Everybody's Guide to Small Claims Court in California. 17th edition

The only guide to California Small Claims Court that provides tips by former judges! The definitive guide to California Small Claims Court for more than 25 years, this plain-English guide gives you step-by-step instructions to bring or defend your case -- from preparing evidence and lining up persuasive witnesses, to making a presentation in court and collecting the money you're awarded. Everybody's Guide to Small Claims Court in California shows you how to decide if you have a winning case, mediate a settlement if possible, determine how much to sue for, write your demand letter, file and serve papers, prepare evidence and witnesses for court, plan a winning courtroom strategy, convince the judge that you are right and collect your money when you win. Updated with the latest laws and procedures, featuring practical tips and insights from former judges of small claims courts. It also shows you how to handle disputes involving Internet transactions. Go after the money that's owed you -- represent yourself in small claims court and win! (20090101) Table of Contents......Page 9 Your Small Claims Court Companion......Page 17 1. In the Beginning......Page 21 First Things......Page 22 Things to Think About Before Initiating or Defending Your Case......Page 24 Legal Jargon Defined......Page 27 How to Use This Book......Page 34 2. Do You Have a Good Case?......Page 37 Stating Your Claim on Your Court Papers......Page 38 But Is My Case Really Any Good?......Page 39 How to Approach a Breach of Contract Case......Page 44 How to Approach a Property Damage Case......Page 53 How to Approach a Personal Injury (and Mental Distress) Case......Page 58 How to Approach a Breach of Warranty Case......Page 62 How to Approach a Professional Malpractice Case......Page 66 How to Approach a Nuisance Case......Page 70 3. Can You Collect Your Money If You Win?......Page 73 4. How Much Can You Sue For?......Page 79 Cutting Down a Claim to Fit Under the Limit......Page 80 Splitting Small Claims Court Cases......Page 81 How to Calculate the Exact Amount of Your Claim......Page 83 Equitable Relief (or, Money Can’t Always Solve the Problem)......Page 99 5. When Can You Sue?......Page 103 California Statute of Limitations Periods......Page 104 Calculating the Statute of Limitations......Page 106 Defendant Should Tell the Judge If the Statute of Limitations Has Run Out......Page 110 6. How to Settle Your Dispute......Page 111 Try to Talk Out Your Dispute......Page 113 Mediate Your Dispute......Page 117 Write a Formal Demand Letter......Page 123 Write Down the Terms of Any Settlement......Page 137 Agreement Just Before Court Hearing......Page 143 7. Who Can Sue?......Page 145 Sole Proprietorships......Page 147 Corporations......Page 148 Limited Liability Companies......Page 149 Government Agencies......Page 150 Special Rules for Homeowners’ Associations......Page 151 Suits by Minors......Page 152 Class Actions (Group Lawsuits)......Page 153 Participation by Attorneys and Bill Collectors......Page 155 8. Who Can Be Sued?......Page 157 How to Sue One Person......Page 158 How to Sue Two or More People......Page 159 How to Sue an Individually Owned Business......Page 160 How to Sue a Partnership......Page 162 How to Sue a Corporation or Limited Liability Company (LLC)......Page 164 How to Name Defendants In a Motor Vehicle Accident Case......Page 165 How to Sue Minors......Page 166 How to Sue Government Agencies......Page 167 How to Sue Contractors and Their Bonding Companies......Page 168 How to Sue the Estates of Deceased People......Page 170 9. Where Can You Sue?......Page 171 Where to Sue Out-of-State Defendants......Page 172 Where to Sue California Defendants......Page 176 What Happens If You Are Sued in the Wrong California Small Claims Court?......Page 181 10. Plaintiff’s and Defendant’s Filing Fees, Court Papers & Court Dates......Page 185 Filling Out Your Court Papers and Getting Your Court Date......Page 186 The Defendant’s Forms......Page 194 Changing a Court Date......Page 200 11. Serving Your Papers......Page 203 Who Must Be Served......Page 204 How to Serve an Individual......Page 205 How to Serve an Out-of-State Motorist......Page 210 How to Serve Papers on a Business......Page 211 Time Limits in Which the Plaintiff’s Claim Must Be Served......Page 215 How and When to Serve a Defendant’s Claim......Page 220 How and When to Serve Subpoenas......Page 221 Costs of Service......Page 222 12. The Defendant’s Options......Page 223 Claim That You Weren’t Properly Served With Court Papers......Page 224 Claim You Were Sued in the Wrong Small Claims Court......Page 225 You Have a Partial Defense—Try to Compromise......Page 226 You Have Absolutely No Defense......Page 228 You Want to Pay the Plaintiff in Installments......Page 229 If You, Not the Plaintiff, Were Wronged—File a Defendant’s Claim......Page 230 Fight Back......Page 231 13. Getting Ready for Court......Page 235 Interpreter Services......Page 237 Free Small Claims Advice......Page 238 Mediation......Page 239 Practice, Practice, Practice......Page 240 Getting to the Courthouse......Page 241 Understanding the Courtroom and Basic Procedure......Page 242 Dealing With Your Opponent......Page 246 Dealing With the Judge or Commissioner......Page 247 Organizing Your Testimony and Evidence......Page 249 14. Witnesses......Page 253 Who Makes a Good Witness......Page 254 Subpoenaing Witnesses......Page 257 Subpoenaing Police Officers......Page 261 Subpoenaing Documents......Page 262 Witness Testimony by Letter......Page 264 Judges As Witnesses......Page 268 Testimony by Telephone......Page 270 15. Your Day in Court......Page 271 If Your Opponent Doesn’t Show Up......Page 272 Contested Cases......Page 278 A Sample Contested Case......Page 285 Don’t Forget to Ask for Your Costs......Page 289 16. Motor Vehicle Repair Cases......Page 291 Have You Suffered a Loss?......Page 292 Can You Prove the Defendant’s Negligence Caused Your Loss?......Page 293 17. Motor Vehicle Purchase Cases......Page 301 New Vehicles......Page 302 Used Vehicle Dealers......Page 305 Used Vehicles From Private Parties......Page 309 18. Bad Debts: Initiating and Defending Cases in Which Money Is Owed......Page 315 Small Claims Court Is a Good Place to Sue on Bad Debts......Page 316 Bad Debt Cases From the Plaintiff’s Point of View......Page 317 Debt Cases From the Debtor’s Point of View......Page 323 19. Vehicle Accident Cases......Page 329 Was There a Witness to the Accident?......Page 331 Determining Fault......Page 332 Diagrams......Page 333 Estimates......Page 334 Your Demand Letter......Page 335 Appearing in Court......Page 337 20. Landlord-Tenant Cases......Page 339 Security Deposit Cases......Page 341 Unpaid Rent, Rent Withholding, and Other Money Damage Cases......Page 356 Drug Dealing and Other Crimes......Page 366 The Obnoxious Landlord......Page 370 The Landlord’s Right of Entry and the Tenant’s Right of Privacy......Page 371 Discrimination......Page 373 Evictions......Page 374 21. Miscellaneous Cases......Page 377 Clothing (Alteration and Cleaning)......Page 378 Dog-Related Cases......Page 379 Damage to Real Estate (Land, Buildings, Etc.)......Page 381 Police Brutality/False Arrest Cases......Page 383 Defamation......Page 385 Internet Purchases......Page 386 22. Disputes Between Small Businesses......Page 391 Remember: You Didn’t Always Hate the Other Guy......Page 393 Organizing Your Case......Page 394 The Drama of the Distraught Designer......Page 399 Old Friends Fall Out......Page 403 23. Judgment and Appeal......Page 409 The Judgment......Page 410 Installment Payments......Page 412 Paying the Judgment Directly to the Court......Page 414 File Satisfaction of Judgment After Payment......Page 415 Who Can Appeal......Page 419 Filing Your Request to Correct or Cancel Judgment......Page 420 Filing and Presenting Your Appeal......Page 425 24. Collecting Your Money......Page 433 The Timing of Collecting Your Money......Page 435 How to Collect......Page 437 If Installment Payments Aren’t Made......Page 443 Collecting a Judgment Against a Government Agency......Page 446 Finding the Debtor’s Assets......Page 447 Levying on Wages, Bank Accounts, Business Assets, and Personal Property......Page 451 Judgments Stemming From Auto Accidents......Page 464 Creating Property Liens......Page 466 Recovering Collection Costs and Interest......Page 467 25. Legal Research......Page 469 Local Laws......Page 470 State Laws......Page 471 Case Law......Page 474 Appendix: Major California Consumer Laws......Page 479 Index......Page 481 The only guide to California Small Claims Court that provides tips by former judges!The definitive guide to California Small Claims Court for more than 25 years, this plain-English guide gives you step-by-step instructions to bring or defend your case -- from preparing evidence and lining up persuasive witnesses, to making a presentation in court and collecting the money you're awarded.Everybody's Guide to Small Claims Court in California shows you how to:decide if you have a winning case mediate a settlement if possible determine how much to sue for write your demand letter file and serve papersprepare evidence and witnesses for court plan a winning courtroom strategy convince the judge that you are right collect your money when you win The 17th edition -- updated with the latest laws and procedures -- now features practical tips and insights from former judges of small claims courts. It also shows you how to handle disputes involving Internet transactions.Go after the money that's owed you -- represent yourself in small claims court and win!