Case Lifecycle

Understanding how cases progress through Debitura's collection process from submission to resolution.

Overview

Every debt collection case goes through a series of stages, from initial submission to final resolution. This lifecycle ensures systematic and effective debt recovery while maintaining compliance and transparency.

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Lifecycle Stages

1. Lead / Quote (Optional)

Status: lead

Before formally submitting a case, you can request a quote to understand:

• Estimated collection success probability
• Expected fees and costs
• Recommended collection strategy
• Timeline expectations

Typical duration: Instant to 24 hours

Actions available:

• Request detailed quote
• Submit case
• Decline to proceed

Next stage: Case Submission

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2. Case Submission

Status: submitted

The creditor submits a case to Debitura with:

• Creditor information
• Debtor information
• Invoice details and documentation
• Any relevant communications or notes

Typical duration: Instant

System actions:

• Validate case data
• Generate case ID
• Create event log
• Trigger webhooks

Next stage: Verification

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3. Verification

Status: verifying

Debitura reviews the case to ensure:

• Complete and accurate information
• Valid debt documentation
• Compliance with legal requirements
• Collectability assessment

Typical duration: 1-2 business days

Possible outcomes:

• Approved: Case moves to Active
• Rejected: Case cannot be collected (reason provided)
• Information needed: Creditor must provide additional details

Next stage: Active, Rejected, or back to Submitted (if more info needed)

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4. Active Collection

Status: active

The case is actively being worked on. Collection activities include:

• Friendly reminders to debtor
• Phone calls and emails
• Payment plan negotiations
• Settlement discussions

Typical duration: 30-90 days (varies by jurisdiction and case complexity)

Sub-statuses:

• active.initial_contact - First outreach attempts
• active.negotiating - Discussing payment terms
• active.payment_plan - Debtor on agreed payment schedule
• active.escalated - Preparing for legal action

Possible outcomes:

• Payment received (full or partial)
• Payment plan established
• Settlement agreed
• Escalation to legal action
• Suspension requested
• Debtor bankruptcy/insolvency

Next stages: Collected, Escalated, Suspended, or Closed

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5. Escalated (Legal Action)

Status: escalated

When friendly collection attempts fail, the case escalates to legal proceedings:

• Court filings
• Judgment enforcement
• Asset seizure
• Garnishment orders

Typical duration: 3-12 months (jurisdiction dependent)

Sub-statuses:

• escalated.filing - Preparing court documents
• escalated.litigation - Active court proceedings
• escalated.judgment - Court judgment obtained
• escalated.enforcement - Enforcing judgment

Costs: Legal fees apply (may be recoverable from debtor)

Next stages: Collected, Suspended, or Closed

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6. Suspended

Status: suspended

Case collection activities are temporarily paused due to:

• Creditor request
• Debtor dispute
• Bankruptcy proceedings
• Court injunction
• Missing information

Typical duration: Variable (until resolution)

Actions available:

• Resume collection
• Close case
• Update case information

Next stages: Active, Escalated, or Closed

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7. Collected

Status: collected

The debt has been fully or partially recovered.

Sub-statuses:

• collected.full - 100% of debt recovered
• collected.partial - Less than 100% recovered
• collected.settlement - Agreed reduced amount paid

System actions:

• Calculate fees and costs
• Process payout to creditor
• Update financial records
• Send confirmation webhooks

Next stage: Closed

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8. Closed

Status: closed

The case has reached a final state and no further action will be taken.

Closure reasons:

• closed.collected - Debt fully recovered
• closed.partially_collected - Partial recovery, case closed
• closed.uncollectible - Deemed impossible to collect
• closed.debtor_deceased - Debtor passed away, no estate
• closed.bankruptcy - Debtor bankrupt, case discharged
• closed.disputed - Creditor dispute, case withdrawn
• closed.error - Case submitted in error
• closed.creditor_request - Creditor requested closure

Payout processed: If any amount collected

Records retained: For audit and compliance purposes

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Lifecycle Diagram

     Lead/Quote (optional)
          ↓
     Submitted
          ↓
     Verifying → Rejected
          ↓
        Active ←→ Suspended
          ↓
     Escalated ←→ Suspended
          ↓
     Collected
          ↓
       Closed

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Status Transitions

Allowed Transitions

From Status	To Status	Trigger
lead	submitted	Case submitted by creditor
submitted	verifying	Automatic system transition
verifying	active	Verification approved
verifying	rejected	Verification failed
verifying	submitted	Information requested
active	collected	Payment received
active	escalated	Legal action initiated
active	suspended	Suspension requested/required
active	closed	Case closed without collection
escalated	collected	Payment received
escalated	suspended	Legal proceedings paused
escalated	closed	Case closed without collection
suspended	active	Case resumed
suspended	escalated	Legal action resumed
suspended	closed	Case closed while suspended
collected	closed	Payout processed

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Timeline Expectations

Typical Case Durations

Scenario	Expected Timeline
Simple B2C debt, cooperative debtor	30-45 days
B2C debt, unresponsive debtor	60-90 days
B2B debt, payment plan	90-180 days
B2B debt with legal action	6-12 months
Cross-border collection	90 days - 18 months

Factors affecting duration:

• Debtor cooperation
• Debt amount
• Jurisdiction
• Case complexity
• Legal requirements
• Collection partner workload

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Monitoring Case Progress

Via API

GET /v1/cases/{case_id}

Response includes:

• Current status
• Status history with timestamps
• Last activity date
• Next scheduled action
• Amount collected to date

Via Webhooks

Subscribe to status change events:

• case.status_changed
• case.payment_received
• case.escalated
• case.closed

Via Portal

Monitor case progress visually:

• Status timeline
• Activity feed
• Payment history
• Document uploads
• Communications log

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Best Practices

For Creditors

1. Provide complete information upfront - Reduces verification time
2. Respond quickly to information requests - Prevents delays
3. Keep documentation organized - Speeds up escalation if needed
4. Monitor webhook events - Stay informed of progress
5. Don't suspend unnecessarily - Reduces collection success rates

For Integration Partners

1. Handle all status values - New statuses may be added
2. Store status history - Don't just track current status
3. Implement webhook handlers - For real-time updates
4. Poll API sparingly - Use webhooks instead
5. Map statuses to user-friendly labels - In your UI

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Next Steps

• Learn about payments and payouts
• Understand pricing and fees
• Explore webhooks and events