Are you upset because you loaned a friend some money and he or she never paid you back as agreed? If you are ready to get your money back so you can move on from the situation, it might be a good idea to file a lawsuit in small claims court with assistance from a general attorney. Below, you will find answers to some of the questions you might have about getting help from a general attorney for a small claims case.
Will a General Attorney Accept Any Kind of Small Claims Case?
There is no guarantee that a general attorney will accept your small claims case. You will first be asked to attend a consultation, which can be held in person or via a phone call. During the consultation, you are going to be asked about the loan that you gave your friend so the attorney can decide if you have a good case or not. The main thing that the attorney will want to know is if there is a contract in place, even if it was only a verbal one. An attorney has a way of asking strategic questions in court to get the other party to agree that a verbal contract was made.
What Kind of Proof Will the General Attorney Need?
You might be asked to hand the attorney signed affidavits if the agreement was verbal and there were witnesses present when it was made. If the contract was written on paper, then you will have to hand it over to the attorney. If you and the other party discussed the loan in a public place, the attorney might visit the venue to ask the owner if video surveillance from that day is available. Depending on the quality of the surveillance footage (such as if there is sound), the attorney might be able to use it as evidence that the other party agreed to pay you a specific amount of money.
Can a General Attorney Assist with Keeping the Case Cordial?
You can count on the attorney to attempt trying to settle your case in the most cordial way possible. The dispute will first be handled through mediation if the other party agrees to it. Mediation allows your case to be heard by the other party and his or her attorney, as well as anything that they might want to say about the case. You can end up with a settlement after mediation is over, but the case will be taken to court if no settlement is agreed upon. Hire a general attorney for your small claims case so you can get paid back for the loan that you gave your friend. Contact a law firm, such as Butts, Schneider & Butts LLP, for more information.
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