Hanna debt collection ruling delayed

A ruling in a lawsuit between the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs and the Marietta-based law firm Frederick J. Hanna and Associates has been delayed because the transcripts from the case are not ready.

Following a May 26 hearing, both sides in the case were awaiting the transcripts to make recommendations to Cobb County Superior Court Judge S. Lark Ingram. But those transcripts aren’t finished and it’s more likely the judge will issue her ruling at the end of July or early August, said Mary Catherine Begnaud, Ingram’s staff attorney.

The lawsuit stems from an investigation into Hanna’s debt collection practices following consumer complaints against his company. Hanna argues as an attorney, the state’s demand for letters and other documents detailing his company’s debt collection practices interferes with his ability to practice law. The state contends it has authority over those parts of Hanna’s business that are regulated by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.