Mandarich Law Group on Your Florida Summons? What to Do
If Mandarich Law Group, LLP is the name on a summons or letter you received, the first thing to understand is that a law firm’s name on your paperwork does not mean the law firm is the one you owe money to. Look at the caption on the lawsuit: the plaintiff — usually a bank, credit card issuer, or debt buyer — is the party claiming you owe a debt. Mandarich Law Group is identified in court filings as counsel appearing on behalf of that plaintiff, not as the party suing you in its own right. If you were served with a Florida lawsuit, you generally have 20 days from the date of service to file a written response in county or circuit court, or you must appear at an early pretrial conference if the case is in small claims.
Who Is Mandarich Law Group?
Mandarich Law Group, LLP is a debt-collection law firm. On its own website, the firm lists offices in seven states, including a Florida office in Lake Mary, and states that its attorneys are licensed to practice in Florida among other states (mandarichlaw.com/about, accessed September 7, 2026). If you want to verify a letter or call claiming to be from Mandarich Law Group, compare the phone number and return address against what the firm publishes on its own website before responding, and confirm the case number, if any, on the relevant county clerk’s website.
What the Summons Means and What Happens Next
A debt lawsuit in Florida is split by dollar amount: small claims (up to $8,000), county court, and circuit court. In county and circuit court, you have 20 days from service to file a written answer. In small claims, you don’t file an answer — you show up to a scheduled pretrial conference instead. In either case, doing nothing is what allows the court to enter a default judgment, after which the plaintiff can pursue wage garnishment (up to 25% of disposable earnings under Florida law) or a bank account levy.
What a Creditor’s Attorney Must Prove
Whoever is suing you — regardless of which law firm represents them — generally has to show they own or have the legal right to collect the specific debt, plus documentation supporting the amount claimed. For accounts that have changed hands (sold from the original creditor to a debt buyer, for example), that means a complete chain of assignment. Florida’s statute of limitations on a written contract, such as a credit card agreement, is five years from the last payment or default, which is often relevant on older accounts.
Your Rights Under Federal and Florida Law
A law firm that regularly collects consumer debts through litigation is generally treated as a “debt collector” for purposes of federal law, which means the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. § 1692 et seq.) and Florida’s Consumer Collection Practices Act (Fla. Stat. § 559.55 et seq.) apply to how you may be contacted. A collector may not call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., contact you at work after being told not to, or misrepresent the amount or status of a debt. If you believe any of these lines were crossed, document the date, time, and substance of the contact.
Your Options
You generally have three paths after being served: answer the lawsuit and contest some or all of the claim, negotiate a resolution, or evaluate whether Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy fits your broader financial picture better. Which makes sense depends on your specific paperwork, your other debts, and your income. Our overview of debt collection lawsuit defense in Florida walks through how each path works.
Served With a Florida Lawsuit? Get a Free Debt Freedom Strategy Session
Ziegler Diamond Law has helped Floridians respond to debt-collection lawsuits since 2012. In a Free Debt Freedom Strategy Session, we’ll review your summons, check the paperwork against what the law requires, and walk through your options — with no pressure and no cost for the conversation.
Call (727) 538-4188 or start your Free Debt Freedom Strategy Session online. Florida’s response deadlines are strict.
This article is general information, not legal advice. For Florida residents, contact Ziegler Diamond Law for a Free Debt Freedom Strategy Session.