Jurisdiction:
Area of Law:
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In case resolution of disputes by out of court of settlement does not work, a small claims case may be filed at the small claims court of Worcester County. Popularly known as People’s Court, you can claim a maximum of $2000 in damages. For an incident, for which the law permits double or triple damages, the maximum claim limit may be raised to $4000 in case of double damages and $6000 in case of triple damages.
As in the entire state of Massachusetts, small claims cases are handled by every district court of the Worcester County. The litigant may file a case in a district court where either the litigant or the defendant resides. A case may also be filed in a particular district court, if the defendant operates his business in the region or works there. In case of landlord-tenant disputes, the case may be filed in the district where the property is located.
For filing a small claims case, the form known as the Statement of Claim and Notice must be obtained from the small claims clerk’s office. You can also download the forms online.
The form must be filled carefully with accurate details pertaining to the defendant, including his official name and address. If the defendant is a business enterprise other than a corporation, the legal name and registered address of the business house may be obtained from the city hall or town hall clerk. In case of a corporation, the registered name and business details have to be obtained from the office of the secretary of state. You can contact the office at 617-727-9640, 617-727-2850 or visit online at http://www.sec.state.ma.us/.
While filing the case, a small fee has to be paid to the court. If you win the case, the court expenses will be added to the monetary damages that the defendant will pay you.
The claim has to be filed in person or by post. Once the papers are received, you will be provided with a copy of your completed claim form with the date and time of the hearing. You shall also be provided with a reference number for your case, which you must use for all future communication regarding your case.
A copy of the claim form shall then be served to the defendant by certified mail, requesting a return receipt and separately also by first class mail, so that even if the certified mail is returned unclaimed, the first class mail gets delivered. The court may also provide other means of service as is necessary in a case.
For further details, you can visit the following websites:
http://www.mass.gov/courts/courtsandjudges/courts/districtcourt/index.htm