Debts and Credit

I was just served with a Summons for $1,139 from a local hospital. This account had been turned in for collections and I had been paying, as agreed, until I began getting harassed by another collection firm on this same account. I contacted the original collection firm, twice, asking them what was going on. Each time I was told they would get back to me and I never heard from them again. Plus the $1,139 is an inaccurate amount as the last known total was $900. I just couldn't justify continuing to pay on it if they were going to keep sending my info to other collection firms. What legal grounds do I have?

A payroll service called about a check they cashed after a stop payment was issued because the check cashier claimed he did not receive it so we issued a replacement check for the same amount, but he cashed it anyway and the new check is not stale yet. Is the service in NY really an innocent holder in due course?

According to the Arizona Homestead Act, residents are exempt from liens and forced sales up to $150,000. Our property's value right now is about $400,000. Sallie Mae may come after my wife since she co-signed for a student loan for our Daughter. Our Daughter has been unable to pay this ($850/mo) and we are reaching a point where we cannot either. The outstanding loan amount is $106,000. Question: Assuming Sallie Mae comes after my wife, can they force the sale of our home or are they limited to only a lien?

A residential mortgage note was signed in November of 1998 for a primary residential loan. The terms were $131,000, 8% fixed rate with a amortization of 15 years. The note had a 'call' in 24 months with the balance due. The lien holder (individual not institutional lender) has never excised his legal right by calling the note due or charging the 18% default rate. He never sent a demand in writing or verbal. He has always accepted monthly payments and has said nothing. Now I have been approved for a loan to refinance, and he wants to charge the 18% default rate for the past seven years when I requested a payoff. Also, would 'laches' come into play in this dispute?

Can I be forced to pay a credit card company's write-off of my old account now in possesion of a collection company that bought the credit cards write-off account?