CJ-2026-59 - TINKER FEDERAL CREDIT UNION v. TRACI D. JENKINS

What's This Case About?

Let’s be honest: most of us have credit card debt. We’ve all maxed out a Visa during a rough month, told ourselves we’d pay it off “next paycheck,” and then… didn’t. But here’s the twist no one sees coming: sixteen years later, a credit union sues you for $22,000… over a credit card you opened in 2008. That’s not just interest piling up — that’s generational debt. Welcome to the legal saga of Tinker Federal Credit Union vs. Traci D. Jenkins, where time travel might be the only defense left.

So who are these people? On one side, we’ve got Tinker Federal Credit Union — a financial institution with a name that sounds like a side character from a 1950s sci-fi serial. It serves military and civilian employees associated with Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, offering loans, savings accounts, and apparently, the occasional legal thriller. Represented by attorney Jeffery S. Ludlam (who, for the record, has filed this case not once, but twice), TFCU is playing the long game. They’re not yelling, they’re not threatening, they’re just… waiting. And billing. And re-filing.

On the other side is Traci D. Jenkins, a woman born in December 1955, who applied for a credit card back when The Office was still a British import and the iPhone was a year old. According to her 2008 application, she listed her employer as “Disabled” and her job title as “None.” Her annual income? A majestic $0.00. She didn’t even fill out the “nearest relative” section — twice. And yet, in this moment of financial… let’s call it optimism, she applied for a $5,000 credit limit on a Visa Platinum card. Whether this was a clerical error, a moment of wishful thinking, or a desperate bid for dignity in hard times, we may never know. But she signed the application. And that signature? That’s the legal equivalent of saying, “Yes, I will pay you back, eventually.”

Now, what actually happened? Well, the filing doesn’t give us dramatic blow-by-blow — no late-night gambling sprees, no mysterious overseas charges, no evidence she bought a timeshare in Belize. Just one quiet, devastating fact: Traci Jenkins used the card, didn’t pay it back, and defaulted. The contract — Exhibit A, presumably the cardholder agreement — bound her to repay all charges. And as of November 26, 2024, that balance sat at $22,039.19. Let that number sink in. Twenty-two thousand dollars. On a card opened by someone who declared zero income and has presumably been living off disability for nearly two decades.

And here’s where the legal gears start grinding. TFCU originally filed this case in Oklahoma County in 2024, but it got dismissed — not because the debt wasn’t real, but likely due to procedural hiccups. No matter. They refiled in Tulsa County in February 2026, citing Oklahoma law that allows re-filing within the statute of limitations. They also did their homework: they checked the Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act (SCRA) database — a legal safeguard that protects active-duty military from aggressive debt collection — and confirmed Traci Jenkins is not in the military. Not now, not recently, not even on a future call-up list. The affidavit is there, stamped, certified, and as dry as a federal document can be. They even requested that the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission hand over her employment info — a move that suggests they’re preparing to garnish wages, should they ever find any.

So why are they in court? Because this isn’t just about the money anymore. It’s about enforcement. TFCU is asking the court to officially declare that Traci Jenkins owes them $22,039.19, plus interest, plus attorney’s fees, plus collection costs. In legal terms, they want a judgment — a court stamp that says, “Yes, this debt is valid.” That judgment then becomes a tool: it can lead to wage garnishment, bank levies, or liens on property. But here’s the catch: Traci Jenkins has been disabled since at least 2008. She has no job. Her income is zero. She lives in Enid, Oklahoma — not exactly a hub of untapped wealth. So what, exactly, are they going to collect? A judgment is only as good as the assets behind it, and this one looks about as collectible as a signed napkin from Elvis.

And yet — they want $22,039.19. Is that a lot? For a credit card balance that started with a $5,000 limit and zero reported income? Absolutely. For a debt that’s been compounding for 16 years? Maybe not. Let’s do the math: even at a modest 18% annual interest, $5,000 balloons to over $70,000 in 16 years. So $22,000 might actually be a discount. Maybe they’ve already written off part of it. Or maybe — and this is the more likely scenario — they’re not chasing the full compound horror, but a negotiated settlement they can actually collect on. Still, asking a disabled woman with no income to pay over twenty grand is like asking a goldfish to climb a tree. Technically possible? Sure. Realistic? Not even close.

Now, our take. The most absurd part of this case isn’t the debt. It’s the timeline. Sixteen years. A child born the year Traci opened that card is now old enough to open one of their own. The iPhone didn’t exist. Obama hadn’t taken office. And TFCU waited this long to sue? Either they’ve been patiently collecting interest like a vampire banker, or they lost the file, found it again, and decided, “Eh, let’s give it a shot.” And the fact that they had to refile because the first case got dismissed? That’s not legal strategy — that’s bureaucratic slapstick.

Are we rooting for Traci Jenkins? Look, we’re not saying she doesn’t owe the money. The contract is clear, the charges were made, and someone’s got to foot the bill. But suing a disabled woman with no income, sixteen years after the fact, for a debt that likely snowballed due to interest and penalties — that feels less like justice and more like financial haunting. It’s the legal equivalent of sending a bill to someone for a Netflix subscription they forgot to cancel in 2008… except Netflix probably wouldn’t bother. TFCU, on the other hand, has lawyers, affidavits, and a spreadsheet that’s been running longer than most marriages.

At the end of the day, this case isn’t really about $22,000. It’s about what happens when debt outlives common sense. When paperwork becomes a ghost that won’t rest. When a credit card application from the Bush administration comes back to haunt you in the age of AI and TikTok. So will Traci Jenkins pay? Probably not. Will TFCU get their judgment? Probably yes. But will it matter? Only if she suddenly inherits a fortune, wins the lottery, or takes up competitive dog grooming. Until then, this lawsuit is less a legal battle and more a monument to the absurdity of perpetual debt — a financial zombie that just won’t die.

And hey — if you’re reading this and you’ve got an old credit card you forgot about? Maybe check your mail. Because sixteen years from now, someone might be asking you to pay for a sandwich you bought in 2008. With interest.

Case Overview

$22,039 Demand Petition

Jurisdiction

DISTRICT COURT, OKLAHOMA

Filing Attorney

Jeffery S. Ludlam

HALL & LUBLAM, PLLC

Relief Sought

$22,039 Monetary

Plaintiffs

TINKER FEDERAL CREDIT UNION business
Rep: Jeffery S. Ludlam, OBA #17822

Defendants

TRACI D. JENKINS individual

Claims

#	Cause of Action	Description
1	DEBT COLLECTION	TFCU is seeking to collect a debt of $22,039.19 from Defendant, Traci D. Jenkins

Petition Text

2,271 words

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF GARFIELD COUNTY STATE OF OKLAHOMA TINKER FEDERAL CREDIT UNION ) Plaintiff, vs. ) Case No. TRACI D. JENKINS, Defendant. PETITION Plaintiff, Tinker Federal Credit Union ("TFCU"), for its cause of action against Defendant, Traci D. Jenkins ("Defendant"), alleges and states as follows: 1. This matter is being refiled pursuant to 12 O.S. §100, as the original cause of action herein, filed in the Oklahoma County District Court under case number CJ-2024-344 was dismissed without prejudice by Court Order on or about April 8, 2025. Refiling this suit is proper as the Statute of Limitations has not run on TFCU’s claim. 2. On or about September 1, 2008, Defendant executed a credit card open account (hereinafter referred to as the "Contract") and became obligated to pay TFCU for all charges made thereon. See Exhibit “A”. 3. Defendant defaulted on the Contract by failing to timely pay and is indebted to TFCU in the amount of $22,039.19 as of November 26, 2024. 4. TFCU is entitled to contractual interest, reasonable attorney's fees and its reasonable costs of collection under the terms of the Contract and under 12 O.S. §936. 5. Pursuant to the Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act of 2003, TFCU has reviewed the Department of Defense website and determined Defendant is not in the military. See the Affidavit attached hereto as Exhibit “B”. 6. Pursuant to 40 O.S. §4-508(D), TFCU requests an Order that at any time or times subsequent to the filing of this order, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission shall produce, within thirty (30) days of receipt of this order, employment information of the Defendant. WHEREFORE, Tinker Federal Credit Union prays for judgment against Defendant, Traci D. Jenkins for $22,039.19, plus contractual interest, TFCU’s reasonable attorney’s fees and costs incurred in pursuit of this action, TFCU’s reasonable attorney’s fees and costs incurred in collection of the Judgment and for such other and further relief as this Court deems just and proper. Respectfully submitted, Jeffery S. Ludlam, OBA #17822 HALL & LUBLAM, PLLC 210 Park Ave, Suite 3001 Oklahoma City, OK 73102 (405) 600-9500 Telephone (405) 871-5403 Facsimile [email protected] Tinker Federal Credit Union Application for Credit Date of Application: 09/23/08 Account #: ________ Application #: 0000 Credit Limit Requested: 5K Mother’s Maiden Name: HYATT TFCU Heritage Club Member?: _____ We intend to apply for joint credit: Applicant ___ Co-Applicant ___ (initials) ________ (initials) Request for: Visa Platinum [X] Visa Classic [ ] Gold MasterCard [ ] MasterCard Classic [ ] Select One for Classic Card Option A [ ] Option B [ ] (See rate disclosures. If preference not indicated, Option A will be given.) <table> <tr> <th colspan="2">Applicant</th> <th>Co-Applicant</th> <th>Co-Signer</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Name<br>TRACI D JENKINS</td> <td>Date of Birth<br>12/1955</td> <td>Name</td> <td>Date of Birth<br>---/---/----</td> </tr> <tr> <td>TIN (SSN)</td> <td></td> <td>TIN (SSN)</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Address<br>410 S Wilson</td> <td></td> <td>Address</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>City and State<br>Enid, OK 73703</td> <td></td> <td>City and State</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Rent, Own or<br>Other Rent<br>How long?</td> <td>0</td> <td>Rent, Own or<br>Other Unknown<br>How long?</td> <td>0</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Home Phone<br>580-234-6223</td> <td>U.S. Citizen? U.S. PERSON</td> <td>Home Phone<br>U.S. Citizen?</td> <td>NOT U.S. PERSON</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Prev. Address</td> <td></td> <td>Prev. Address</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>City and State<br>, How long?</td> <td>0</td> <td>City and State<br>, How long?</td> <td>0</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Cur. Employer<br>Disabled</td> <td></td> <td>Cur. Employer</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Job Title<br>None</td> <td>Cell phone or pager number</td> <td>Job Title</td> <td>Cell phone or pager number</td> </tr> <tr> <td>How long?</td> <td>0Y 7</td> <td>Work phone<br>580-234-6223</td> <td>Work phone</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Prev. Employer</td> <td>How long?</td> <td>Prev. Employer</td> <td>How long?</td> </tr> </table> Income Allimony, child support or separate maintenance income need not be revealed if you do not wish to have it considered as a basis for repaying this loan. <table> <tr> <th>Employer / Source</th> <th>Annual Gross Income</th> <th>Employer / Source</th> <th>Annual Gross Income</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Disabled</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>0.00</td> </tr> <tr> <td>interest income</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>0.00</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>0.00</td> </tr> </table> Name and address of nearest relative not living with you: Name: Address: Home Phone: Name and address of nearest relative not living with you: Name: Address: Home Phone: I/we certify that everything stated in this application and on any attachment is true and that I/we understand that TFCU will rely upon the accuracy of this information in reviewing my/our loan request. I/we authorize TFCU to check my/our credit, employment history, and to answer questions others may ask about my/our credit record with TFCU in compliance with all Federal and State Regulations. If I/we are accepting a credit card offer, I/we have read and agreed to the terms and conditions given with this application. I/we also agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Cardholder Agreement and Disclosure Statement accompanying the Visa, MasterCard, Gold MasterCard, and Platinum products and all amendments thereto. The USA Patriot Act requires that TFCU verify the identity of all account holders. TFCU may ask me or my co-applicant to show proof of our identity. Applicant Signature: ____________________________ Date: 09/23/2008 Loan Officer Approval Code: 1202 Co-Applicant/Co-Signer Signature: ____________________________ Date: 09/23/2008 Referring Employee: BARBARA SMITHASA Branch: 6100 Closing Employee MSA SAFEC Branch: 6100 Transfer Balance (Optional) The amount of transfer will be posted to your TFCU credit card account as a cash advance, subject to the terms of the Cardholder Agreement and Disclosure Statement. The total amount of transfer requests cannot exceed your credit line. TFCU sends either full or partial payment to your creditors in the order you list them. Any charges you make to your other account after you transfer the balance should be paid directly to that credit card center; instead of Tinker Federal Credit Union. If the next payment on your other credit card is due within 30 days, you should make the payment and deduct the amount from the “Amount to Transfer” below. Account Number: ____________________________ Card Name: ____________________________ Amount to Transfer: ____________________________ Billing Address: ____________________________ SEP 24, 2008 CPO JENKINS, TRACI**1314 N GARLAND RD APT 302**ENID*OK*73703-2764*4 PER DAY INTEREST .0000 ACCOUNT PAYOFF 11/26/24 22,039.1900 11/27/24 22,039.1900 11/28/24 22,039.1900 11/29/24 22,039.1900 11/30/24 22,039.1900 12/01/24 22,039.1900 12/02/24 22,039.1900 12/03/24 22,039.1900 12/04/24 22,039.1900 12/05/24 22,039.1900 12/06/24 22,039.1900 IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF TULSA COUNTY STATE OF OKLAHOMA TINKER FEDERAL CREDIT UNION ) ) Plaintiff, vs. ) ) Case No. TRACI D. JENKINS, ) ) Defendant. SCRA AFFIDAVIT State of Oklahoma ) ) County of Oklahoma ) ) I, Lisa J. Ludlam, state that I am an attorney for Hall & Ludlam, PLLC, authorized to make this affidavit on its behalf in this case. As of the current date, the Defendant, TRACI D. JENKINS, is not in military service according to the SCRA website. I have used the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act Website (https://scra.dmdc.osd.mil/) to determine the Defendant’s military status as attached hereto. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1746 and 12 O.S. § 426, I state under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on _February 17, 2026._ Lisa J. Ludlam, OBA 18267 Jeffery S. Ludlam, OBA # 17822 HALL & LUDLAM, PLLC 210 Park Ave., Ste. 3001 Oklahoma City, OK 73102 P: 405-600-9500 | E: [email protected] [email protected] Attorneys for Tinker Federal Credit Union Status Report Pursuant to Servicemembers Civil Relief Act SSN: XXX-XX-8381 Birth Date: Dec-XX-1955 Last Name: JENKINS First Name: TRACI Middle Name: D Status As Of: Feb-17-2026 Certificate ID: 4VQBCWKBXH4PSQV <table> <tr> <th colspan="4">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>Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td>NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4">This response reflects the individual's active duty status based on the Active Duty Status Date</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th colspan="4">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>Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td>NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4">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="4">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>Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td>NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4">This response reflects whether the individual or higher 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.