Small claims courts, also known as county courts or magistrate courts depending on the jurisdiction in which they are located, have the standard function of trying civil cases between private litigants regarding matters of money that are not large in value. This type of court can incorporate other functions and in Toronto, this is no different. It should be noted that small claims courts operate separately from superior courts.

If you go to small claims court to present a case, the monetary value of the case cannot be more than $25,000. Some examples of small claims court cases may include tenant and landlord disputes, wages owed by an employer and not paid, or compensation not rendered for services, like plumbing, electrical work, and so on; some clients for example, may refuse to pay for services rendered if they feel the service has been poor.

Before you can file a claim in small claims court, you have to have attempted to settle things yourself before hand, and you have to have proof of this. If you don’t, the court will penalize you. Try to negotiate an amicable solution with the party in question first. If you try for a month and fail, you’ve met this legal requirement; in that case, write down everything you know about your case, and then get a lawyer. Your lawyer will then present this information to the court. You also have to warn the other party that you will be going to court to resolve this.

There are some things you need to bring with you to present your case before small claims court. First, prepare two copies of your claim, one for yourself and then one for the court. You’ll also need to pay a court fee to file a claim. This claim form is served to the defendant. You can do this yourself if you wish once the court has stamped the document. There’s other documentation as well that’s involved in the small claims process.

Once the court has decided it’s going to hear your case, you’ll be notified of a final hearing, and the data will happen. Two weeks before the final hearing, send any copies of documents you’ll be presenting during your case to the court. Again, if you don’t send these documents, your case is going to be postponed and you’ll incur penalties as well. One of the things that may happen is that you may have to pay the cost of the suit in their entirety. Your lawyer will be able to help you navigate your way through this process, and tell you what happens next. The court will set a hearing date, and if you can’t attend the hearing, you’ll need to send this notification to them in writing and state your reasons as to why you can’t attend.

Trying to wend your way through small claims court by yourself can be very frustrating if you don’t have proper legal help. The final decision on the case IS final and isn’t subject to appeal unless something has been found not to be proper in the way proceedings were handled, or if the court did not follow law as it applied to the claim. A competent lawyer will be able to help you navigate through this difficult and sometimes confusing series of events. If the defendant does not comply, and doesn’t act in accordance with the court’s decision, this may also end up wasting your time and you have to continue proceedings in a higher court. In addition, you will not collect on any monies owed you that were the focus of your original claim. It’s very important, therefore, that you get proper legal representation so that you don’t have these problems.

Before you hire a lawyer, make sure you check Melissa Weber website, she is aSmall claims court that specializes in the GTA area

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