Sometimes people have a case where they can’t find a lawyer or they don’t want a lawyer for some reason, it’s just not worth the cost of paying a lawyer to represent you. 

Let me give you an example in one of the areas I specialize in, car accident law. 

Let’s say you get in an accident. 

You are not hurt, but you have about $3000 dollars worth of property damage. 

That’s the ideal case you want to handle yourself. 

So where do you start? 

The first thing you do is try to settle the case for the $3000 dollars with the person who caused the accident or more likely their insurance company. 

What happens if they don’t want to settle? 

That’s where small claims court comes in. 

You all know what small claims court is. 

You see it every day; Judge Judy, Judge Mathis, or one of a number of other judge shows that you see on television every day of the week. 

So every knows what it is.

The question I get asked most is how do I get to small claims court? 

What do I have to do to set up the court appearance? 

Well, it’s really not that difficult. 

In the city of Philadelphia, for instance, they have something called the municipal court. 

In every other county in the state, they have something called the district justice court. 

The first you have to do is find out where you are going to file your case. 

Usually, it will be where the accident happened. 

Once you know that, you call the local courthouse to make an appointment to come down and fill out the paperwork. 

They’ll tell you what you have to bring, and the approximate cost for the filing. 

When you get there, they will help you fill out the paperwork so you can get the case moving. 

Before you leave there, they will give you a court date. 

Then all you have to worry about is coming back, usually in 45 to 60 days, to present your case. 

Now there’s not going to be any television cameras but you’re still going to have plenty of opportunities to present your case and try and get, in this instance, that $3000 dollars off the other person or their insurance company. 

Now, in a later video, I’m going to be telling you the best way to present your case when you get in front of the judge, so keep tuned! 

But for now, this is Gary Heslin, if you have any questions, please give me a call, 215-332-0300, thanks.