CS-2026-00068 - Midland Credit Management, Inc. v. Tabitha Callan

What's This Case About?

Let’s be real: someone owes a little over two grand. That’s not what’s wild. The wild part? Seven—seven—lawyers showed up to collect it. Seven. That’s more legal firepower than some divorce trials get, and we’re not talking about alimony or custody here. We’re talking about $2,193.77 in credit card debt. That’s less than a down payment on a used Toyota. And yet, in a courtroom in Jackson County, Oklahoma, a debt collector has unleashed a legal army like they’re suing for corporate espionage. Welcome to Crazy Civil Court, where the stakes are low, the paperwork is high, and someone named Turae Sullivan—bless their soul—swore under penalty of perjury that yes, yes, the records do show Tabitha Callan hasn’t paid her Credit One bills. The drama. The tension. The… spreadsheets.

So who are these people? On one side, we’ve got Tabitha Callan—name sounds like a character from a Hallmark movie where she runs a small-town bakery and has unresolved feelings about her high school sweetheart. We don’t know much about her, and that’s fine. She hasn’t said a word in this case yet. She may not even know about it. But on the other side? We’ve got Midland Credit Management, Inc.—a debt collection company that buys up defaulted credit card accounts for pennies on the dollar, then sues to collect the full amount. Think of them as the vultures of the financial world, but with better dental plans and a very active litigation strategy. They didn’t lend Tabitha the money. They didn’t approve her credit applications. They just bought the right to chase her for it after Credit One gave up and sold the debt like expired yogurt at a discount bin.

And now, the saga. According to the filing, Tabitha had not one, but two Credit One credit cards. The first, opened in May 2021, had a balance of $1,067.47. The second, opened in August 2022, was just a hair bigger at $1,126.30. Both accounts, we’re told, were “charged off” in late 2024—bank-speak for “we’ve stopped expecting to get our money back.” But that doesn’t mean the debt vanishes. Oh no. It gets sold. And in this case, it was sold—some time around November 2024—to Midland, who then waited until early 2026 to file suit. Why the delay? Maybe they were sending polite letters. Maybe they were calling and leaving voicemails with that robotic “your account is past due” tone. Or maybe they were just biding their time, letting interest accrue like mold on last week’s leftovers. Whatever the case, by January 2026, they’d had enough. Or, more accurately, their legal department had enough—seven of them, all ready to go to war over a debt that, combined, wouldn’t even cover the cost of a single lawyer’s annual bar dues.

Now, why are we in court? Legally speaking, Midland is filing what’s called a “petition for indebtedness”—a fancy way of saying, “Hey, this person owes us money, and we want a judge to make them pay.” They’re not accusing Tabitha of fraud. They’re not saying she maxed out the cards and fled the country. They’re just saying: she used the cards, she stopped paying, and now we own the debt, so please, Your Honor, make her cough up the cash. The legal theory here is straightforward: assignment of debt. Credit One handed the rights to this money over to Midland, so now Midland gets to collect. It’s like if your friend owes you $20, you sell that IOU to a third party, and then they show up at your friend’s door demanding payment. Legally valid? Yes. Ethically cozy? Debatable. Dramatically overstaffed? Absolutely.

And what do they want? $2,193.77. Let’s put that in perspective. That’s not nothing—but it’s not a fortune, either. It’s about what you’d spend on a week-long vacation to Branson. It’s the cost of a decent used lawnmower and a shed to put it in. It’s seven lawyers’ worth of parking fees for a month. And yet, here we are, with a full-blown affidavit from Turae Sullivan—a Legal Specialist in St. Cloud, Minnesota, who has apparently dedicated a portion of their professional life to certifying that yes, the digital records do indeed reflect that Tabitha Callan has not paid her bills. The affidavit is meticulous. It’s dry. It’s repetitive. It’s the legal equivalent of watching paint dry, but with more notarized stamps.

Now, here’s the thing: debt collection lawsuits like this are incredibly common. Thousands happen every day across America. But what makes this one stand out isn’t the debt. It’s the response to the debt. Seven attorneys listed on the pleading. Seven. William L. Nixon, Jr., Harley L. Homjak, Gracelyn Porras Dillingham, Jenifer A. Gani, Daniela Westfahl, Mariah S. Ellicott, and Benjamin F. Brackett. That’s not a law firm—that’s a podcast cast. You could cast a courtroom drama with these names. “The People v. Unpaid Balance,” starring Daniela Westfahl as the relentless associate who uncovers a clerical error in the charge-off date. Mariah S. Ellicott as the idealistic junior lawyer who starts questioning the morality of debt collection. And William L. Nixon, Jr. as the grizzled partner who barks, “We don’t care about morality—we care about judgments.”

Is this efficient? Is it necessary? Probably not. But is it effective? Maybe. Because the truth is, most people don’t show up to these hearings. They don’t hire lawyers. They don’t file responses. And so the court says, “Well, no one’s contesting this,” and boom—judgment entered. Midland wins. They get their $2,193.77, plus interest, plus fees, and maybe even a warm sense of bureaucratic accomplishment. But here’s what we’re rooting for: we’re rooting for Tabitha Callan to show up. We’re rooting for her to walk into that courtroom in Jackson County, look at the judge, point at the seven names on the petition, and say, “Your Honor, I didn’t pay my credit card bill. That was wrong. But are you telling me it took seven lawyers to figure that out? Seven? I didn’t even use seven people to get into this mess!”

Because that’s the absurd heart of this case. A single consumer, two credit cards, a few missed payments—and a legal response that looks like a corporate takeover. It’s not crime. It’s not scandal. It’s just… a lot. A lot of lawyers. A lot of paperwork. A lot of ceremony for a sum of money that, in the grand scheme of things, barely registers. But in the world of civil court, where the stakes are small and the procedures are large, this is peak theater. And we’re here for it. Not because justice hangs in the balance. But because sometimes, the most ridiculous fights aren’t about murder, betrayal, or stolen heirlooms. Sometimes, they’re about who has to pay for a Target run from three years ago. And who gets to collect it—with interest, and a seven-lawyer entourage.

Case Overview

$2,194 Demand Petition

Jurisdiction

District Court, Oklahoma

Relief Sought

$2,194 Monetary

Plaintiffs

Midland Credit Management, Inc. business
Rep: LOVE, BEAL & NIXON, P.C. (William L. Nixon, Jr., Harley L. Homjak, Gracelyn Porras Dillingham, Jenifer A. Gani, Daniela Westfahl, Mariah S. Ellicott, Benjamin F. Brackett)

Defendants

Tabitha Callan individual

Claims

#	Cause of Action	Description
1	Credit one bank, N.A. provided credit to defendant on account number XXXXXXXXXXXXX4971. Defendant defaulted on the obligation. The account has been assigned to Plaintiff.
2	Credit one bank, N.A. provided credit to defendant on account number XXXXXXXXXXXXXX4601. Defendant defaulted on the obligation. The account has been assigned to Plaintiff.

Petition Text

1,188 words

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF JACKSON COUNTY STATE OF OKLAHOMA Midland Credit Management, Inc. Plaintiff, vs. Tabitha Callan, Defendant. PETITION FOR INDEBTEDNESS COMES NOW Plaintiff, by and through its undersigned attorneys who hereby enter their appearance herein, and for cause of action against Defendant alleges and states: COUNT I 1. CREDIT ONE BANK, N.A., provided credit to the defendant on account number XXXXXXXXXXXXX4971. Defendant defaulted on the obligation. The account has been assigned to Plaintiff. 2. Defendant owes Plaintiff $1,067.47. An Affidavit of Account is attached hereto and incorporated by reference. COUNT 2 1. CREDIT ONE BANK, N.A., provided credit to the defendant on account number XXXXXXXXXXXXX4601. Defendant defaulted on the obligation. The account has been assigned to Plaintiff. 2. Defendant owes Plaintiff $1,126.30. An Affidavit of Account is attached hereto and incorporated by reference. WHEREFORE, Plaintiff prays for Judgment against the Defendant in the sum of $2,193.77, with interest at the statutory rate, all court costs, and for such other relief as the Court may deem just and proper. William L. Nixon, Jr., #012804 Harley L. Homjak, #019736 Gracelyn Porras Dillingham, #35852 Jenifer A. Gani, #021876 Daniela Westfahl, #36242 Mariah S. Ellicott, #36309 Benjamin F. Brackett, #36580 LOVE, BEAL & NIXON, P.C. Attorney for Plaintiff P.O. Box 32738 Oklahoma City, OK 73123 Telephone: 405-720-0565 E-Mail: [email protected] STATE OF OKLAHOMA Midland Credit Management, Inc, Plaintiff -vs- Callan, Tabitha, Defendant(s). AFFIDAVIT OF TURAE SULLIVAN Turae Sullivan, whose business address is 600 W. Saint Germain St Suite 200, St. Cloud, MN 56301-3616, certifies and says: 1. I am employed as a Legal Specialist and have access to pertinent account records for Midland Credit Management, Inc. ("Plaintiff" or "MCM"). I am a competent person over eighteen years of age, and make the statements herein based upon personal knowledge of those account records maintained by Plaintiff. Plaintiff is the current owner of, and was assigned all the rights, title and interest to Defendant's CREDIT ONE BANK, N.A. account XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX4971 (MCM Number 330016347) (hereinafter "the Account"). 2. I have access to and have reviewed the electronic records pertaining to the Account maintained by MCM and am authorized to make this affidavit on MCM's behalf. The electronic records reviewed consist of (i) data and records acquired from the seller or assignor when MCM purchased or was assigned the Account, which were incorporated into MCM's business records upon purchase or assignment, and (ii) data and records generated by MCM in connection with servicing the Account since the date the Account was purchased by or was assigned to MCM. 3. I am familiar with and trained on the manner and method by which MCM creates and maintains its business records pertaining to the Account, which consist of (i) data and documents acquired from the seller or assignor, and (ii) subsequent collection and/or servicing activities by MCM. The records are acquired or created, and are kept in the regular course of MCM's business. It was in the regular course of MCM's business for a person with knowledge of the subsequent collection and/or servicing activities recorded, and a business duty to report, to make the record or data compilation, or to transmit information thereof to be included in such record, or for such information to be posted in MCM's records by a computer or similar digital means. In the regular course of MCM's business, the record or compilation of the subsequent collection activities is made at or near the time of the act or event by MCM as a regular practice. 4. MCM's records show that Defendant(s) owed a balance of $1,067.47 as of 2025-12-22. 5. On or about 2024-11-19, Midland Credit Management, Inc became the successor in interest to this Account. 6. MCM's records show that: 1) the Account was opened on 2021-05-19; 2) the last payment posted to the Account on 2024-02-10; and 3) the Account was charged off on 2024-10-04. 7. If called to testify as a witness thereon, I could and would competently testify as to all the facts stated herein. LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY I certify under penalty of perjury that the foregoing statements are true and correct. JAN 15 2026 Date STATE OF MINNESOTA COUNTY OF STEARNS Signed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me on by Turae Sullivan. JAN 15 2026 Notary Public OK038 STATE OF OKLAHOMA Midland Credit Management, Inc, Plaintiff -vs- Callan, Tabitha, Defendant(s). AFFIDAVIT OF TURAE SULLIVAN Turae Sullivan, whose business address is 600 W. Saint Germain St Suite 200, St. Cloud, MN 56301-3616, certifies and says: 1. I am employed as a Legal Specialist and have access to pertinent account records for Midland Credit Management, Inc. ("Plaintiff" or "MCM"). I am a competent person over eighteen years of age, and make the statements herein based upon personal knowledge of those account records maintained by Plaintiff. Plaintiff is the current owner of, and was assigned all the rights, title and interest to Defendant's CREDIT ONE BANK, N.A. account XXXXXXXXXXXXXX4601 (MCM Number 330016349) (hereinafter "the Account"). 2. I have access to and have reviewed the electronic records pertaining to the Account maintained by MCM and am authorized to make this affidavit on MCM's behalf. The electronic records reviewed consist of (i) data and records acquired from the seller or assignor when MCM purchased or was assigned the Account, which were incorporated into MCM's business records upon purchase or assignment, and (ii) data and records generated by MCM in connection with servicing the Account since the date the Account was purchased by or was assigned to MCM. 3. I am familiar with and trained on the manner and method by which MCM creates and maintains its business records pertaining to the Account, which consist of (i) data and documents acquired from the seller or assignor, and (ii) subsequent collection and/or servicing activities by MCM. The records are acquired or created, and are kept in the regular course of MCM's business. It was in the regular course of MCM's business for a person with knowledge of the subsequent collection and/or servicing activities recorded, and a business duty to report, to make the record or data compilation, or to transmit information thereof to be included in such record, or for such information to be posted in MCM's records by a computer or similar digital means. In the regular course of MCM's business, the record or compilation of the subsequent collection activities is made at or near the time of the act or event by MCM as a regular practice. 4. MCM's records show that Defendant(s) owed a balance of $1,126.30 as of 2025-12-22. 5. On or about 2024-11-19, Midland Credit Management, Inc became the successor in interest to this Account. 6. MCM's records show that: 1) the Account was opened on 2022-08-22; 2) the last payment posted to the Account on 2024-02-10; and 3) the Account was charged off on 2024-10-06. 7. If called to testify as a witness thereon, I could and would competently testify as to all the facts stated herein. LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY I certify under penalty of perjury that the foregoing statements are true and correct. JAN 15 2026 Date STATE OF MINNESOTA COUNTY OF STEARNS Turae Sullivan Signed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me on JAN 15 2026 by Turae Sullivan. Christy Lynn Blas Notary Public - Minnesota My Commission Expires 01/31/2029 Notary Public OK038