My question involves collection proceedings in the State of Michigan.
In short, my boyfriend co-signed a student loan for a foreign friend going to law school. The loan was for $17,000. For a couple of years everything was fine, then the guy stops making payments. Currently no one can get in touch with the guy. He has defaulted on the loan and my boyfriend is being pursued to pay the loan off. Well, he asked about deferment since he is not making enough to cover the bill right now. He was told that all the deferment had been used up and couldn't have been deferred without his signature. Well, my boyfriend hasn't been in touch with this guy for years and definetly didn't sign anything other than the original loan agreement.
1. Is there a way he can get out of the loan since his signature was forged at some point?
2. The collections agency said they could start garnishing his wages, or take his tax return. Is this true? Don't they have to take him to court to do that? and if not, how long does he have before wages are garnished?

