The applicants were low-income workers who had obtained small loans from a loan company. When they later became unable to keep up with loan repayments, the company demanded that they sign further documents which resulted in default judgments and emoluments attachment orders (EAOs) being obtained by credit providers, from clerks of magistrates’ courts located far away from where the applicants reside and work, making it very difficult to oppose these orders. In some instances, their signatures that enabled the credit provider to obtain the EAOs were forged.
