Escort receives prepayment for services and client sues
<p>Can I be arrested in civil court pertaining to my ex-profession as an escort?  I received a lump sum from a client to cover 150 services.  I satisfied the loan but foolishly signed paperwork saying I would payback in money but that was not really the agreement it was just supposed to be a paper to show his wife or if anyone asked questions of why the money was gone.  He said he was the only one who knew of that money, except for some relatives who wouldn't ask where it was and his wife notices when $300 is gone every week and is getting suspicious.  If I explain this in civil court can they arrest me or him or both? </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Can I be arrested in civil court pertaining to my ex-profession as an
  escort? . . . If I explain this in civil court can they arrest me or him or both?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>In most contexts "civil court" means a non-criminal case. </p>

<p>Normally you cannot be arrested in a non-criminal case for any reason other than refusing to testify without any legal justification for doing so, or for defying a specific court order that you are able to comply with. </p>

<p>Sometimes "civil court" is a term used to distinguish from a court-martial, or from a religious court, but that does not appear to be the case in this context.</p>

<p>One the other hand, in any court proceeding, testimony is usually given under oath and in most court proceedings in common law countries, it is recorded electronically or stenographically. Testimony given in a civil court can be used as evidence against you in a criminal case, if the statute of limitations on the alleged crime has not expired.</p>

<p>Also, what he is doing is probably within the definition of the crimes of blackmail or extortion. In theory, if this is reported to the police, they could ask the local prosecutor to prosecute him for this serious felony, while choosing not to prosecute what is probably a minor misdemeanor or petty offense, if it is a crime at all (which your questions suggests that it is), and upon which the statute of limitations may have run as to many, if not all, of the alleged offenses.</p>

<p>But, the prosecutor could also decide to do nothing even if there is strong evidence of blackmail and as a practical matter there is little or nothing you could do about that choice.</p>

<p>The contract or loan papers would also be unenforceable in most U.S. jurisdictions if the consideration for that contract was revealed.</p>

criminal-law civil