TOMMY ROYAL v. ANDREW METCALF d/b/a JUDGMENT ACQUISITIONS UNLIMITED Settlement

No. If you received a Notice it's because you are a member of a class action and your rights may be affected. You may also be entitled to certain benefits. Please read the notice for more information.

Tommy Royal filed a lawsuit in 2023 alleging that debt collection practices conducted by Andrew Metcalf and Judgment Acquisitions Unlimited violated Massachusetts consumer protection laws and regulations concerning debt collection.

Andrew Metcalf denies that he did anything wrong.

In September 2025, the Superior Court granted Royal’s motion for class certification and entered an order of summary judgment against Metcalf. Metcalf has filed an appeal of the judgment order.

You can get a complete copy of the proposed settlement and other key documents in this lawsuit from the Important Court Documents page.

All persons who were sued by Andrew Metcalf, in his own name or using the trade name Judgment Acquisitions Unlimited, in a small claims session of the Massachusetts District Court or the Boston Municipal Court from January 1,
2020, to the present on a debt that was allegedly purchased by Metcalf, in his own name or using the trade name Judgment Acquisitions Unlimited, or that was allegedly purchased by Judgment Acquisitions Unlimited, Inc.

In early 2026, the parties agreed to settle, which means they have reached an agreement to resolve the lawsuit. Both sides want to avoid the cost and risk of continuing the case in court. If the settlement is approved, the Metcalf will dismiss his appeal of the judgment order and the case will be dismissed.

The settlement is for all members of the settlement class and Tommy Royal. 

A class action settlement is an agreement between the parties to resolve and end the case. Settlements can provide money to class members and changes to the practices that caused the harm.

The settlement requires Metcalf to stop all debt collection and lawsuits on class member accounts related to this case. In addition, the settlement requires that Metcalf file notices that any judgments obtained in class member cases have been declared void and unenforceable, dismiss any class member cases still pending, and release any property liens recorded pursuant to class member cases.

Metcalf has also agreed to pay $25,000 into a settlement fund. This money will be divided among class members who paid Metcalf or JAU $1,000 or more pursuant to claims related to this case. Part of the money will also be used to pay for costs and lawyer fees approved by the Court, and for the cost of administering this settlement. 

All members of the settlement class will “release” their claims as part of the settlement, which means they cannot sue Metcalf or JAU for the same issues and legal violations raised in this lawsuit. The full terms of the release can be found on the Settlement Website: www.JAUClassAction.com 

The settlement also provides that the Court will be asked to approve a payment of $100 to Tommy Royal, the consumer who brought this lawsuit, to compensate him for his work on the case. This is called a "service payment." 

If there is money left over after all payments are made, it will be donated to Greater Boston Legal Services, if the Court approves.

If you paid Metcalf or JAU $1,000 or more, you will receive a payment of a minimum of $50. The total amount you receive will depend on the following factors:

• The amount you paid to Metcalf or Judgment Acquisitions Unlimited on the alleged debt underlying the small claims case.
• The amounts that other class members paid to Metcalf or Judgment Acquisitions Unlimited on the alleged debts underlying their small claims cases.
• The amount of the lawyer fees, costs, and service payments approved by the Court.

You have two options. You can do nothing and stay in the settlement, or you can object to the settlement. This chart shows how your rights are affected by each option:

* If necessary, you can contact the Settlement Administrator to provide an updated mailing address to receive your payment.

**You can object to the settlement AND receive payment.

If you have already paid Metcalf over $1,000 pursuant to a claim related to this case, you will receive a check for a minimum of $50 at the address associated with your file. Please go to the Address Update page to confirm that the address on file is accurate.

In a class action, the court appoints lawyers to work on the case and represent the interest of all class members. For this settlement, the Court has appointed the following lawyers.

Your lawyers: Alexa Rosenbloom, Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School and Jennifer Wagner, National Consumer Law Center. These are the lawyers who negotiated this settlement on your behalf.

If you want to be represented by your own lawyer, you may hire one at your own expense.

Lawyers' costs will be paid from the Settlement Fund. The lawyers have agreed to not seek or collect any legal fees out this settlement. You will not have to pay the lawyers directly.

To date, your lawyers have not been paid any money for their work or the expenses that they have paid for the case. To pay for some of their time and risk in bringing this case without any guarantee of payment unless they were successful, your lawyers will request, as part of the final approval of this Settlement, that the Court approve a payment of up to $2,131.49 to reimburse them for out-of-pocket expenses.

Lawyers' expenses will only be awarded if approved by the Court as a fair and reasonable amount.  You have the right to object to the lawyers' expenses even if you think the settlement terms are fair.

Your lawyers will also ask the Court to approve a payment of $100 to Tommy Royal, the Class Representative, for the time and effort he contributed to the case.  If approved by the Court, the Service Award will be paid from the Settlement Fund.

If you take part in the settlement and do not object to it, you do NOT have to appear at the hearing.

If you disagree with any part of the settlement (including the lawyers' reimbursement), you may object at a Fairness Hearing where the Court will decide whether to approve this settlement. You must give reasons why you think the Court should not approve the settlement and say whether your objection applies to just you, a part of the class, or the entire class. The Court will consider your views. The Court can only approve or deny the settlement — it cannot change the terms of the settlement. You may, but don’t have to, hire your own lawyer to help you.

If you do not object at the Fairness Hearing, you will waive any right to raise objections to this settlement in the future.

To object, you must send a letter to the Court that:
(1)    is postmarked by August 7, 2026
(2)    includes the case name and number: Tommy Royal et. al v. Andrew Metcalf, Judgment Acquisitions Unlimited Inc., and Michael Zola, Docket No. 2384CV02302;
(3)    includes your full name, address and telephone number, and email address (if you have one);
(4)    states each objection being made, along with the facts and legal authorities underlying each objection, if any;
(5)    lists any witnesses or exhibits that you may call to testify or present at the Fairness Hearing; and
(6)    is signed by you.

Mail the letter to:

Assistant Clerk Erin Coronado
Suffolk Superior Court
Civil Clerk’s Office
3 Pemberton Square, 12th floor
Boston MA 02108
 

Please notify the Settlement Administrator of any changes in your mailing address so that future correspondence will be sent to the correct address. 

To update your mailing address, you can use the Update Address button at the top of this page. You will need your Notice ID and PIN. 

A different option is to contact the Settlement Administrator via email at [email protected]. Please put ‘Change of Address’ in the subject line and provide your full name, previous address, current address, and the Notice ID from your notice in the body of the email. Alternatively, you can mail that information to: Royal v Metcalf, c/o Settlement Administrator, PO Box 23489, Jacksonville, FL 32241.

A copy of your marriage license, divorce decree or court order is required for a name change.

You can submit the documentation via email at [email protected]. In your email, put ‘Name Change’ in the subject line. In the body of the email, provide the NoticeID, original name, and address of the Class Member on the Notice you received. Also provide the new name, address and phone number that you would like on future correspondence.

Alternatively, you can submit the required documents by mail to: Royal v Metcalf, c/o Settlement Administrator, PO Box 23489, Jacksonville, FL 32241.

Two documents are required for a name change for a deceased Class Member. They are: 1) A Copy of the death certificate, and 2) Documentation providing evidence to show the new payee as legal beneficiary – this could be a will, estate documentation, etc. The documentation will be reviewed when received.  We may reach out to you with additional questions, if necessary.

You can submit these documents via email at [email protected], put ‘Name Change’ in the subject line. In the body of the email, provide the Notice ID, original name and address of the Class Member on the Notice you received. Also provide the new name, address and phone number that you would like on future correspondence. 

Alternatively, you can submit the required documents by mail to: Royal v Metcalf, c/o Settlement Administrator, PO Box 23489, Jacksonville, FL 32241.

To get a copy of the settlement agreement or get answers to your questions:

• contact the Settlement Administrator (information below)
• visit the Important Court Documents page.