Can I handle a neighbor dispute in small claims court?

Can I handle a neighbor dispute in small claims court?

Small claims court is generally a place where you can handle an issue without a lawyer. You are usually not allowed to take in a lawyer, that is part of the idea of the procedure. It is supposed to be simple, cost effective, hopefully inexpensive and quick. There are all of these jurisdictional limits in every state as to how much the dispute may involve so that you can take it to small claims court. It may be $5. It may be $7,5. It may even be more than that in some jurisdictions. So, you'll have to look at how much that limit is. Sometimes people, even though their claim is above that limit, will decide on the small claims court in order to be cost effective and they will sue for the amount that meets the jurisdictional limit of the court and will waive the amount above it. That is not unusual. You will see people do that from time to time, even small businesses, because it is generally a lot faster. The one thing to remember in small claims court is that usually only the defendant can appeal. The plaintiff has to accept whatever decision the first judge makes. Then if there is an appeal, it is generally a completely new trial and the judge that hears the appeal isn't bound in any way by what happened in the trial in the small claims court.