CJ-2026-1127 - Tinker Federal Credit Union v. Mark D. Olson

What's This Case About?

Let’s be real: how does a man with a job, a house, and a credit card application filled out in neat little boxes end up in court over $16,419.61? Not for murder, not for fraud, not even for stealing a neighbor’s lawn gnome—no, this is the legal equivalent of a slow-motion financial car crash. Tinker Federal Credit Union wants its money, Mark D. Olson isn’t paying, and now Oklahoma County is the stage for a debt collection showdown that’s about as dramatic as a spreadsheet coming to life. But hey, when your interest accrues at $6.90 per day, things start to feel urgent—even if the only weapon drawn is a notarized affidavit.

So who are these people? On one side, we’ve got Tinker Federal Credit Union—yes, named after Tinker Air Force Base, yes, the kind of institution that probably has a mascot wearing a bomber jacket and waving a checkbook. They’re the “good guys” of personal finance, offering credit cards, auto loans, and the kind of financial stability that makes middle-class life possible. And on the other side: Mark D. Olson, a 58-year-old manager at River Tech in Lawton, Oklahoma, living in a home he’s owned for over 11 years, employed at the same company for nearly five. He’s not some shadowy scam artist living off credit card fraud and eviction loopholes. He’s the guy who filled out every line of a credit application like a Boy Scout following instructions. He even checked the box for “Visa Platinum,” because why settle for basic when you can have platinum? He signed it. He dated it. He gave his mother’s maiden name (though that part’s redacted, because even in 2026, we’re not that reckless). He seemed, on paper, like the ideal borrower.

So what happened? Well, the short version: Mark got a credit card, used it, stopped paying, and now the credit union wants its money back—with interest, attorney’s fees, and the full weight of the Oklahoma legal system. The long version? A little more tragic, a little more human. Back in December 2021, Mark applied for a $15,000 credit limit. We don’t know if he was consolidating debt, paying for car repairs, or just trying to keep up with inflation in Lawton (which, let’s be honest, has been brutal). But by January 23, 2026, his balance had ballooned to $16,419.61—more than the original credit limit, thanks to interest, late fees, and the silent killer of all debt: compounding. The credit union says he “defaulted” by failing to pay. That’s a polite way of saying he stopped sending checks. No drama, no denial—just radio silence. And when you owe that much to a federally chartered credit union, silence is not an option.

Now, before you go feeling too bad for Mark, let’s talk about the legal machinery that kicks in when someone stops paying. TFCU didn’t just send a sternly worded email. No, they lawyered up—Jeffery S. Ludlam of Hall & Ludlam, PLLC, filed a petition in Oklahoma County District Court, alleging breach of contract. That’s legalese for: “You signed a deal, you agreed to pay, you didn’t, so now we’re suing.” It’s not personal. It’s contractual. The filing includes Exhibit A—a payoff statement showing the exact amount owed, down to the penny, and how it grows daily like some kind of financial mold. Exhibit B? A notarized affidavit from Ashley Brintnall, Collections Legal Specialist (yes, that’s her actual job title), confirming via the Department of Defense website that Mark is not in the military. Why does that matter? Because under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, active-duty troops get special protections—like interest rate caps and automatic stays on lawsuits. So before TFCU could file, they had to prove Mark wasn’t a soldier, sailor, or airman. And the system said: “Nope. Civilian all the way.” Mark is just a guy with a credit card and a growing debt problem.

And what do they want? $16,419.61. Plus interest. Plus attorney’s fees. Plus “costs of collection.” Plus more attorney’s fees after they win. This isn’t just about getting the money back—it’s about making sure it hurts enough that you don’t do it again. Is $16,419 a lot? In Lawton, Oklahoma, yeah—it’s about half the median annual income. It’s a used car, a year of rent, or a down payment on a modest house. It’s not bankruptcy-level debt, but it’s not a few missed Netflix payments either. And let’s not forget: this isn’t a payday loan shark or a shady online lender. This is a credit union—supposedly the good kind of lender, the one that exists to help members, not bury them. And yet here we are, with a manager from River Tech being pursued through the courts like he skipped out on a casino debt.

Here’s the most absurd part: the sheer bureaucratic precision of it all. TFCU didn’t just say, “Hey, Mark, you owe us.” They filed a petition. They attached exhibits. They had someone swear under penalty of perjury that Mark isn’t in the military. They even requested that the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission hand over his employment info—because apparently, if you sue someone, you’re allowed to subpoena their job history. It’s like the legal system turned Mark’s financial life into a forensic audit, complete with daily interest calculations and notarized status reports from the Pentagon. All for a credit card. All because he stopped paying.

And yet… who are we rooting for? Not the credit union. They’re doing what they’re supposed to—protect their bottom line. But there’s something cold about suing a guy who’s been at the same job for five years, owns his home, and probably just got crushed by medical bills, inflation, or a divorce. Maybe Mark maxed out the card during a rough patch and never recovered. Maybe he thought he could ride it out. Maybe he just forgot. We don’t know. The filing doesn’t tell us why he stopped paying—only that he did. And in the world of civil court, why doesn’t matter. Only the contract.

So here we are: a routine debt collection case, filed on a Thursday morning in Oklahoma City, destined to be one of thousands just like it. No fireworks. No dramatic courtroom showdowns. Just a number on a screen, growing by $6.90 every day, and a man who once checked “Visa Platinum” now facing a judgment that could wreck his credit, garnish his wages, or force him into a payment plan he can’t afford. It’s not glamorous. It’s not shocking. But it’s real. And in the grand tradition of petty civil disputes, it’s also kind of heartbreaking. Because at the end of the day, this isn’t just about money. It’s about how easily life can spiral—how one missed payment, one bad month, one unchecked box on a form—can land you in court, staring down a lawyer who calls you “the Defendant” and a system that doesn’t care how you got there. It’s not true crime. But it is true life. And sometimes, that’s dramatic enough.

Case Overview

$16,420 Demand Petition

Jurisdiction

District Court of Oklahoma County, Oklahoma

Filing Attorney

Jeffery S. Ludlam

Hall & Ludlam, PLLC

Relief Sought

$16,420 Monetary

Plaintiffs

Tinker Federal Credit Union business
Rep: Jeffery S. Ludlam, OBA #17822

Defendants

Mark D. Olson individual

Claims

#	Cause of Action	Description
1	breach of contract	TFCU seeks judgment against Mark D. Olson for $16,419.61 plus interest, attorney's fees, and costs

Petition Text

2,265 words

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF OKLAHOMA COUNTY STATE OF OKLAHOMA TINKER FEDERAL CREDIT UNION ) Plaintiff, ) vs. ) MARK D. OLSON, ) Defendant. ) FILED DISTRICT COURT OKLAHOMA COUNTY, OKLAHOMA February 12, 2026 9:56 AM RICK WARREN, COURT CLERK Case No. Case Number CJ-2026-1127 PETITION Plaintiff, Tinker Federal Credit Union ("TFCU"), for its cause of action against Defendant, Mark D. Olson ("Defendant"), alleges and states as follows: 1. On or about December 1, 2021, Defendant executed a credit card open account (hereinafter referred to as the "Contract") and became obligated to pay TFCU for all charges made thereon. See Exhibit “A”. 2. Defendant defaulted on the Contract by failing to timely pay and is indebted to TFCU in the amount of $16,419.61 as of January 23, 2026. 3. TFCU is entitled to contractual interest, reasonable attorney's fees and its reasonable costs of collection under the terms of the Contract and under 12 O.S. §936. 4. Pursuant to the Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act of 2003, TFCU has reviewed the Department of Defense website and determined Defendant is not in the military. See the Affidavit attached hereto as Exhibit “B”. 5. Pursuant to 40 O.S. §4-508(D), TFCU requests an Order that at any time or times subsequent to the filing of this order, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission shall produce, within thirty (30) days of receipt of this order, employment information of the Defendant. WHEREFORE, Tinker Federal Credit Union prays for judgment against Defendant, Mark D. Olson for $16,419.61, plus contractual interest, TFCU's reasonable attorney's fees and costs incurred in pursuit of this action, TFCU's reasonable attorney's fees and costs incurred in collection of the Judgment and for such other and further relief as this Court deems just and proper. Respectfully submitted, Jeffery S. Ludlam, OBA #17822 HALL & LUDLAM, PLLC 210 Park Ave, Suite 3001 Oklahoma City, OK 73102 (405) 600-9500 Telephone (405) 871-5403 Facsimile [email protected] Tinker Federal Credit Union Application for Credit Date of Application: 12/06/21 Account #: Application #: 0003 Credit Limit Requested: 15,000.00 Mother's Maiden Name: TFCU Heritage Club Member? We intend to apply for joint credit: Applicant ________ Co-Applicant ________ Request for: ☒ Visa Platinum ☐ Visa Classic ☐ Visa Signature Select One for Classic Card Option A ☐ Option B ☐ (See rate disclosures. If preference not indicated, Option A will be given.) <table> <tr> <th colspan="2">Applicant</th> <th>Co-Applicant</th> <th>Co-Signer</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Name</td> <td>Date of Birth</td> <td>Name</td> <td>Date of Birth</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MARK D OLSON</td> <td>/1967</td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>TIN (SSN)</td> <td></td> <td>TIN (SSN)</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Address</td> <td>22 Sw Oak Tree Dr</td> <td>Address</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>City and State</td> <td>Lawton, OK 73505-9579</td> <td>City and State</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Rent, Own or Other Own</td> <td>How long? 11Y 8M</td> <td>Rent, Own or Other</td> <td>How long?</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Home Phone</td> <td>580-284-3395</td> <td>Home Phone</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>U.S. Citizen?</td> <td>U.S. PERSON</td> <td>U.S. Citizen?</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Prev. Address</td> <td></td> <td>Prev. Address</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>City and State</td> <td></td> <td>City and State</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>How long?</td> <td>0Y 0M</td> <td>How long?</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Curr. Employer</td> <td>River Tech</td> <td>Curr. Employer</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Cell phone or pager number</td> <td>580-284-3395</td> <td>Cell phone or pager number</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Job Title</td> <td>Manager</td> <td>Job Title</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>How long?</td> <td>4Y11M</td> <td>How long?</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Work phone</td> <td>580-442-2778</td> <td>Work phone</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Prev. Employer</td> <td></td> <td>Prev. Employer</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td>How long?</td> <td>0Y 0M</td> <td>How long?</td> <td></td> </tr> </table> Income Allimony, child support or separate maintenance income need not be revealed if you do not wish to have it considered as a basis for repaying this loan. <table> <tr> <th>Employer / Source</th> <th>Annual Gross Income</th> <th>Employer / Source</th> <th>Annual Gross Income</th> </tr> <tr> <td>River Tech</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </table> Name and address of nearest relative not living with you: Name ___________________________ Name ___________________________ Address _________________________ Address _________________________ Home Phone _____________________ I/we certify that everything stated in this application and on any attachment is true and that I/we understand that TFCU will rely upon the accuracy of this information in reviewing my/our loan request. I/we authorize TFCU to check my/our credit, employment history, and to answer questions others may ask about my/our credit record with TFCU in compliance with all Federal and State Regulations. If I/was accepting a credit card offer, I/we have read and agreed to the terms and conditions given with this application. I/we also agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Cardholder Agreement and Disclosure Statement accompanying the Visa, Visa Standard, and Visa Platinum products and all amendments thereto. The USA Patriot Act requires that TFCU verify the identity of all account holders. TFCU may ask me or my co-applicant to show proof of our identity. By providing my wireless and other phone numbers on this application, I consent to receive autodialed and/or pre-recorded telemarketing and collection calls and texts from or on behalf of Tinker Federal Credit Union at the numbers provided. I understand that my consent is not a condition of application or my loan qualification. My consent applies to all products and services related to my loan. If I do not want to consent to receiving autodialed and/or telemarketing calls or texts, I have checked the box by my name. Name: MARK D OLSON Name: 12/07/2021 Applicant Signature Date Co-Applicant / Co-Signer Signature Date Referring Employee XXXXX Branch 7250 Closing Employee XXXXX Branch 7250 Transfer Balance (Optional) The amount of transfer will be posted to your TFCU credit card account as a cash advance, subject to the terms of the Cardholder Agreement and Disclosure Statement. The total amount of transfer requests cannot exceed your credit line. TFCU sends either full or partial payment to your creditors in the order you list them. Any charges you make to your other account after you transfer the balance should be paid directly to that credit card center, instead of Tinker Federal Credit Union. If the next payment on your other credit card is due within 30 days, you should make the payment and deduct the amount from the "Amount to Transfer" below. Account Number: ________________________ Card Name: ________________________ Amount to Transfer: ________________________ Billing Address: ________________________ EXHIBIT A CPO 4 OLSON,MARK D**22 SW OAK TREE DR**LAWTON*OK*73505-9579* PER DAY INTEREST 6.9081 ACCOUNT PAYOFF 01/23/26 16,419.6129 01/24/26 16,426.5210 01/25/26 16,433.4291 01/26/26 16,440.3372 01/27/26 16,447.2453 01/28/26 16,454.1534 01/29/26 16,461.0615 01/30/26 16,467.9696 01/31/26 16,474.8777 02/01/26 16,481.7858 02/02/26 16,488.6939 ; AFFIDVI STATE OF OKLAHOMA COUNTY OF OKLAHOMA ) Ashley Brintnall, of lawful age, being first duly sworn, upon oath deposes and states: 1. I am a Collections Legal Specialist for Tinker Federal Credit Union and I am authorized to make this Affidavit of its behalf. Based on a review of the Department of Defense website Mark D. Olson not in the military. A copy is attached here to. Signed under penalty of perjury Ashley Brintnall Subscribed and sworn to before me this 23rd day of January, 2026. Notary Public My Commission Expires: (SEAL) EXHIBIT B Status Report Pursuant to Servicemembers Civil Relief Act SSN: XXX-XX-5416 Birth Date: Mar-XX-1967 Last Name: OLSON First Name: MARK Middle Name: DAVID Status As Of: Jan-23-2026 Certificate ID: MKPN7VLJQ8J42JL <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 individual's 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. The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) is an organization of the Department of Defense (DoD) that maintains the Defense Enrollment and Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) database which is the official source of data on eligibility for military medical care and other eligibility systems. The DoD strongly supports the enforcement of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 USC App. § 3901 et seq, as amended) (SCRA) (formerly known as the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940). DMDC has issued hundreds of thousands of "does not possess any information indicating that the individual is currently on active duty" responses, and has experienced only a small error rate. In the event the individual referenced above, or any family member, friend, or representative asserts in any manner that the individual was on active duty for the active duty status date, or is otherwise entitled to the protections of the SCRA, you are strongly encouraged to obtain further verification of the person's status by contacting that person's Service. Service contact information can be found on the SCRA website's FAQ page (Q35) via this URL: https://scra.dmdc.osd.mil/scraf/#/faqs. If you have evidence the person was on active duty for the active duty status date and you fail to obtain this additional Service verification, punitive provisions of the SCRA may be invoked against you. See 50 USC App. § 3921(c). This response reflects the following information: (1) The individual's Active Duty status on the Active Duty Status Date (2) Whether the individual left Active Duty status within 367 days preceding the Active Duty Status Date (3) Whether the individual or his/her unit received early notification to report for active duty on the Active Duty Status Date. More information on "Active Duty Status" Active duty status as reported in this certificate is defined in accordance with 10 USC § 101(d) (1). Prior to 2010 only some of the active duty periods less than 30 consecutive days in length were available. In the case of a member of the National Guard, this includes service under a call to active service authorized by the President or the Secretary of Defense under 32 USC § 502(f) for purposes of responding to a national emergency declared by the President and supported by Federal funds. All Active Guard Reserve (AGR) members must be assigned against an authorized mobilization position in the unit they support. This includes Navy Training and Administration of the Reserves (TARs), Marine Corps Active Reserve (ARs) and Coast Guard Reserve Program Administrator (RPAs). Active Duty status also applies to a Uniformed Service member who is an active duty commissioned officer of the U.S. Public Health Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA Commissioned Corps). Coverage Under the SCRA is Broader in Some Cases Coverage under the SCRA is broader in some cases and includes some categories of persons on active duty for purposes of the SCRA who would not be reported as on Active Duty under this certificate. SCRA protections are for Title 10 and Title 14 active duty records for all the Uniformed Services periods. Title 32 periods of Active Duty are not covered by SCRA, as defined in accordance with 10 USC § 101(d)(1). Many times orders are amended to extend the period of active duty, which would extend SCRA protections. Persons seeking to rely on this website certification should check to make sure the orders on which SCRA protections are based have not been amended to extend the inclusive dates of service. Furthermore, some protections of the SCRA may extend to persons who have received orders to report for active duty or to be inducted, but who have not actually begun active duty or actually reported for induction. The Last Date on Active Duty entry is important because a number of protections of the SCRA extend beyond the last dates of active duty. Those who could rely on this certificate are urged to seek qualified legal counsel to ensure that all rights guaranteed to Service members under the SCRA are protected WARNING: This certificate was provided based on a last name, SSN/date of birth, and active duty status date provided by the requester. Providing erroneous information will cause an erroneous certificate to be provided.