3 Answers

georgiethegreat,  it is illegal to make someone sign a contract against their will.  The contract will be null and void.  But how to prove it was coerced is the issue.  I think it would be thrown out in court but I do believe the debt is still due.    yvonne57

It is illegal in Canada for somone to force someone to sign a legal document against their will or even under negative pressure for that matter ... lawyers are expensive and proving a point like that requires a lawyer.

This is a matter of 'acting under duress or coercion'. It is not legal.  Most states now have a "Pro-Se" site to help you if you do not want to hire an attorney, knowing how expensive they are. It really depends on how important the issue is and is it worth fighting. However, it sounds as if you have signed an agreement that at this time binds you to it, unless you do fight it in court.  Black's Law Dictionary (6th ed.) defines duress as "any unlawful threat or coercion used... to induce another to act [or not act] in a manner [they] otherwise would not [or would]". Duress is pressure exerted upon a person to coerce that person to perform an act that he or she ordinarily would not perform