Small Claims Court

Previously, I talked a little bit about corporations and their relationship with the law. Also, that the only way enforce any real punishment on them is to fine or sue the company. One of the ways i said you could this is thru small claims court. What is it? What purpose does it serve? Let's expand and talk about just that.

What is Small Claims Court? It is a local court in which claims for small sums of money can be heard and decided quickly and cheaply, without legal representation. This claim for money can be for any amount of money as long as it does not exceed the sum amount of 10,000 dollars. One of the defining factors of what cases are heard in small claims courts is the dollar amount of the damages sought. This can vary dramatically by state. For example it can be for as low as $2,500 in Kentucky and Rhode Island. One notable exception is Tennessee. Where the claim can go as high as 25,000 dollars. Typically, the amount varies between $5,000 and $10,000. As mentioned before, it is done without legal representation. Which means small claims court cases are conducted without a lawyer. Offering a legal avenue to quickly and easily resolve cases involving small amounts of money.

The purpose of small claims court is to provide an informal, uncomplicated proceeding to resolve small disputes that do not involve enough money to warrant the expense of formal litigation. As most people who appear in small claims court do not have a lawyer. This is because the  jurisdiction of small-claims courts typically encompasses private disputes. This collection of small debts forms a large portion of the cases brought to small-claims courts. As well as evictions and other disputes between landlords and tenants.

What type of case can be bought in small claims court? Well,Small claims court can only award money. It cannot, for example, order a mechanic to fix your car correctly. Similarly, the court cannot order your ex-husband to stop harassing you.The court can only award you the monetary damages. Any person who is over 18 years old can file a claim in small claims court. A corporation may appear in small claims court through an employee or officer, even if the person is not a lawyer. The exception being is that banks and other institutions cannot file a claim in small claims court.