Class action lawsuit filed against now-bankrupt Vista College

EL PASO, Texas -- The dust has settled on raw emotions students felt the day Vista College shuttered its doors leaving students out in the cold without a degree.

Students who feel they were scammed and abandoned are learning they can take legal action against the for profit college.

Lawyers are meeting with former students to see if they want to join a class action lawsuit against Vista College to try to collect some damages left in the wake of the closure.

"I'm angry, I'm really disappointed. I'm just so frustrated. We were so comfortable and then all of a sudden, oh we're closing. I hope I can finish, finish and get our certificate," said Daisy Rascon, a former Vista College Student.

Former Vista College students, like Rascon, are meeting with lawyers to see what action they can take against faculty, administration and the school's owners - who they feel cheated them out of an education, and possibly a future.

"They have a right to bring forward a claim on behalf of both themselves and others similarly situated, which is the class action lawsuit that we filed in Jefferson County District Court," said Christopher Bailey, an attorney with the Bailey/Reyes law firm.

That lawsuit names school faculty and the owner, who lawyers identified as Jim Tolberg and his holding company.

Bailey and his partner watched as former students started trickling into a hotel conference room on Friday. That conference had a capacity of 50 people, but it was standing room only filled with former students seeking justice.

"I was hurt because they said we're going to graduate you out, you ain't got to worry. And then, oh no, you're getting kicked out, basically," said former student Kristen Vaca.

"We're filing this lawsuit to get them some compensation on their behalf so hopefully they can move forward with their lives and not just have money taken from them wrongfully," explained Bailey.

"It just sucks cause, it's like a whole year's worth of work and it's down the drain," said Will Christensen, also a former student.

Christensen said he's tried other schools to continue his education, but was faced with those schools not accepting the credits he earned at Vista College.

Right now, the Bailey/Reyes law firm is collecting the names of former students who want to join the class action lawsuit. That firm has experience suing another college that closed its doors abruptly.

Bailey told ABC-7 that lawyers representing the Vista College owner have already fired the first shot against the lawsuit.

They filed for bankruptcy, essentially placing an automatic stay on any collection of assets students were hoping to claim.

Bailey said his law firm is evaluating what their next step will be against Vista College.