A Guide to an Amicable Divorce

Are you currently going through a dispute with your neighbor, a former friend, a driver that caused property damage, or someone else who has cost you some money in some way? It's possible to file civil litigation when there is no criminal offense involved in order to try and be made whole again. For small disputes though, you might be better off taking your case to a small claims court instead of pursuing a full-blown civil court case. Here are just some of the reasons why you might want to seek a small claims judgment.

Small Claims Cases Can Move Forward and Reach a Resolution More Quickly Than Other Types of Court Cases

The legal system is notorious for taking a long time to reach a resolution with certain types of cases. But small claims judgments can typically be obtained on a much faster timeline. If you've lost some money because of someone else's actions, you are likely interested in getting back what is owed to you as soon as possible. A small claims case can help you achieve this goal in a much more efficient manner than a civil case.

Your Filing Costs Will Likely Be Less in a Small Claims Court Than a Civil Court

The exact costs of filing a small claims case vs a civil case will vary from place to place throughout the state or country. But in general, it will cost you less money to file a small claims case than it does to file a civil lawsuit. If you are attempting to get money back from someone who has harmed you, the last thing you want to do is have to immediately rack up a large amount of court costs before your case even gets to the inside of the courtroom. Going the small claims route can help keep your costs down as you move forward.

You Will Typically Have to Represent Yourself But Can Hire an Attorney for Assistance Who Will Charge Less Than a Civil Attorney

Exact rules for small claims cases can again vary from place to place. But in general, you might be expected to represent yourself in the courtroom instead of having an attorney speak for you. 

While this might not sound ideal, this is another way where you will likely save some money on legal costs when compared with a civil case where you have to pay the attorney for their time inside the courtroom.

You should also keep in mind though that you can still hire an attorney to assist you with setting up your argument to the court. A small claims attorney can help you with your initial filing and will make sure your argument makes sense before you actually set foot in the courtroom.

Reach out to a company like Alaska Cascade Financial Services to learn more.