The small claims court are mainly for resolving civil disputes involving amounts lower than $5000 and this will include attorney’s fees and any other cost what-so-ever. The small claims court in the Lake County, Illinois, is no different. It is to be known that there are certain special rules applicable to these courts that are called Small Claim Rules. These rules are quite simple and thus, you can handle your own case without the professional help of the attorney; but if you feel you must take the help of the attorney, you can definitely do so. You can refer http://www.lakecountyfl.gov/departments/county_attorney/  to find attorneys in Lake County.

The first step towards filing small claims in Lake County is filling up the claim form that you will get from the Clerk’s office. This can be either picked up personally or can be mailed to you at your postal address. The related instructions are all attached and a nominal fee is applicable. You can also buy a small booklet worth $2 that will give you all the information needed to file your case. Most of the other related forms are available online and these can also be downloaded. You can refer http://www.lakecountyil.gov/CIRCUITCLERK/SmallClaims.htm , if you need help in this regard.

However, you will need to keep certain things in mind while filing. You will have to check if it is a valid claim, if there is proof of the claim and if the court will consider the evidence that is offered! It is also important to completely identify the complete address and the complete legal name of the party to be sued. It is also to be remembered that while filing the case, you are not supposed to divulge any details about Social Security Number, Bank Account Details or any of your Credit Card Details, unless required to do so by law.

After hearing both the sides, the magistrate enters a judgement. If the defendant does not appear for the hearing, the court gives a judgement in favour of the plaintiff and you will need to collect the money after the judgement. The small claims courts work very efficiently and are ideal for small damages. You can even receive rewards up to $7500 and of course, this amount varies with the state you reside in. You will get all the relevant information that you will need in the Small Claims Booklet.pdf and this book is a complete guide to the small claims in the Lake County. You can also have a look at the Small Claims Package 0410.pdf to get the necessary forms needed to file the case. It is worth visiting the site www.lakecountyclerk.org . for any further details.