Contact any witnesses who have agreed to testify and inform them of the hearing date. Subpoena documents or summon witnesses to appear in court, if needed. A subpoena is a command to appear before the judge in order to give testimony or produce evidence. A subpoena can be obtained from the Clerk of the Magistrate's Court. Some counties include this cost in the filing fee.
Some counties require mediation prior to a hearing before the judge.
This allows the parties to try to settle the case without a hearing. Even if the parties agree to settle out of court, the plaintiff may ask the defendant to pay the court costs. If the parties cannot agree to settle, the judge will instruct both parties about courtroom procedure and hear the arguments presented by both parties. The plaintiff and defendant may question or dispute each other's testimony during the hearing. The judge may grant an award of money damages to the plaintiff, to the defendant, or both.