Three Benefits Of Utilizing A Small Claims Court To Settle Minor Monetary Disputes
A small claims court is an informal court hosted by the district to assist people in resolving minor monetary disputes. It behaves in most ways just like a regular court, except that lawyers aren't allowed to participate in the proceedings. Thus, when you file a small claims case, you do not need to hire a lawyer. Instead, you will be representing yourself in the hearing.
Examples of disputes handled by small claims courts include:
- A landlord claiming back rent from a tenant
- A tenant claiming their security deposit from a landlord
- Claims on minor damage to your property
- A medical facility claiming unpaid dues for medical treatments provided to a patient
- Small injury claims such as a dog bite
Because small claims courts deal in minor monetary disputes, there is usually a limit to the amount of money you can claim through the small court.
If you have a monetary dispute with another party, it is advisable to use a small claims court to settle the matter instead of filing a civil lawsuit in the district court. Here are three benefits of utilizing a small claims court to settle a minor monetary dispute.
No Lawyer Fees
As mentioned earlier, lawyers are not involved in small claims proceedings. As a result, you get to save money by representing yourself as opposed to hiring a lawyer.
The reason lawyers are not permitted in small claims cases is that they are too expensive for such minor cases. Small claims courts only handle cases where the disputed monetary amount doesn't exceed a few thousand dollars; hiring a lawyer can quickly amount to the same sum of money you want to claim.
There is a chance that after the small claims dispute gets settled, the amount of money you receive may equate to your lawyers' fee, thus leaving you with nothing.
Lower Filling Fees
Whether you are filing a lawsuit in a small claims court or a district court, filing fees are involved. However, the filing fees in a small claims court are significantly lower than those of a district court.
Faster Hearing
When you file a civil lawsuit in a district court, there is a chance that your hearing date could be set weeks or even months from the time of filling. District courts are usually overwhelmed with the number of civil lawsuits that get filled every day. As a result, there is usually a backlog with the number of cases that are awaiting hearings. Therefore, you may have to wait for several weeks or a couple of months before the district court can hear your case.
On the other hand, small claims courts are not as overwhelmed with cases as district courts. As a result, a small claims court can provide a much faster resolution on your small claims dispute than a regular civil court.
For more information reach out to a company like Alaska Cascade Financial Services.