In a small claims court, you can obtain justice for financial settlements and damages that are $25,000 or less. Litigations involving such amounts do not need to go to higher court, and the small claims court offers the best option to get a settlement without spending so much.
In small claims court in Ontario, you have the option to represent yourself. This means you can decide to go without a lawyer or paralegal. Whether you are suing of being sued, there are things you need to do as well as things you need to avoid to win your case. Here, we will consider six things you need to avoid when going to a small claims court in Ontario.
Avoid Hasty Preparation
The result you will get will depend significantly on how prepared you are for the small claims court process. Before you sue, it is important that you get the facts of your case ready. It is also important to consult lawyers/paralegals for professional advice before going to small claims court.
Avoid Irrelevant Stories in Your Presentation
The way you present your case is fundamental and will determine the result you will get as well as how fast you will get justice in your small claims court process. Make sure you arrange your story correctly and tell only the relevant part of the story.
Avoid the Temptation to Hire a Lawyer or Paralegal at the Initial Stage
It may be tempting to hire a lawyer or a paralegal at the initial stage of your small claims process, but this is not important as you can successfully get a settlement in time. It is important to seek legal advice, however, but avoid the temptation to engage professionals early.
Avoid the Temptation to Insist On a Trial
It may also be tempting to insist on a trial at the initial stage, but an agreement at the settlement conference can be the best option for you. It will save you and the other party time and money at the small claims court in Ontario.
Avoid Bringing Witnesses That Are Irrelevant
You have the options to bring witnesses to the trial, but it is important that you bring only relevant witnesses. Avoid bringing individuals that will not help to prove your case as that will amount to waste of time and resources.
Avoid Mistakes in the Forms You Submit
You will have to fill out some relevant forms when you are going to a small claims court. It is also important that you avoid making mistakes in these forms as they may influence the settlement you can get in ways you can’t imagine.
A small claims court can be the right place to get redress for settlements and damages, but you need to do just the things that will help you to win. Avoid the points discussed here to improve your chances of success at small claims court in Ontario.
Contact us today at Civil Litigations Paralegal Services to help with your small claims cases. We will dedicate every resource at our disposal to represent you strongly in your small claims. You can always anticipate favorable outcomes. You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MariaDB server version for the right syntax to use near ‘AND ba.deleted != 1 AND bb.deleted != 1’ at line 1