Growing trend in student loan collectors, students getting arrested.

I guess the issue is how did they get a judge to issue a bench warrant for what should be a civil case? If there was a case, shouldn't he have been served (which appears to not be the case from the articles) before anything like that could happen? Is there a pending lawsuit or not?  Sounds like he wasn't Mirandized or able to have a lawyer present either, which really sounds fishy.

I'm with ya - stories out of TX sometimes have many layers!    I see posts that indicate this story is heading into dark waters....interesting!

US Marshals basically breaking down doors to collect 30-year old student loans? I think not.  I wouldn't put too much stock in that article if I were you.

Late to the party and scratching my chin at a few lines:

"The U.S. Marshals said later in court ...." -- All seven Marshals, none of whom have names, lined up in a courtroom like a chorus and gave a statement?

"Local PD is just standing there." -- Officers' names, please?

"Then I get a lecture (from the judge) ..." -- The judge is anonymous, too? Is this an American court or an old Eastern Bloc gulag?

Reporters get names. They provide context. Gossip grubs omit details. Hold this to the light and the bullet holes in the story glow. These "jailed for debt" stories always stem from bench warrants and the facts often get warped. Here is one more reason judges and journalists don't get along.

I also note that if the story was true at face value, my usual legal news sources would have lit up like Roman candles. Not a peep from them in the past day.

Update on the article on the Fox News Houston Texas site :
http://www.fox26houston.com/news/92893041-story

It appears that to protect the defendant's right to an impartial civil trial regarding his very-old-debt to the federal government, the judge had him arrested to force him to appear in court.

Has this irony been discussed on this site ?

This case made it on to GMA this morning. It seems it's being taken with a lot of laughter. I don't see any humor in it. I want to see some explanations.

U.S. marshals are Federal, not State.

for that post.  Without your esteemed knowledge no one here would have been able to figure that out.  You must be rocket scientist material.  Now before your over inflated head gets so big that it will explode, I am being fallacious.  Sorry for the big words but i figure you can get someone to explain them to you.

Why is your name sharpshooter?  We all know you couldn't hit the broad side of a barn if the gun barrel was setting right against it.

That one probably thinks big words will give it a bigger brain.

This story ended up on NBC news last night. Watching the story, it really does make sense. The man had gotten repeated letters. Also got repeated letters to appear in court. He also admits he owes the debt. According to NBC, American's owe over 1 Trillion Dollars in student loans. After watching the story there is one thing for sure. They got his attention about the debt. Watch & see what you think:
http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/man ... an-624103491543
or: search 'NBC News 30 year old student debt'

Thanks Badge.
Funny how the repeated letters were never mentioned in his interview....
Now I wonder if there were actually 7 marshals involved as originally reported.

This has nothing to do with Texas.
In case you missed it, this was an arrest by the UNITES STATES FEDERAL MARSHALS OFFICE.
The man was taken to UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

Thank you -- for your 'fallacious' post. Considering that Tamianth posted about how strange things happen in Texas, I thought it was appropriate to point out that this was done by the US Marshals office on the request of the US District Court, just so Tamianth might understand this has nothing to do Texas.
I would agree that you are being 'fallacious'.

There were enough Marshalls there that he was billed an additional $1300 for their time.