Examples of useful documents are written contracts, letters or other written records of the dispute, paid bills or canceled checks. These fees may be reclaimed by the court if the defendant wins the claim. Call 870-1942 if you have any questions about fees for small claims court. If a witness does not agree, you can ask the clerk to serve papers on the witness requiring attendance. The request to the clerk should be made well in advance of the hearing, so there is time to serve the papers on the witness.
Service is by certified mail or process server, and entails additional costs.
Remember to bring all the evidence to the hearing. Practice making a clear oral statement of your claim. Call the court clerk a day ahead of the scheduled hearing day to make sure the hearing is still scheduled. Be sure that the defendant received a notice of the hearing. The views expressed are those of the author and do not purport to be those of the Section, the Bar, or the U.S. Department of Justice, where the author is employed.