CJ-2026-00066 - Bank of America, N.A. v. Teresa Keirsey

What's This Case About?

Let’s be real: the most insane thing about this case isn’t the $12,939.60 in debt, or the 28.99% APR on cash advances, or even the fact that paying just the minimum would take 23 years to clear the balance. No, the wildest part is that Bank of America waited until the account was already charged off—essentially writing it off as a loss—before deciding, “You know what? Let’s sue.” Like showing up to a funeral and yelling, “Wait, we still need the body for paperwork!” This isn’t just a debt collection case. This is corporate whiplash with legal paperwork.

So who are we dealing with here? On one side, you’ve got Bank of America, the financial titan that could probably buy a small country if it really wanted to. It’s not just a bank; it’s a brand, complete with jingles, a globe logo, and a customer service line that loops you into the seventh circle of automated hell. And then there’s Teresa Keirsey, a woman living in Mead, Oklahoma—a town so small it doesn’t even have a stoplight—just trying to get through life, probably wondering how her credit card bill turned into a court summons. We don’t know her story, not really. The filing doesn’t tell us if she lost a job, got sick, or just got buried under the avalanche of interest that comes with a 20% APR. But we do know this: she opened a credit account, used it, and then stopped paying. That’s the whole relationship. It started with a credit application and ended with a lawsuit from a multinational bank represented by a law firm based in Colorado suing her in Oklahoma. It’s not personal. It’s just business. And boy, is it cold.

Here’s how we got here: Teresa had a Bank of America credit card with a $14,000 limit. At some point—probably during one of those “0% intro APR for 18 months!” pitches she saw on a commercial—she opened it, maybe to cover a car repair, a medical bill, or that dream vacation that now feels like ancient history. The account statement we have is from July 2025, and by then, the balance had ballooned to $12,939.60. How? Well, let’s do the math. The last payment she made was on November 29, 2024. After that? Radio silence. No payments. Just interest piling up like unpaid laundry. By the time the account was charged off on July 31, 2025, she owed every penny of that $12,939.60. And let’s not ignore the interest details—$213.42 in one billing cycle. That’s not a credit card. That’s a financial horror movie where the monster charges compound interest.

Bank of America, seeing that the account was now in the “restricted status” (a corporate way of saying “you’re cut off, Teresa”), did what banks do: they outsourced the problem. The lawsuit was filed by Nelson and Kennard, LLP—a debt collection law firm that specializes in this exact kind of paperwork massacre. They didn’t call her. They didn’t send a strongly worded email. They went straight to the District Court of Bryan County, Oklahoma, on January 27, 2026, and dropped a petition like it was hot. The claim? Simple: breach of contract. You agreed to pay, you didn’t pay, now we want our money. No drama, no surprise witnesses, no hidden clauses. Just cold, hard math and a contract signed in the fine print.

So what’s Bank of America actually asking for? $12,939.60. Plus court costs. Plus fees. But here’s the thing: in the grand scheme of credit card debt, that number isn’t crazy high. It’s not six figures. It’s not even close to the average American credit card debt, which hovers around $6,000. But for someone in rural Oklahoma, where the median household income is about $55,000, $13K is two and a half months of take-home pay before taxes. It’s a car. It’s a year of rent. It’s a lot. And yet, the bank isn’t asking for punitive damages. They’re not demanding her house. They just want the balance, plus the cost of suing her. It’s not revenge. It’s accounting.

Now, here’s where it gets absurd. The last statement—Exhibit 1—shows a “Total Minimum Payment Due” of $1,850. That’s not a typo. One thousand eight hundred and fifty dollars. For one month. That’s not a minimum payment. That’s a ransom. The average American credit card minimum is around 2-3% of the balance. At 2%, that would be about $258. But Bank of America is demanding more than seven times that. Why? Because the account is in arrears. She’s already behind. So the bank cranked up the required payment to try to claw back what they’re owed—fast. But by then, it was too late. The account was already charged off. The bank had already decided this debt wasn’t coming back. And yet, they’re still suing. It’s like a restaurant billing you for a meal you didn’t eat after they’ve already thrown the food in the trash.

And let’s talk about that interest. The statement breaks it down: $32.87 for purchases, $180.55 for balance transfers. The rest? Zeros, because she wasn’t taking out cash advances. But here’s the kicker: the balance transfer portion—the $10,853.02 that’s racking up 20.24% interest—was probably part of some “0% intro APR” deal that expired. Classic bait-and-switch. “Transfer your debt, pay nothing for 18 months!” Then, one missed payment or one late fee later, boom—full interest kicks in, retroactively in some cases. Did Teresa fall into that trap? We don’t know. But the numbers suggest she was juggling debt, not splurging on designer handbags. This wasn’t reckless spending. This was survival mode with a Visa logo.

So what’s our take? We’re not rooting for the bank. Sorry, BofA, but you don’t get our sympathy when you’re charging 28.99% on cash advances and sending legal threats from a Colorado law firm to an Oklahoma woman who probably just needed a little breathing room. But we’re not entirely on Team Teresa either. She signed the contract. She used the card. She stopped paying. That’s on her. But the most absurd part of this whole saga? The sheer banality of it. This isn’t fraud. It’s not identity theft. It’s not even a dispute over charges. It’s just… debt. Accumulated, ignored, then weaponized. A routine financial stumble turned into a legal battle with a docket number—CJ-26-666—that sounds like a horror movie sequel.

And yet, this is how millions of Americans get dragged into court every year. Not for stealing cars or assaulting neighbors, but for falling behind on credit cards. The system is designed to escalate—late fees, credit score hits, collections, lawsuits—until the only way out is bankruptcy or a settlement that feels like surrender. Bank of America didn’t file this case because they miss Teresa. They filed it because it’s cheaper to sue than to write off thousands of accounts like hers. It’s not personal. It’s just business. But when you’re the one on the receiving end of the lawsuit, it sure feels personal. And that’s the real tragedy here: in the eyes of the law, this is a simple breach of contract. But in the life of Teresa Keirsey, it might just be the moment everything started to unravel.

Case Overview

$12,940 Demand Petition

Jurisdiction

District Court of Bryan County, Oklahoma

Filing Attorney

Ashton Dewayne Sears

Nelson and Kennard, LLP

Relief Sought

$12,940 Monetary

Plaintiffs

Bank of America, N.A. business
Rep: Nelson and Kennard, LLP

Defendants

Teresa Keirsey individual

Claims

#	Cause of Action	Description
1	breach of contract	failure to make required monthly payments

Petition Text

2,437 words

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF BRYAN COUNTY STATE OF OKLAHOMA BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., Plaintiff, vs. TERESA KEIRSEY Defendant(s). Case No. CJ-26-666 PETITION COMES NOW the Plaintiff, by and through counsel, Nelson and Kennard, LLP, and herewith alleges the following and seeks redress as hereafter delineated. 1. Plaintiff is a national banking association, which transacts business within the State of Oklahoma. 2. Venue is proper in this County, as the Defendant(s) reside(s) in this County at the commencement of this action. 3. The last four (4) digits of the Defendant’s account number, used by the current creditor as of the date of default are XXXXXXXXXX0693. 4. Plaintiff's claim arises when the Defendant(s) opened a credit account and failed to make the required monthly payments as agreed. The credit account charged off for non-payment on 7/31/25, the balance due at time of default was $12,939.60. A true and accurate copy of the last periodic statement provided to the Defendant(s) prior to charge-off is attached hereto as Exhibit 1. 5. The Defendant(s) breached the Contract by failing to make the required periodic payments. 6. As a direct and proximate result of the Defendant(s) default, the total amount of debt claimed is $12,939.60. 7. The date of the last payment made by the Defendant(s) is November 29, 2024. 8. Plaintiff seeks court costs, and for such further relief as the Court may deem proper in the premises. WHEREFORE, Plaintiff, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. prays for judgment against the Defendant(s), TERESA KEIRSEY in the amount of $12,939.60, plus all costs herein expended, including but not limited to, court costs, sheriff's fees, and special process server fees; and for such other and further relief as the Court may deem proper in the premises. Dated this January 27, 2026 Nelson and Kennard, LLP By: [Signature] Ashton Dewayne Sears, OBA # 35737 12596 W. Bayaud Ave., Ste. 120 Lakewood, CO 80228 Phone: 866-920-2295 [email protected] Attorney for the Plaintiff EXHIBIT 1 BANK OF AMERICA P.O. BOX 15284 WILMINGTON, DE 19850 TERESA KEIRSEY 864 STREETMAN RD MEAD OK 73449-6426 Customer Service Information: www.bankofamerica.com 1.800.421.2110 Mail billing inquiries to: Bank of America P.O. Box 672050 Dallas TX 75267-2050 Mail payment to: Bank of America P.O. Box 851001 Dallas TX 75285-1001 Account# ________ 0693 June 27 - July 26, 2025 Account Summary/Payment Information Previous Balance $12,726.18 Payments and Other Credits $0.00 Purchases and Adjustments $0.00 Fees Charged $0.00 Interest Charged $213.42 New Balance Total $12,939.60 Total Credit Line $14,000.00 Total Credit Available $1,060.40 Cash Credit Line $2,800.00 Portion of Credit Available for Cash $1,060.40 Statement Closing Date 07/26/2025 Days in Billing Cycle 30 New Balance Total $12,939.60 Current Payment Due $340.00 Past Due Amount $1,510.00 Total Minimum Payment Due $1,850.00 Payment Due Date 08/23/2025 Late Payment Warning: If we do not receive your Total Minimum Payment by the date listed above, you may have to pay a late fee of up to $40.00. Total Minimum Payment Warning: If you make only the Total Minimum Payment each period, you will pay more in interest and it will take you longer to pay off your balance. For example: <table> <tr> <th>If you make no additional charges using this card and each month you pay</th> <th>You will payoff the balance shown on this statement in about</th> <th>And you will end up paying an estimated total of</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Only the Total Minimum Payment</td> <td>23 years</td> <td>$30,536.00</td> </tr> </table> If you would like information about credit counseling services, call 866.300.5238. BANK OF AMERICA P.O. BOX 851001 DALLAS TX 75285-1001 Account Number: ___________ 0693 Payment Due Date 08/23/2025 New Balance Total $12,939.60 Total Minimum Payment Due $1,850.00 Enter payment amount $ For change of address/phone number, see reverse side. Make your payment online at www.bankofamerica.com or Mail this coupon along with your check payable to: Bank of America IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ACCOUNT PAYING INTEREST - We will not charge you any interest on Purchases if you always pay your entire "Grace Period Balance", as defined in the next two paragraphs, by the Payment Due Date. Specifically, you will not pay interest for an entire billing cycle on Purchases if you Paid in Full the two previous Grace Period Balances on your account by their respective Payment Due Dates; otherwise, each Purchase begins to accrue interest on its transaction date or the first day of the billing cycle, whichever date is later. We will begin charging interest on Balance Transfers and Cash Advances on the transaction date. If you do not have an active Custom Pay Plan, your Grace Period Balance will be the New Balance Total. New Balance Total (also referred to as the "Statement Balance") is the total billed amount as of the Closing Date of a billing cycle, as shown on your monthly statement, plus any adjustments for subsequently returned payments. If you have an active Custom Pay Plan, your Grace Period Balance will be the Interest Saving Balance as shown on your monthly statement plus any adjustments for subsequently returned payments. The Interest Saving Balance is your New Balance Total minus, any balances subject to a Custom Pay Plan, plus any Custom Pay Plan Payment(s) due, as shown on your monthly statement. TOTAL INTEREST CHARGE COMPUTATION - Interest charges accrue and are compounded on a daily basis. To determine the interest charges, we multiply each Balance Subject to Interest Rate by its applicable Daily Periodic Rate and that result is multiplied by the number of days in the billing cycle. To determine the total interest charge for the billing cycle, we add the interest charges together. A Daily Periodic Rate is calculated by dividing an Annual Percentage Rate by 365. HOW WE ALLOCATE YOUR PAYMENTS - Payments are allocated to posted balances. We will first allocate the amount of your payment equal to the Total Minimum Payment Due to any Custom Pay Plan Payment due, then to the lowest APR balances in turn (including transactions made after this statement). Payment amounts in excess of your Total Minimum Payment Due will be applied to balances with higher APRs before balances with lower APRs, and finally to any Custom Pay Plan balances. IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PAYMENTS BY PHONE - When using the optional Pay-by-Phone service, you authorize us to initiate an electronic payment from your account at the financial institution you designate. You must authorize the amount and timing of each payment. For your protection, we will ask for security information. To cancel, call us before the scheduled payment date. Same-day payments cannot be edited or canceled. YOUR CREDIT LINES - The Total Credit Line is the amount of credit available for the account; however, only a portion of that is available for Bank Cash Advances. The Cash Credit Line is that amount you have available for Bank Cash Advances. Generally, Bank Cash Advances consist of ATM Cash Advances, Over the Counter (OTC) Cash Advances, Same-Day Online Cash Advances, Overdraft Protection Cash Advances, Cash Equivalents, and applicable transaction fees. MISCELLANEOUS - Promotional Rate End Date: This date is based on a future statement closing date. If you change your Payment Due Date, this date could change. The New Balance Total which appears on this statement is not a payoff amount and may be subject to additional interest charges when you pay in full after your statement closing date. Virtual cards are the digital form of your eligible physical credit cards stored within a digital wallet. CALCULATION OF BALANCES SUBJECT TO INTEREST RATE Average Daily Balance Method (including new Purchases): We calculate separate Balances Subject to an Interest Rate for Purchases and for each Introductory or Promotional Offer balance consisting of Purchases by: (1) calculating a daily balance for each day in the current billing cycle; (2) adding all the daily balances together; and (3) dividing the sum of the daily balances by the number of days in the current billing cycle. To calculate the daily balance for each day in the current billing cycle, we: (1) take the beginning balance less any Purchases assigned to an existing Custom Pay Plan; (2) add an amount equal to the applicable Daily Periodic Rate multiplied by the previous day's daily balance; (3) add new Purchases, new Account Fees, and new Transaction Fees; (4) subtract Purchases assigned to a new Custom Pay Plan; and (5) subtract applicable payments and credits. If any daily balance is less than zero we treat it as zero. Average Balance Method (including new Balance Transfers and new Cash Advances): We calculate separate Balances Subject to an Interest Rate for Balance Transfers, Cash Advances, and for each Introductory or Promotional Offer balance consisting of Balance Transfers or Cash Advances by: (1) calculating a daily balance for each day in the current billing cycle; (2) calculating a daily balance for each day prior to the current billing cycle that had a Pre-Cycle balance - a 'Pre-Cycle balance' is a Balance Transfer or a Cash Advance with a transaction date prior to the current billing cycle but with a posting date within the current billing cycle; (3) adding all the daily balances together; and (4) dividing the sum of the daily balances by the number of days in the current billing cycle. To calculate the daily balance for each day in the current billing cycle, we: (1) take the beginning balance; (2) add an amount equal to the applicable Daily Periodic Rate multiplied by the previous day's daily balance; (3) add new Balance Transfers, Cash Advances and Transaction Fees; and (4) subtract applicable payments and credits. If any daily balance is less than zero, we treat it as zero. To calculate a daily balance for each day prior to the current billing cycle that had a Pre-Cycle balance, we: (1) take the beginning balance attributable solely to a Pre-Cycle balance (which will be zero on the transaction date associated with the first Pre-Cycle balance); (2) add an amount equal to the applicable Daily Periodic Rate multiplied by the previous day's daily balance; and (3) add only the applicable Pre-Cycle balances, and their related Transaction Fees. We exclude from this calculation all transactions posted in previous billing cycles. For the complete terms and conditions of your account, consult your Credit Card Agreement. This account is issued and administered by Bank of America. Bank of America is a registered trademark of Bank of America Corporation. ©2025 Bank of America Corporation PAYMENTS - We credit mailed payments as of the date received, if the payment is: (1) received by 5 p.m. local time at the address shown on the remittance portion of your monthly statement; (2) paid with a check drawn in U.S. dollars on a U.S. financial institution or a U.S. dollar money order; and (3) sent in the return envelope with only the remittance portion of your statement accompanying it. However, mailed payments need not be sent in a return envelope if we sent you a statement without a return envelope. Payments received by mail after 5 p.m. local time at the remittance address on any day including the Payment Due Date, but that otherwise meet the above requirements, will be credited as of the next day. Payments made online or by phone by 11:59 p.m. ET will be credited as of the date they are made. Credit for any other payments may be delayed up to five days. Cash payments made with our tellers will only be accepted with valid identification. No payment, including those marked with paid in full or with any other restrictive words, shall operate as an accord and satisfaction without the prior written approval of one of our senior officers. We process most payment checks electronically by using the information found on your check. When you provide a check as payment, you authorize us to use information from your check to make a one-time electronic fund transfer from your account (or process it as a check or paper draft). When we use information from your check to make an electronic fund transfer, funds may be withdrawn from your account as soon as the same day we receive your payment. Checks are not returned to you. If you have authorized us to pay your bill automatically from your savings or checking account with us, you can stop the payment on any amount you think is wrong. To stop payment, you must contact us at least three business days before the automatic payment is scheduled to occur. Transactions <table> <tr> <th>Transaction Date</th> <th>Posting Date</th> <th>Description</th> <th>Reference Number</th> <th>Account Number</th> <th>Amount</th> <th>Total</th> </tr> <tr> <td>07/26</td> <td>07/26</td> <td><b>Interest Charged</b></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>07/26</td> <td>07/26</td> <td>INTEREST CHARGED ON PURCHASES</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>32.87</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>07/26</td> <td>07/26</td> <td>INTEREST CHARGED ON BALANCE TRANSFERS</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>180.55</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>07/26</td> <td>07/26</td> <td>INTEREST CHARGED ON DIR DEP&CHK CASHADV</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>0.00</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>07/26</td> <td>07/26</td> <td>INTEREST CHARGED ON BANK CASH ADVANCES</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>0.00</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="6"><b>TOTAL INTEREST CHARGED FOR THIS PERIOD</b></td> <td>$213.42</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th>Total fees charged in 2025</th> <th>$240.00</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Total interest charged in 2025</th> <th>$634.76</th> </tr> </table> Interest Charge Calculation Your Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is the annual interest rate on your account. <table> <tr> <th>Type of Balance</th> <th>Annual Percentage Rate</th> <th>Promotional Transaction Type</th> <th>Promotional Offer ID</th> <th>Promotional Rate End Date</th> <th>Balance Subject to Interest Rate</th> <th>Interest Charges by Transaction Type</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Purchases</td> <td>20.24%V</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>$1,976.04</td> <td>$32.87</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Balance Transfers</td> <td>20.24%V</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>$10,853.02</td> <td>$180.55</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Direct Deposit and Check Cash Advances</td> <td>23.24%V</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>$0.00</td> <td>$0.00</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Bank Cash Advances</td> <td>28.99%V</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>$0.00</td> <td>$0.00</td> </tr> </table> APR Type Definitions Daily Interest Rate Type: V = Variable Rate (rate may vary) Important Messages You're a valued customer and we want you to know that we haven't received your current payment due. Please send your payment due today. If you've already mailed it, thank you. When this statement was created, the account's Credit Line was in a restricted status and not available for use. You can request a copy of this statement in either Braille or Large Print by calling 800.432.1000 or going to bankofamerica.com and enter Visually Impaired Access from the home page. We know you can bank anywhere. Thank you for choosing us.