Pender County commissioner disputes lawsuit over credit card bill

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Bank of America has filed a lawsuit against a Pender County commissioner, alleging he owes more than $18,000 on a credit card account, according to court records.

The complaint, filed June 9 in Pender County District Court, names William Randy Burton as the defendant. Bank of America claims Burton applied for and received a credit account in November 2021, then used it for purchases, balance transfers or cash advances.

According to the lawsuit, Burton failed to make payments, and the account was charged off on Dec. 31, 2024. The last payment on the account was posted May 10, 2024. The bank says the balance due is $18,413.09.

Bank of America is seeking the full amount owed, plus court costs.

In a formal response filed with the court, Burton denied owing the amount claimed by Bank of America. He requested a detailed accounting of all purchases, charges, offsets and payments on the account before making further admissions or denials. Burton also raised several affirmative defenses, including that the complaint fails to state a valid cause of action, was not filed within the applicable statute of limitations, and that the alleged agreement violates the Statute of Frauds.

While speaking with WWAY, Burton said the lawsuit arose from an oversight by a financial company he had hired 14 months ago to do a debt consolidation for him.

He said this lawsuit has nothing to do with his ability to do his duty to the county and does not affect his ability to handle the finances of the county, since he is not actually in charge of any county finances.