CJ-2026-00012 - FIFTH THIRD BANK, NA v. ROBERT STUART BLANSETT

What's This Case About?

Let’s be honest: the most dramatic thing that happened in this case was a bank employee clicking “Search” on a government website. That’s it. No gunshots, no screaming matches, no dramatic courtroom showdowns—just a quiet, bureaucratic tap of a keyboard that somehow ended up in a court filing titled Fifth Third Bank, NA vs. Robert Stuart Blansett, like this was some kind of epic David-and-Goliath showdown, not a procedural paperwork check. But hey, welcome to the thrilling world of civil court, where the real enemy isn’t debt or default—it’s uncertainty, and sometimes, the only way to slay that beast is with a notarized affidavit and a certificate ID that looks like a Wi-Fi password.

So who are these players in this high-stakes game of “Is He or Isn’t He in the Military?” On one side, we’ve got Fifth Third Bank, NA—yes, the same Fifth Third that has branches in nine states, manages billions in assets, and apparently has enough legal overhead to file court documents over a single man’s military status. They’re represented by the fine folks at Baer & Timberlake, P.C., a law firm that, bless their hearts, sent attorney Matthew J. Hudspeth to solemnly swear under penalty of perjury that, after consulting the mystical Department of Defense database, Robert Stuart Blansett is not currently in the military. On the other side? Robert Stuart Blansett, a man so passive in this entire saga he doesn’t even have a lawyer listed, and whose only known contribution to the case is existing and not being in uniform. We don’t know if he’s a deadbeat, a victim, or just a guy who forgot to pay his credit card bill. We don’t know if he ever served, or if he just shares a name with someone who did. All we know is that Fifth Third needed to be very, very sure he wasn’t on active duty before they proceeded with whatever legal action they have planned—probably something like suing him for unpaid debt or foreclosing on property. And in the world of banking law, “pretty sure” isn’t good enough. You need certificates.

So what actually happened? Well, nothing—yet. This isn’t a lawsuit in the traditional sense. There’s no demand for $50,000, no claim of fraud, no accusation that Blansett ran over the bank president’s pet poodle. This is what’s known as a pre-suit procedural move, the legal equivalent of checking your rearview mirror before backing out of a driveway. Why? Because of a little thing called the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), a federal law designed to protect active-duty military members from being blindsided by civil lawsuits, evictions, or foreclosures while they’re off defending the country. Under the SCRA, if you’re in the military, courts have to appoint you a lawyer if you’re sued, and they can delay proceedings if your service makes it hard to respond. Banks and creditors can’t just plow ahead—they have to verify that the person they’re going after isn’t currently in uniform.

And so, to avoid accidentally violating federal law and getting slapped with sanctions (or worse, a PR nightmare about “bank sues soldier deployed in Afghanistan”), Fifth Third did the responsible thing: they ran a check. Not a background check. Not a credit report. A military status check. Three times, in fact—because apparently once wasn’t enough, or maybe the system glitched, or maybe someone just really likes generating certificate IDs that look like they belong in a spy movie. Each search came back with the same answer: Robert Stuart Blansett is not on active duty. He hasn’t been in the past 367 days. He hasn’t been notified of a future call-up. His status, as of March 3, 2026, is a firm, unambiguous “No.” No drama. No deployment. Just a guy who, for all we know, is probably sitting at home eating cereal and wondering why his name is in a court document.

But why are they in court, then? Why not just keep this between the bank and the database? Because the SCRA doesn’t just want you to believe the person isn’t in the military—you have to prove you checked. And the best way to prove you did your homework? File an affidavit with the court, under oath, saying, “We looked, Your Honor, and this dude is not in the Army.” It’s a CYA move—“Cover Your Affidavit”—and it’s completely normal in the world of debt collection and foreclosure. This document is less about Robert Blansett and more about Fifth Third covering its legal bases. It’s not a sword; it’s a shield.

As for what they want—well, that’s the funniest part. They don’t want anything. Not money, not property, not even an apology. The relief sought is… nothing. No monetary damages listed. No punitive demands. No request for an injunction or a restraining order. Just a quiet, official nod from the court that, yes, Robert Stuart Blansett is a civilian, and yes, Fifth Third can proceed with whatever action they have planned next. This isn’t a battle. It’s a paperwork formality. A legal speed bump cleared.

Now, let’s talk about the absurdity of it all. We’re not rooting for the bank. We’re not rooting for Blansett. We’re rooting for common sense. The idea that a multi-billion-dollar financial institution has to file a formal court document, pay filing fees, and have an attorney swear under penalty of perjury that a man is not in the military—because what, he might be secretly serving in the Space Force under a pseudonym?—is peak bureaucratic theater. It’s like requiring a notarized letter from your mom confirming you’re not an undercover CIA agent before you can renew your driver’s license. The SCRA is important—no one’s arguing that. Soldiers deserve protection. But this? This feels less like protecting service members and more like a ritualistic legal dance where everyone has to pretend the sky might fall if one form isn’t filed in triplicate.

And yet, here we are. Latimer County, Oklahoma, has officially adjudicated the military status of Robert Stuart Blansett. The record is clear. The certificates are issued. The affidavit is filed. The system worked. Whether it needed to is another question entirely. But hey, at least we can all sleep tonight knowing that Fifth Third Bank did its due diligence. God bless America, and god bless the DMDC database.

Case Overview

Affidavit

Jurisdiction

Latimer County, Oklahoma

Filing Attorney

Matthew J. Hudspeth

BAER & TIMBERLAKE, P.C.

Relief Sought

Plaintiffs

FIFTH THIRD BANK, NA business
Rep: BAER & TIMBERLAKE, P.C.

Defendants

ROBERT STUART BLANSETT individual

Claims

#	Cause of Action	Description
1	Servicemembers Civil Relief Act	Verification of active duty status

Petition Text

1,191 words

IN THE DISTRICT COURT IN AND FOR LATIMER COUNTY STATE OF OKLAHOMA FIFTH THIRD BANK, NA vs. ROBERT STUART BLANSETT, Plaintiff, Defendant. AFFIDAVIT AS TO MILITARY SERVICE I state under penalty of perjury under the laws of Oklahoma as follows: This Affidavit is made on behalf of Plaintiff. Defendant, ROBERT STUART BLANSETT, is not presently engaged in the military service of the United States, as provided by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act of 2003 (SCRA), as determined by a search of the DOD Military Status website ("DMDC"), in combination with the name and Social Security Number on file (Exhibit A). BAER & TIMBERLAKE, P.C. Matthew J. Hudspeth - OBA #14613 P.O. Box 18486 Oklahoma City, OK 73154-0486 Phone: (405) 842-7722 Fax: (405) 848-9349 [email protected] Attorneys for Plaintiff COUNTY OF TULSA STATE OF OKLAHOMA ss. I state under penalty of perjury on this 4th day of March, 2026, under the laws of Oklahoma that the foregoing is true and correct. Matthew J. Hudspeth Status Report Pursuant to Servicemembers Civil Relief Act SSN: XXX-XX-XXXX Birth Date: Last Name: BLANSETT First Name: ROBERT Middle Name: STUART Status As Of: Mar-03-2026 Certificate ID: RYQ8RF4QWTKKR49 <table> <tr> <th colspan="4">On Active Duty On Active Duty Status Date</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Active Duty Start Date</th> <th>Active Duty End Date</th> <th>Status</th> <th>Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td>NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4">This response reflects the individuals' active duty status based on the Active Duty Status Date</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th colspan="4">Left Active Duty Within 367 Days of Active Duty Status Date</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Active Duty Start Date</th> <th>Active Duty End Date</th> <th>Status</th> <th>Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td>NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4">This response reflects where the individual left active duty status within 367 days preceding the Active Duty Status Date</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th colspan="4">The Member or His/Her Unit Was Notified of a Future Call-Up to Active Duty on Active Duty Status Date</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Order Notification Start Date</th> <th>Order Notification End Date</th> <th>Status</th> <th>Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td>NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4">This response reflects whether the individual or his/her unit has received early notification to report for active duty</td> </tr> </table> Upon searching the data banks of the Department of Defense Manpower Data Center, based on the information that you provided, the above is the status of the individual on the active duty status date as to all branches of the Uniformed Services (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, NOAA, Public Health, and Coast Guard). This status includes information on a Servicemember or his/her unit receiving notification of future orders to report for Active Duty. Status Report Pursuant to Servicemembers Civil Relief Act SSN: XXX-XX-XXXX Birth Date: Last Name: BLANSETT First Name: ROBERT Middle Name: S Status As Of: Mar-03-2026 Certificate ID: J97WFP1L6Y66RX4 <table> <tr> <th colspan="2">On Active Duty On Active Duty Status Date</th> <th>Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Active Duty Start Date</td> <td>Active Duty End Date</td> <td>Status</td> <td>Service Component</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td>NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4">This response reflects the individuals' active duty status based on the Active Duty Status Date</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th colspan="2">Left Active Duty Within 367 Days of Active Duty Status Date</th> <th>Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Active Duty Start Date</td> <td>Active Duty End Date</td> <td>Status</td> <td>Service Component</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td>NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4">This response reflects where the individual left active duty status within 367 days preceding the Active Duty Status Date</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th colspan="2">The Member or His/Her Unit Was Notified of a Future Call-Up to Active Duty on Active Duty Status Date</th> <th>Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Order Notification Start Date</td> <td>Order Notification End Date</td> <td>Status</td> <td>Service Component</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td>NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4">This response reflects whether the individual or his/her unit has received early notification to report for active duty</td> </tr> </table> Upon searching the data banks of the Department of Defense Manpower Data Center, based on the information that you provided, the above is the status of the individual on the active duty status date as to all branches of the Uniformed Services (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, NOAA, Public Health, and Coast Guard). This status includes information on a Servicemember or his/her unit receiving notification of future orders to report for Active Duty. Status Report Pursuant to Servicemembers Civil Relief Act SSN: XXX-XX-XXXX Birth Date: Last Name: BLANSETT First Name: ROBERT Middle Name: Status As Of: Mar-03-2026 Certificate ID: G68V94JT58WQ3QJ <table> <tr> <th colspan="4">On Active Duty On Active Duty Status Date</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Active Duty Start Date</th> <th>Active Duty End Date</th> <th>Status</th> <th>Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td>NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4">This response reflects the individuals' active duty status based on the Active Duty Status Date</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th colspan="4">Left Active Duty Within 367 Days of Active Duty Status Date</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Active Duty Start Date</th> <th>Active Duty End Date</th> <th>Status</th> <th>Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td>NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4">This response reflects where the individual left active duty status within 367 days preceding the Active Duty Status Date</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th colspan="4">The Member or His/Her Unit Was Notified of a Future Call-Up to Active Duty on Active Duty Status Date</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Order Notification Start Date</th> <th>Order Notification End Date</th> <th>Status</th> <th>Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td>NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4">This response reflects whether the individual or his/her unit has received early notification to report for active duty</td> </tr> </table> Upon searching the data banks of the Department of Defense Manpower Data Center, based on the information that you provided, the above is the status of the individual on the active duty status date as to all branches of the Uniformed Services (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, NOAA, Public Health, and Coast Guard). This status includes information on a Servicemember or his/her unit receiving notification of future orders to report for Active Duty.