While court decisions have become easier to obtain in recent years, few people with legitimate complaints are actually pursuing legal remedies. In the court of small claims, there are no lawyers, no jury, and any mentally competent person who is 18 years of age or older can take legal action. However, there are very specific court documents and filing requirements, and that is where many people are hesitant to use the system to their advantage. Every year, small businesses waste thousands of dollars of unpaid debts simply because they do not know how to recover them. However, it is easier to know how to use small claims to recover what is rightly theirs in previous payments than you think. A letter of demand is your first step towards resolving a dispute with small requirements. Go to your district officer`s office and let them know you want to make a small request. The agent`s office will provide you with documents to fill out basic information for your case: your name (the plaintiff), the name of the person or company you are suing (the defendant) and the amount you are claiming. Make sure you have the right name and address of the defendant. If the coordinates are incorrect, your case may be rejected. Be sure to keep copies of your documents for your recordings.
Then you`re going to have to pay court costs. The cost of submitting a small claim varies by county in California, but it is usually about $80. Click here to learn more about agreements with small claims and see a video to solve your case for small claims. You may have won your little damage, but now you have to gather. The Small Claims Court handles cases involving money or property, usually below a defined financial limit. In California, an individual can raise up to $7,500 in a small claims court, while limited liability companies and corporations are still limited to $5,000. Remember that the cost of hiring a lawyer and the time spent in civil court can quickly exceed these limits. In addition, submitting a small claim may provide a more accessible solution to dispute resolution at a much lower cost. You can choose to terminate without prejudice if you get an agreement with the other person and you have not yet been fully paid (z.B. if you have a payment plan with him or her, but you want to terminate it before all payments are due). This way, you can submit a new file later if the person misses future payments. Landlord/tenant rental deposit Litigation, property damage, car accidents and recovery of money owed are the most common reasons why people file small claims.