credit card issue

Ok. I have a credit card debt that was being handled by a collection agency. I didn't pay for a couple of years and then started getting calls from an attorneys office about it. This was in Jan of '07. I sent them a payment o $25 then. Recently I started receiving solicitation letters from other attorneys saying that someone was attempting to sue me and that they wanted to represent me. So I went to the county clerk's office and picked up a copy of the complaint. I still have not been served. They had one amount on the complaint and said that I was not responsible for court fees. So my husband has a friend that is an attorney and he contacted them to find out what was going on. They said that I am responsible for the full debt and by making payment in Jan '07 I acknowledged it. So I called them the other day and the representative gave me a higher amount and included court costs and late fees, etc. My first question is can they change the amount that was on the complaint even though technically I haven't been served?

Secondly, the original collection agency sent me a letter a long time ago wanting to negotiate the amount and have me make payments on a much lesser amount. I didn't respond at the time and now want to know if there is a way to get this lawyers office to reduce it to that amount. My husband's friend is a criminal attorney and doesn't feel comfortable handling this matter so he recommended someone else who wants to charge a $250 consultation fee just to discuss it.

Last question. Can I ask them for a full accounting record that will show all of my charges, and all of the interest etc?

[annjd]

They can charge you for the amount and attorneys fees under the terms of your account agreement...