Court Procedures
Small Claims Court Procedures
There are several ways to reach the best possible outcome for your case. Filing a small claims court case is an option you should know about when moving to collect a debt.
What Are Small Claims?
Small claims cases make up a separate division of the justice court for people who do not have a lawyer or attorney. As the name suggests, these cases are relatively small, as they must be under $10,000.
Usually consisting of the person suing and the person being sued, these claims are perfect in situations where someone is not paying an outstanding debt. It is less costly than other cases and allows you to address smaller outstanding debt amounts.
What the Small Claims Court Process is Like
Small claims cases provide a straightforward solution, and Creditors Specialty Northwest will only present you with the possibility of a small claims case after we have exhausted other options. If you decide to proceed, we will arrange all the details and prepare for a court hearing.
The court judge will hear both sides of the situation and present a ruling. If the judge rules that the debtor must pay off their outstanding debt, we will ensure this happens.
A small claims case may result in wage garnishment until the debt is paid off.
Is This the Right Option For You?
Anytime you go to court, you must make this decision with your final goal in mind. At Creditors Specialty Northwest, we want to ensure we provide the best possible chance of getting what you want out of your case.
We will consider specific details regarding your case and whether or not it has a good chance of success. Examples include having enough evidence to support your claim and whether or not the defendant can be located.
We will usually exhaust all other resources before taking the debtor to court; this will show that other methods have been pursued without the debt being paid. As long as your case has enough evidence, most small claims result in a ruling favoring the person suing.