The California Small Claims Court (SCC) is a place where people can take their disputes to be settled. This is considered to be a reasonable step when they issue can’t be resolved between the two parties in a manner that pleases both of them. SCC is an inexpensive yet effective way to resolve such problems. Most of them have to do with one that one party believes is owed to them by the other party.
The way the laws are set up in California, the SCC is a very informal place where a hearing will take place. One of the reasons why it is so cost effective is that each party represents themselves. They will be discussing the matter without the assistance of legal representation. Being prepared for the hearing with the facts and all the documentation you have to back it up is very important. It can give you the edge to win a judgment in your favor.
There are limitations to the dollar amount that can be involved for a case to be processed in the SCC of California. There is generally a cap of $10,000 per case but there are some exceptions. If your dollar amount is more than that you should find out what rules would apply to that type of case. There are fees associated with filing a case with the SCC in California. However, you will find them to be very reasonable. It ranges from $50 to $100 depending on the amount of money that the case involves.
There is also a limit of two small claims cases filed per person per calendar year of more than $2,500. This is to prevent some individuals from abusing the system. There is no limit on the number of cases that can be filed though that involve less than $2,500. You may wonder why someone would need to file so many cases so often? There are some businesses out there such as private contractors or landlords where this is one of the few ways they can get the money that is owed to them.
Once a person has filed a case with a California small claims court, they will get information on a date when a hearing is set. Every attempt is made to do it as soon as possible. It won’t be less than 20 days from when the case is filed though. This way those who need to be notified of the case are informed. It also gives both parties time to gather their materials to present at the hearing. The date of the hearing will never be more than 70 days from the date when the case is filed.
The SCC in California has proven to be a very effective way for parties to settle their disputes. The process is deemed as fair, affordable, and to take place in a reasonable period of time. If you would like to find out more about the SCC of California please take a look at http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/small_claims/index.shtml and http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/small_claims/basic_info.shtml. You can also call the numbers on the websites to ask specific questions you don’t find the answers to online.
If you have an uncollected small claims court judgment, submit it here and we will see if we can turn your paper into cash.
