Published By Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.
Being Prepared Helps
You might be a little bit nervous about going into small claims court. You will be your own advocate, because an attorney is not going to be by your side. That apprehension is what the other side of the dispute is counting on. That individual or business feels there is nothing to worry about because you are not an attorney. However, if you have prepared properly there is no reason to think you cannot prevail. Having help from a group legal plan can tip the scales in your favor.
Be a Scout and Be Prepared
Substantial justice is the ruling theme in a small claims court case. In the desire to achieve a just result, some of the procedures of law are not applied. This is what you have to do to succeed.
- Know Where You Must File. If you present the case in the wrong court, you fall flat on your face. You need to find out from the courthouse where the appropriate bench is for your particular dispute. A group legal services benefit will provide an attorney to direct you to the right place.
- Going To Court Fully Prepared. You are going to be pleading your own case and you have to be persuasive. This means you should work on your message to be delivered in front of the bench. The information and evidence you present has to be in very logical order. No matter how emotional you may feel, you have to stay very objective. A little coaching from an attorney can be valuable, and this is where a group legal plan provides some much appreciated assistance.
- Understand The Law. To improve your chances of winning you need to know about the statutes which cover your particular case. This can help you in seeking punitive damages, and you may be able to win immediately if a disputed legal document does not contain the proper language.
- Determine The Dollar Amount of Your Suit. Depending on the state there are certain limitations on monetary damages. It does you no good to go over that boundary. You also must keep in mind that if you are awarded damages, you have the responsibility of collecting.
Some Good Advice Helps
Small claims court is not a major bench, but it still can be confusing. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services has been developing group legal plan benefits for 28 years and we know the value of good legal advice. A Countrywide attorney can help you prepare for that day in court. He or she can offer the type of guidance which gives you a better chance of winning a settlement. We do more than give advice, however.
Sometimes, the dispute can be settled out of court. One of our group legal services allows a Countrywide attorney to contact the other party either by telephone or correspondence. This is an opportunity to negotiate a resolution without having to go before a judge. If you do win a settlement there is a lot of paperwork required to get the damages. A group legal plan member can be certain that the Countrywide attorney is going to help with processing the papers necessary to put a lien on the other party’s property. It is the kind of support which proves its worth many times over.
Our Administration Makes Things Easier
We see to it that everybody gets the group legal services needed by streamlining administration. No one has to wait for long periods of time, and the Countrywide attorney lives in the community. We work with all kinds of organizations, and we will tailor a plan to fit the needs of the organization. Help with small claims is just one of the group legal services we provide. There are others and we encourage decision-makers to contact us. They will find that we have the kind of legal assistance their employees can certainly use.