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You can file a lawsuit in Small Claims Court if the amount of money you are suing for is $10,000 or less and you are only suing for money. Cases must be filed by submitting forms called 'Statement of Claim' and 'Information Sheet' in the Small Claims Clerk's Office.

Bring at least one original and two copies to the court clerk. Submit the documents to the court clerk for filing. ... Pay a filing fee. ... Keep two extra copies of the complaint for your records.

You can sue without a lawyer, but in most cases, and depending on the type of case, it may be more work than you anticipated. In some states, you cannot hire a lawyer to represent you in small claims court. However, in most other situations, you can and should be represented by a lawyer.

How long does a personal lawsuit take? Well, the duration of the case can vary with the cases. It is not possible to give a perfect answer about how long the lawsuit will take. There are some cases which take at least a year from the date of filing the complaint to get to settle, and some may take around six months.

Who's Who. The person who starts a lawsuit is called the plaintiff. ... Complaint and Summons. ... Defendant's Answer. ... Discovery. ... Motions. ... Trial. ... Judgment. ... Small Claims Courts.

Try to settle the dispute outside of court. ... Contact the county clerk in the small claims court district closest to the residence or business of the person you are suing. ... Fill out a complaint form, otherwise known as a "Statement of Claim" at the clerk's office, and pay the filing fee.

Generally, claims involving a relatively small amount of money (up to $10,000 depending on the state) should be filed in small claims court. A separate court will hear cases involving medium-sized claims (usually up to $25,000) and another court will hear most claims that exceed that amount.

When you sue someone for damages, such as in an assault or defamation suit, you are engaging in a civil court action. ... Also, criminal convictions result in fines, incarceration, public service, or other such sentences, while civil cases determine whether the defendant is financially liable for the plaintiff's injuries.

The Small Claims Court is an informal court where individuals can sue without a lawyer, for money only, up to $3,000 in Town or Village Courts, and $5,000 in City Courts. If your claim for damages is more than $3,000, or $5,000, you cannot separate it into two or more claims to avoid going over the maximum.

You normally do not risk being sentenced to jail in a civil lawsuit. Civil lawsuits usually involve money damages, injunctions, declatory relief or other relief. A judge in a civil proceeding can order a party or non-party to jail for disobeying court...

A civil lawsuit involves disputes between private individuals and/or organizations. ... Generally, the result desired by the person filing the lawsuit is to be compensated for damages. An alternative result is to have the court order another person to begin or stop some activity.

Choose the right court. You must file your lawsuit in a court that has jurisdiction over the incident that gave rise to your claim. ... Gather your evidence. ... Compile information about the person who owes you money. ... Check the statute of limitations. ... Consider consulting an attorney. ... Send a demand letter.

Choose the right court. You must file your lawsuit in a court that has jurisdiction over the incident that gave rise to your claim. ... Gather your evidence. ... Compile information about the person who owes you money. ... Check the statute of limitations. ... Consider consulting an attorney. ... Send a demand letter.

As to the cost of taking someone to small claims court, you'll generally pay a filing fee of less than $100 that is recoverable if you win. Meanwhile, each state will cap the amount you are allowed to sue for. It typically ranges anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000, according to LegalZoom.

Unfortunately, there is no good answer if someone has little income and few assets, they are effectively judgment proof and even if you win against them in court, you effectively lose: you spent the time and money to sue and receive nothing in return. ... First, you don't have to sue the person immediately.