You can connect to Mutlu Law Office for all of your legal consultation needs. Kocaeli Lawyer
Small claims court is an effective solution to settle minor disputes between two parties. This route is best to take when your case is not significant enough to enter a regular court, yet too big to let go. But before you jump into this opportunity, you need to make sure you understand what you are getting.
What Can You Claim in a Small Claims Court?
Generally speaking, small claims court works for civil cases involving a relatively small amount of money, below £10,000 in the UK. Some examples of cases that you can settle in this type of court are:
- Unpaid debts or invoices
- Property damages
- Personal injuries
- False arrests
- Poor service you have paid
- Faulty products you bought
- Disputes with landlords
How Do Small Claims Court Work?
Due to its minor nature, small claims court is informal and quite simple. After filing out your lawsuit, the court will notify the party you sue. Before the hearing, both parties are encouraged to negotiate and compromise to make things simpler. If no agreement is achieved, the hearing will take place.
Both parties have a chance to speak directly to the judge. Evidence is also required to support your claims. The whole process is relatively quick. You will not wait for too long to get the judge to rule the verdict.
You most likely wouldn’t need an attorney to handle this matter. Most people choose to represent themselves because there is no complexity in the process. Not to mention how hiring an attorney will not be worth the amount of money in dispute.
What Should You Do?
As the one who filed the lawsuit, called the plaintiff, you need to know the full name, address, and contact information of the party you sue. Gathering evidence is also crucial to give you a strong chance of winning the case. Some examples of strong evidence are letters, receipts, chat or email histories, photos of the damage caused, invoices, and a statement from a witness.
The one getting sued is called the defendant. Similar to the plaintiff, you also need to gather evidence to prove your innocence. If your position is weak, it is better to negotiate with the plaintiff to avoid a higher cost to the court.
Anyway, both parties will have to pay the court fee. The losing party will later have to reimburse the court fee of the winning party. It is also necessary for both parties to attend the court. One absent party may cause the court to enter a default judgment, which means that the presenting party wins the case. However, the judge also has the right to postpone the court if the absence is due to emergency reasons.
While the concepts are similar, the rules of the small claims court may be different from place to place. Thus, it is better to check your local law about this court to make sure your lawsuit is effective. And if you have the opportunity to settle the issue peacefully with the opposing party outside the court, it is a lot better to take that route to save you time, money, and energy.
You can connect to Mutlu Law Office for all of your legal consultation needs. Kocaeli Lawyer