Business Threat due to Past Client

[ChasBoomer]

Good Eve:

I have been contacted by a court-appointed "receiver" in a bankruptcy that occurred with a past client. I used to occasional side jobs for this past client including changes on his website. There was never a contract, it was strictly piece work at random times.

This receiver has contacted me by email (no paperwork in the mail of any kind) and claims that I have to cut my holiday short, go to my office, dig up information on this past client (website access info and passwords specifically), send that info to him along with any and all other information or paperwork I have from that past client, and further that i actually have to go in to this past client's website and place up an "under construction" page.

Does this sound legitimate to anyone? Or even legal? I do not want to hinder or obstruct any court matters, but at the same time I do not want to be bullied around by some lawyer/receiver in to spending my hard-earned time sending them information that they, in my opinion, should get a court-order to subpoena from GoDaddy directly.

Is the government/courts/receivers allowed to bully anyone they want who had a past business dealing with someone who is under current bankruptcy/foreclosure?

Thanks for any advice!

[ua549]

Unless you are personally served with an authentic court order in printed form (in the USA), you are under no obligation to do what an unsubstantiated email directs you to do. It sound like someone is on a fishing expedition.

[ChasBoomer]

The "receiver" in question did send a PDF file which contained a court order authorizing him as the receiver in this foreclosure matter. However, my question really is to what powers he actually has. I mean, I don't feel comfortable with the fact that he (and thus the govt) can apparently just order people around to do things. He blatantly told me it does not matter if I am on holiday and that I was under threat of contempt of court if I did not spend my time finding this information from him. That sounds like totalitarianism, not a free democracy?


Unless you are personally served with an authentic court order in printed form (in the USA), you are under no obligation to do what an unsubstantiated email directs you to do. It sound like someone is on a fishing expedition.

[ua549]

IMO a court order or subpoena with an official seal is required to force you to do something.
AFAIK it must be addressed to you and delivered personally to you.
I'm not a lawyer so I suggest that you contact one.