CS-2026-00038 - Cavalry SPV I, LLC, as Assignee of Synchrony Bank v. Kourtney Scribner

What's This Case About?

Let’s get one thing straight: in 2026, a bank still had to file a formal court document to confirm that someone named Kourtney Scribner is not in the military. That’s right. A financial institution, armed with lawyers and databases and the full weight of the U.S. legal system, could not just assume Kourtney Scribner was a civilian. They had to swear under penalty of perjury that she wasn’t a secret Navy SEAL, Coast Guard reservist, or Public Health Service officer before they could legally come after her for what is almost certainly a few thousand bucks on a credit card. Welcome to the wild, bureaucratic jungle of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act — where even debt collection has to tiptoe around the possibility of a deployable hero.

So who are we even talking about here? On one side: Cavalry SPV I, LLC — which sounds like a tech startup but is actually a debt buyer, the kind of company that scoops up defaulted credit card balances from banks like Synchrony for pennies on the dollar, then sues to collect the full amount. These firms are the final stop on the debt collection train — the last boss. Representing them is Dan G. Young, an Oklahoma attorney with a bar number so proudly displayed it might as well be a superhero ID. On the other side: Kourtney Scribner, a private citizen born in July 1993, with a Social Security number ending in 5643, who apparently missed a few payments and is now the subject of a military background check. There’s no indication she’s ever worn a uniform, served a country, or even attended basic training. But the law doesn’t care about vibes — it cares about due diligence. And so, into the record we go: Is Kourtney Scribner in the military? Let’s find out.

What actually happened? Well, that’s the thing — we don’t know the full drama. Did Kourtney max out a credit card? Did she move? Change jobs? Did she dispute the debt? The filing doesn’t say. What we do know is that Cavalry, before filing any actual lawsuit over money, had to first file this — a “Sworn Declaration as to Military Service” — because of a law called the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). This law, originally passed in 1940 and updated since, exists to protect active-duty military personnel from being financially steamrolled while they’re off defending the country. It lets them pause interest rates on debts, delay court proceedings, and even void certain contracts if they can prove military service interfered with their ability to pay. It’s a good law. A necessary law. But it also means that before any creditor can legally sue someone, they have to prove that person isn’t in the military — or risk facing penalties if they’re wrong.

So Cavalry did what any cautious debt collector would do: they ran a DMDC (Defense Manpower Data Center) check — basically the Pentagon’s official “are they deployed?” database. They entered Kourtney’s name, birth date, and SSN, and got back a very official-looking, very repetitive two-page table that says, in about five different ways: No, Kourtney Scribner is not on active duty. No, she hasn’t been in the last 367 days. No, her unit hasn’t been called up. No, she’s not in the Coast Guard, NOAA, or the Space Force. The only thing missing is a flashing neon sign that says “CIVILIAN ZONE – PROCEED WITH LAWSUIT.”

And yet, the bank still had to swear to it. The attorney, Dan G. Young, had to sign a document under penalty of perjury — meaning if he lied, he could go to jail — stating that Kourtney is not in the military. The whole thing feels like a legal version of “I am not a robot” CAPTCHA, but with higher stakes and worse fonts.

Now, you might be wondering: why are they in court at all? Isn’t this just a formality? Well, yes and no. The SCRA requires creditors to file this declaration with the court before proceeding with most legal actions. It’s not optional. If Cavalry had skipped this step and later found out Kourtney was in the military, they could be on the hook for damages, attorney’s fees, and even punitive penalties. So this isn’t about Kourtney — it’s about CYA: Cover Your Assets. The claim listed in the case isn’t “Kourtney owes us money.” It’s literally “We checked, and she’s not in the military.” That’s the cause of action. That’s the legal fight right now. It’s like showing up to a boxing match, tapping your opponent on the shoulder, and saying, “Just confirming you’re not a minor or unconscious before I throw a punch.”

As for what they want — well, that’s the wildest part. The filing doesn’t ask for a single dollar. No $50,000. No $5,000. Nothing. There’s no demand for monetary damages listed. No request for a judgment. No mention of interest or late fees. All they’re asking for — all they’ve formally requested — is permission to proceed, assuming Kourtney isn’t a soldier. This document is a prelude to a lawsuit, not the lawsuit itself. It’s the legal equivalent of clearing your throat before speaking. Which means, yes — someone got served, a court clerk stamped a file, and a lawyer put their bar number on a form… all to say: “We checked. She’s not in the Army.”

Is $50,000 a lot in this situation? Who knows! We don’t even know how much she owes! But here’s what we do know: chasing small debts through the court system costs money. Filing fees, attorney time, database checks — it adds up. And for what? A few thousand on a Walmart credit card? A maxed-out CareCredit bill? Whatever it is, it’s almost certainly not worth the drama of invoking the national defense infrastructure. But the system is what it is. And the system says: no suing until you’ve ruled out the possibility of a covert military deployment.

Our take? The most absurd part isn’t that they checked. It’s how serious they had to be about checking. The SCRA exists to protect real people — service members who get shipped overseas and come back to 20% interest rates and eviction notices. That’s important. But the fallout is that now, every time a debt collector wants to sue anyone named Johnson, Smith, or Scribner, they have to run a Pentagon-level security clearance. Kourtney could be a barista in Ardmore, Oklahoma, with zero ties to the armed forces, and still — the gears of justice must grind forward with solemn declarations and federal database queries. It’s overkill? Maybe. But it’s also kind of beautiful in its absurd diligence. We’re not rooting for the debt collector. We’re not rooting for Kourtney, either — we don’t know her. No, we’re rooting for the idea that the system cares enough to ask. Even if the answer is obvious. Even if it feels ridiculous. In a world where courts often ignore the little guy, it’s almost heartwarming that they still pause — just for a second — to make sure he’s not wearing a uniform.

Case Overview

Petition

Jurisdiction

District Court of Johnston County, Oklahoma

Filing Attorney

Dan G. Young

Relief Sought

Plaintiffs

Cavalry SPV I, LLC, as Assignee of Synchrony Bank business
Rep: Dan G. Young, Oklahoma State Bar No. 20915

Defendants

Kourtney Scribner individual

Claims

#	Cause of Action	Description
1	Servicemembers Civil Relief Act	Cavalry SPV I, LLC, as Assignee of Synchrony Bank requests information on Kourtney Scribner's military status

Petition Text

1,185 words

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF JOHNSTON COUNTY STATE OF OKLAHOMA CAVALRY SPV I, LLC, AS ASSIGNEE OF SYNCHRONY BANK Plaintiff v. KOURTNEY SCRIBNER Defendant SWORN DECLARATION AS TO MILITARY SERVICE In compliance with the Service Members Civil Relief Act, 50 App. U.S.C. § 521 et seq., I, the undersigned Plaintiff, state that the following facts are true: ☐ Defendant, Kourtney Scribner, is in military service. I have attached all relevant documentation and information to support this declaration. ☒ Defendant, Kourtney Scribner, is not in military service. I have attached all relevant documentation and information to support this declaration. ☐ I am unable to determine whether or not the Defendant Kourtney Scribner, is in military service. I state under penalty of perjury under the laws of Oklahoma that the foregoing is true and correct. Dated this 19 day of March, 2026. CAVALRY SPV I, LLC, AS ASSIGNEE OF SYNCHRONY BANK PLAINTIFF Dan G. Young Oklahoma State Bar No. 20915 ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF Status Report Pursuant to Servicemembers Civil Relief Act SSN: XXX-XX-5643 Birth Date: Jul-XX-1993 Last Name: SCRIBNER First Name: KOURTNEY Middle Name: Status As Of: Mar-09-2026 Certificate ID: CZKNN76LP1JGNX8 <table> <tr> <th colspan="5">On Active Duty On Active Duty Status Date</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Active Duty Start Date</th> <th>Active Duty End Date</th> <th>Status</th> <th colspan="2">Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td colspan="2">NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="5">This response reflects the individuals' active duty status based on the Active Duty Status Date.</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th colspan="5">Left Active Duty Within 367 Days of Active Duty Status Date</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Active Duty Start Date</th> <th>Active Duty End Date</th> <th>Status</th> <th colspan="2">Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td colspan="2">NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="5">This response reflects where the individual left active duty status within 367 days preceding the Active Duty Status Date.</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th colspan="5">The Member or His/Her Unit Was Notified of a Future Call-Up to Active Duty on Active Duty Status Date</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Order Notification Start Date</th> <th>Order Notification End Date</th> <th>Status</th> <th colspan="2">Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td colspan="2">NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="5">This response reflects whether the individual or his/her unit has received early notification to report for active duty.</td> </tr> </table> Upon searching the data banks of the Department of Defense Manpower Data Center, based on the information that you provided, the above is the status of the individual on the active duty status date as to all branches of the Uniformed Services (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, NOAA, Public Health, and Coast Guard). This status includes information on a Servicemember or his/her unit receiving notification of future orders to report for Active Duty. The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) is an organization of the Department of Defense (DoD) that maintains the Defense Enrollment and Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) database which is the official source of data on eligibility for military medical care and other eligibility systems. The DoD strongly supports the enforcement of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 USC App. § 3901 et seq, as amended) (SCRA) (formerly known as the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940). DMDC has issued hundreds of thousands of "does not possess any information indicating that the individual is currently on active duty" responses, and has experienced only a small error rate. In the event the individual referenced above, or any family member, friend, or representative asserts in any manner that the individual was on active duty for the active duty status date, or is otherwise entitled to the protections of the SCRA, you are strongly encouraged to obtain further verification of the person's status by contacting that person's Service. Service contact information can be found on the SCRA website's FAQ page (Q35) via this URL: https://scra.dmdc.osd.mil/scra###faqs. If you have evidence the person was on active duty for the active duty status date and you fail to obtain this additional Service verification, punitive provisions of the SCRA may be invoked against you. See 50 USC App. § 3921(c). This response reflects the following information: (1) The individual's Active Duty status on the Active Duty Status Date (2) Whether the individual left Active Duty status within 367 days preceding the Active Duty Status Date (3) Whether the individual or his/her unit received early notification to report for active duty on the Active Duty Status Date. More information on "Active Duty Status" Active duty status as reported in this certificate is defined in accordance with 10 USC § 101(d)(1). Prior to 2010 only some of the active duty periods less than 30 consecutive days in length were available. In the case of a member of the National Guard, this includes service under a call to active service authorized by the President or the Secretary of Defense under 32 USC § 502(f) for purposes of responding to a national emergency declared by the President and supported by Federal funds. All Active Guard Reserve (AGR) members must be assigned against an authorized mobilization position in the unit they support. This includes Navy Training and Administration of the Reserves (TARs), Marine Corps Active Reserve (ARs) and Coast Guard Reserve Program Administrator (RPAs). Active Duty status also applies to a Uniformed Service member who is an active duty commissioned officer of the U.S. Public Health Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA Commissioned Corps). Coverage Under the SCRA is Broader in Some Cases Coverage under the SCRA is broader in some cases and includes some categories of persons on active duty for purposes of the SCRA who would not be reported as on Active Duty under this certificate. SCRA protections are for Title 10 and Title 14 active duty records for all the Uniformed Services periods. Title 32 periods of Active Duty are not covered by SCRA, as defined in accordance with 10 USC § 101(d)(1). Many times orders are amended to extend the period of active duty, which would extend SCRA protections. Persons seeking to rely on this website certification should check to make sure the orders on which SCRA protections are based have not been amended to extend the inclusive dates of service. Furthermore, some protections of the SCRA may extend to persons who have received orders to report for active duty or to be inducted, but who have not actually begun active duty or actually reported for induction. The Last Date on Active Duty entry is important because a number of protections of the SCRA extend beyond the last dates of active duty. Those who could rely on this certificate are urged to seek qualified legal counsel to ensure that all rights guaranteed to Service members under the SCRA are protected WARNING: This certificate was provided based on a last name, SSN/date of birth, and active duty status date provided by the requester. Providing erroneous information will cause an erroneous certificate to be provided.