights back with documented defenses.

Ohio significantly reduced its statute of limitations on consumer credit debt in 2021. Most defendants and many attorneys are unaware of this change.

Under R.C. 2305.07(C), effective June 16, 2021, the SOL on most consumer credit debt in Ohio is 6 years from the date of breach (typically the date of your last payment). Before SB 13 took effect, the SOL was 8 years.

The transition rule matters: pre-SB-13 accrued claims (debts where the breach occurred before June 16, 2021) get the longer of either the remaining old 8-year period OR June 16, 2027 — whichever comes first. After June 16, 2027, no claim that accrued before SB 13 can be filed in Ohio courts regardless of the original 8-year window.

For your case, the practical question is simple: when was your last payment, and how does that interact with SB 13?

If your last payment was after June 16, 2021, the 6-year SOL applies straightforwardly. If your last payment was before June 16, 2021, you may benefit from the saving provision — but you also have a ticking clock to June 16, 2027.

The clock starts on your last payment, not the date the debt was charged off. The clock does not restart if Cavalry bought the debt more recently.

Under Ohio Civil Rule 12(A), you have 28 days from the date you were served to file an Answer with the court. Miss this deadline and the court will enter default judgment for the full amount plus interest, court costs, and attorney’s fees.

Default judgment is permanent. It can be collected from your wages through wage garnishment, from your bank account through bank attachment, and as a lien against your property. It also damages your credit for 7 years.

The 28 days starts on the date you were personally served — not the date the lawsuit was filed. If you were served by certified mail, you have 28 days from when you (or someone at your address) signed for the certified mail. If you were served by ordinary mail after certified mail was returned unclaimed, you have 28 days from the date the ordinary mail was sent.

E-filing is required in many Ohio courts. Check your specific court’s website for filing options. Ohio’s largest courts (Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton) require e-filing for most case types.

Ohio has a procedural trap that catches many pro se defendants — and the consequences are permanent.

Under Ohio Civil Rule 13(A), if you have a claim against Cavalry that arises from the same transaction or occurrence as their lawsuit against you, you MUST assert that claim as a counterclaim in this case — or you waive it forever.

This means: if Cavalry violated the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act (CSPA), or any other consumer protection law in their collection of this specific debt, you must file your counterclaim NOW in Cavalry’s lawsuit against you. You cannot file a separate FDCPA or CSPA lawsuit later for the same conduct — Civ. R. 13(A) forecloses that option.

This rule cuts both ways. It’s a trap if you don’t know about it: pro se defendants who later realize they had FDCPA or CSPA claims often discover those claims are waived because they didn’t include them in their Answer to Cavalry’s lawsuit. It’s leverage if you do know: you can assert violations as counterclaims with statutory damages, creating settlement pressure on Cavalry.

The Ohio Supreme Court’s decision in Witten v. PFS Investments reinforces this — Civ. R. 13(A) is interpreted strictly, and the same-transaction test is broad. Most consumer protection violations arising from the same debt collection activity will be considered same-transaction.

When you draft your Answer to Cavalry’s complaint, audit Cavalry’s collection conduct (calls, letters, the lawsuit itself) for any FDCPA or CSPA violations and include them as counterclaims — or waive them forever.

Ohio has another procedural trap that’s less well-known but equally consequential.

Under Ohio Civ. R. 12(E), if you believe Cavalry’s complaint is too vague or ambiguous to respond to (for example, the complaint doesn’t specify which credit card account, doesn’t include the original creditor’s name, or doesn’t show how Cavalry acquired the debt), you can file a Motion for a More Definite Statement BEFORE filing your Answer.

Here’s the trap: under Ohio case law (including Witten v. PFS Investments and similar decisions), if you file an Answer addressing Cavalry’s allegations, you may waive your right to later file a Civ. R. 12(E) motion. The motion must come before the Answer, not after.

For Cavalry cases, this rule has practical consequences. If Cavalry’s complaint is vague about the chain of title or the underlying account, file a Civ. R. 12(E) motion BEFORE filing your Answer. This forces Cavalry to provide specifics — and often exposes documentation problems that support a Motion to Dismiss.

If you’ve already filed your Answer, the 12(E) option is gone. Consider this when planning your strategy.

Statute of limitations under R.C. 2305.07(C). If your last payment was more than 6 years ago (or, for pre-SB-13 cases, after the saving period expires), the case is time-barred.

Lack of standing. Cavalry must produce the complete chain of title from the original creditor. Without it, they cannot prove they own the debt.

Civ. R. 12(E) Motion for a More Definite Statement (filed BEFORE your Answer if Cavalry’s complaint is vague). Forces Cavalry to provide specifics that often expose documentation problems.

Motion to Compel Arbitration. Most consumer credit agreements contain mandatory arbitration clauses. Filing a Motion to Compel Arbitration moves the case out of Ohio court and forces Cavalry to file with the American Arbitration Association (AAA). When Cavalry fails to comply with AAA’s procedural requirements, the case can be dismissed.

CSPA counterclaim under R.C. 1345.01 et seq. Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act prohibits unfair, deceptive, and unconscionable acts in consumer transactions including debt collection. CSPA provides actual damages, treble damages for knowing violations, and attorney’s fees. Remember Civ. R. 13(A) — if you have a CSPA claim, you must file it as a counterclaim now or waive it.

In 2025, I was sued for $2,892.96 by Plaza Services LLC, another debt buyer, in Eau Claire County Small Claims Court in Wisconsin. I had no lawyer. I’d never been in a courtroom before.

I read my original credit agreement carefully. It contained a mandatory arbitration clause requiring all disputes to be resolved through the American Arbitration Association. I filed a Motion to Compel Arbitration in Wisconsin Circuit Court.

The plaintiff didn’t comply with AAA’s procedural requirements within the deadline. The court dismissed the case.

That same playbook works against Cavalry in Ohio. Most consumer credit agreements have arbitration clauses. Cavalry often fails to comply with AAA when defendants invoke them. The case gets dismissed.

I built Answered specifically because I went through this process and realized how few defendants know they have these defenses. Most pro se defendants either default or panic and settle for amounts they don’t actually owe.

File at the court named on your summons. For most Cavalry cases, this will be Municipal Court (jurisdictional thresholds vary by court, typically $15,000) or Common Pleas Court for larger amounts.

Filing fees vary by case type and court. Municipal Court fees are typically $25 to $100. Common Pleas Court fees are higher, around $200 to $300. Ohio offers fee waivers (Affidavit of Indigency or similar form) for qualifying low-income defendants.

E-filing is required in many Ohio courts, especially the larger ones (Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton, Summit). Check your specific court’s website for filing options.

Your Answer must include numbered paragraph denials matching the complaint, your affirmative defenses (statute of limitations, lack of standing, etc.), any compulsory counterclaims under Civ. R. 13(A) (CSPA violations, FDCPA violations, etc.), your verified signature, and a certificate of service.

Strategic note: if Cavalry’s complaint is vague, consider filing a Civ. R. 12(E) Motion for a More Definite Statement BEFORE your Answer. This may waive that right if delayed until after the Answer.

The court schedules a case management conference or pretrial hearing. Cavalry must produce evidence supporting their claim — the credit agreement, account statements, and chain of title.

You can request discovery, demanding Cavalry prove ownership and the amount they’re claiming. Specifically demand the chain of title documentation showing how Cavalry acquired the debt from the original creditor.

If Cavalry can’t produce documents, you can file a Motion for Summary Judgment or Motion to Dismiss.

Many Cavalry cases settle for far less than the demanded amount, or get dismissed before trial. The single most important fact about Cavalry cases is that debt buyers abandon most cases where defendants fight back with documented defenses. Filing an Answer with strong defenses — and CSPA counterclaims where applicable — is often enough to make Cavalry walk away.

Don’t ignore the lawsuit. Default judgment is permanent and collectible.

Don’t waive your CSPA or FDCPA claims by leaving them out of your Answer. Civ. R. 13(A) requires compulsory counterclaims. If Cavalry violated these statutes in collecting this debt, you must file the claim as a counterclaim now — you cannot file a separate lawsuit later for the same conduct.

Don’t file your Answer first if you should be filing a Civ. R. 12(E) Motion for a More Definite Statement first. Filing the Answer can waive the 12(E) option.

Don’t agree to a verbal payment plan. Get everything in writing and on the court record.

Don’t admit you owe the debt in your Answer. Deny everything you can’t independently verify with documents.

Don’t pay the original creditor. If Cavalry is suing you, paying the original creditor creates evidence that Cavalry doesn’t actually own the debt anymore.