Conclusion: Going to small claims court may be worth it for $500, but it will determine how you weigh your costs versus benefits. At a minimum, it is worth it to send a demand letter.
To begin an action in Small Claims Court, a person, or someone acting on his or her behalf, must come to the Small Claims Court Clerk's office in the proper county and fill out a statement of claim.
After a summons with notice is served, the defendant will demand that the plaintiff serve a complaint. The plaintiff must then have the complaint served within 20 days after being served with the demand, or the case may be dismissed.
To file a motion for contempt in New York, certain criteria must be met. There must be an existing order of the court that is clear and unambiguous, and the accused must be proven to have known about this order and willfully disobeyed it.