Thank you, Mr. Vondran. My daughter and I followed your instructions and won yesterday in small claims court. I wore a tie for the first time in years. Arrived early, had the three copies of documents, made the bullet points, courteous to the defendant, and the big one - when we saw we were winning as the defendant was busy eviscerating himself, we shut up. Judgment for the plaintive. Great. Thanks for the tips and I hope to never have to do this again.
@@rc.... the copies were the bills to be paid by the defendant. My daughter gave copies to the judge and defendant at the beginning of the hearing. Black and white facts.
Steve, I have been studying law for 15-20 years. I'm not a lawyer and do not want to pass the bar. Go to the Maine law library 3 or 4 times a week and study. Make it a great day and God bless Bruce Edward Poulin
If you win how do you collect your money. That is the problem. In the state of South Carolina What if the other lying. Saying they don't owe you when you have proof through voice messages and text message. Can you have a lawyer in court with me. What if they say I didn't write those texts.
Steve Vondran hey Steve i used a app called offer up to sell one of my gaming controller and the guy that bought it from me said that it was trash and said that my parents will be hearing from his lawyer, I'm really scared and don't know what to do
I watched this 30 minutes before walking into my small claims defense this morning where I was representing myself. had my case dismissed already today. Thanks for the advice.
I had my first small claims case a few months ago to get my security deposit back and they decided to settle with me. my first victory and it felt good. they thought I wasn't gonna do anything and took me for a joke.
Congratulations on your settlement without having to go to court! Landlords tend to bully their tenants when the lease is over, thinking you won't fight back. Usually they are successful. When you serve the complaint and summons on them they tend to settle quite quickly, especially if you have worded it like an attorney would. (They will have their attorney review the complaint & summons and he will realize the professionalism in a heartbeat.) When dealing with a small claims case, I always learn about the law in question and the procedures of the court, then buy a half hour of coaching from my attorney. The most bang for your buck!
@@dalewalker4614 Dale, I'm a landlord and I don't bully tenants. If they comply with the lease, they get their full security deposit back. If they don't comply, they may get deductions. I try to be fair and honest with all tenants. If a landlord does bully a tenant, of course I'd advise them to fight back.
@grupo de ileostomia it was a little more than my security deposit. i wasn't trying to bleed them out, i just wanted what i paid. if i would have waited closer to the court date, i could have got more.
I totally agree with all of this, and I can definitely attest. I am not a lawyer, but last month I won a Small Claims Court. I've learned a lot watching videos like this one. The video is also great because it is not formal, in layman's terms, easy to understand, and not spoken in a monotone. It certainly captured my attention for the full 14 and half minutes.
Steve Vondran My case is a verbal loan and I only have a recording of admittance and a text and the dates and a witness that knows I loaned it. It's 7,000 cash and a Movado 2,000 watch to use when we went out and now we are not. Help
@@rosamcalister To anyone reading this thread.... Most verbal contracts are equally as binding as written contracts with the exception of real estate transactions and a few other contracts that by statute must be written. Watch Steve's video on "Verbal Contracts - What Makes Them Legitimate". Good luck!
Hi Steve, my daughter and I are suing a very unethical and corrupt towing company here in San Jose called Rebello's, and our case is tomorrow morning. I am SO thankful to have seen your video!!! I feel much more confident now, and look forward to getting all or at least some of my hard-earned money back! Thank you from the bottom of my heart and God bless!!
This was very helpful and made me feel more at ease about a pending court date. It feels like a David and Goliath situation... I'm a single mom, suing a dealership for clearing the check engine light prior to me purchasing the car and hiding that fact from me before I made the purchase. So, 6 yrs later, you're still helping people with this video! Thank you! Wish me luck!
Thanks for the advice. Today is my day in court and I thought that someone may have made a video like this and here you are. I will try to follow your rules. Lets go win!
We all have to try to make the best out of the cards we are dealt. Stay strong. There is an old saying: "I do not fear the storm for I am learning to sail my ship." Best, Steve
Steve Vondran, your video presentation is so much appreciated. This will help me tremendously to prepare for my first day ever in a small claims court. Thank you!!
Thanks for the tips I'm taking someone to small claims who hit my car, her insurance never even bothered to investigate it and just went by word of mouth when she struck my rear passenger quarter panel. Regardless of the police report and the officer stating evidence showed she was at fault. I'm taking everything with me and making 3 copies
@@attorneysteve Good afternoon Mr. Steve. I will let you know how I do in court. just waiting for the court to re open in may since the virus cova 19 has it shut down. I am very confident that I will win!
You are a very nice, helpful attorney. You are a rare specimen. I have an eviction case coming soon. My son will be the plaintiff against a landlord. The landlord filed an eviction lawsuit for no reason. One day before the trial she dismissed the case by herself (but it is a dismissal without prejudice. They can bring the case back anytime). This is in Richardson, Texas. It has been very hard to find a lawyer who is willing to help us. I just wanted to say: Thank you for being on our side.
I think your advices are universal. Independent from which state, or country you are, whether it’s a small claim court or more serious. It’s all make sense. But it’s good to hear and keeping in mind. Also practicing, especially if someone suffers from mental health issues. Emotions can be overwhelming, it’s hard to put a lid on sometimes.
+Steve Vondran There was extensive damage to the walls and ceiling that cause loss of material items and inconvenience, that they knew about and didn't do anything, until much later. I am unable to use a portion of the apartment, still.
Great video! One thing I learned which may help others in preparing their case. If you are fighting a denial of claim by an insurance company: YOU DO NOT SUE THE INSURANCE COMPANY, THEIR INSURED IS THE DEFENDANT!
thanks man, I have a court date in 2 weeks. I am nervous and the plaintiff. But my case is very clear and obvious so I will win, the defendant will not show up. But whats the protocol on wage garnishment? I am in Co. thumbs up.
Great video, it was detailed in a perfect fashion and I'm feeling confident about my decision to sue a driver after my insurance told me they were 85% liable for a rear end collision where I rear ended her. Their insurance denied me coverage and didn't pay a dime for my 1600$ crumpled front end, only a scratch to her SUV..
It is very common for insurance companies to do this in hopes that you will give up and go away. Sue the driver of the car in small claims court and the insurance company will have to step in to defend them. Since the insurance company can't send an attorney to defend the driver in court, the insurance company will often settle IF you have a good case. If you'd had collision coverage your insurance company would have paid your claim or fixed your car, and then settled with the driver's insurance company.
This is all good advice. As a property manager in NC, I've gone to court a number of times and each time I learn something new. I learned they only want the facts, and the more the better. I made sure whatever I provided on paper was in large print so the magistrate doesn't have to squint to see it (they do seem to like that). I provide clear photos (if needed). I even sat in on a case where a deputy gave testimony against a supposed drunk driver. Learned from that, too. I remember doing my first eviction. The previous manager came with me and he did all the talking. The resident we took to court (for non-payment of rent and having pit bulls) was saying all kinds of strange things about us and we just let her dig herself deeper in the hole. We could tell the judge didn't believe her. I kept very calm, but inside I was laughing at how ridiculous she sounded. Next one will be for another non-payer, and she is claiming (to the new manager) that she paid her rents by putting cash in the rent box. She doesn't know that I still collect the rents (we don't take cash) and that I keep triple records of all payments, as well as phone calls, home visits, etc. All the messages and conversations with her fill a page, and will be shown to the judge to prove when I tried to collect rents from her.
Thanks. My boss, the landlord, went to court yesterday and won. I made sure he had what he needed (I gave up certain aspects of the job, including going to court). I don't know if this is nationwide, but one thing to remember if you're evicting a tenant is to use the Serviceman's Civil Relief Act Website to print out a document stating if the tenant is, or isn't in the military. If we don't have that paper at the time we go to court the judge will either dismiss the case or reschedule and tell us to come back when we have it.
I have watched ur video I will get my five points in order I go to court this Thursday coming I will let you know the outcome best video that made me feel better about my case thank you so much deep breaths will be needed let me get to work
Really Cool Video.... Man... This video of yours is simple and yet powerful. A true bro to the true people. Rare and nice bro...Big ups. Keep it rocking!!!
Thanks a lot Steve! Very helpful and insightful. Really appreciate the "free" advice. "Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance." I think I've just adopted my new motto! Kind Regards, -Wade from CA
Thank you Council. You have made me realize how much work I still need to do. It's a bit nerve racking becuz my small claims in VanNuys was dropped then trnsf to Superior court in LA cuz other side is now claiming bodily injury where there is none but the other side has an attorney and I don't. I will be representing myself and will definitely utilize all 10 steps. You have been so very helpful. Bless you.
That's a very good question Paul. Most counties have a local law library. If you go in they are usually very helpful. Tell them what you are looking for, and they should be able to point you in the right direction. A good internet search (I myself like to read other attorney websites) can also be helpful. Again, small claims judges (at least in California where I am licensed) have wide latitude on deciding cases, but to me it's always good to be able to talk about what the law requires if you can. Best of luck and thank you for the excellent question! Steve
Hi Ephraim, thanks for the comments. I'm not saying you anyone needs a three piece suit, I am just suggesting neat, clean (no Motley Crue t-shirts, etc.), A certain amount of respect. The same you would do if you were going to a nice function with your family. I bought a nice shirt from Target for about $15.00 that would work real well. Happy New Years!!
YOU are great! You see the doggie in the picture, because of him I have a case...even though it is without merit because there was no bite. Thank you for all those points, they are very helpful and so important. I am sure you are a great lawyer and i can't thank you enough. I have a question, is there any written evidence I should not give the opponent?
@@ronaldriley5075 No it was not at all. When I won the judgement it included all my court costs. I even was already paid the $9,000 because I told the def. that I would garnish his wages if he did not pay right away.. They should help you down there at the court house on the filing. Good Luck!
Marvelously presented!!This is solid advice for court...you thought of everything even suggesting taking a deep breath, being prepared, keepin it short, tips on manners. Suggestions on what to do and whatever-you-do-DO-NOT-DO (smirks, tongue clicks or eye rolling either huh)! Wow, thank you for your insightful and thoughtful words!🖕
Thank you so very much. I am scared shitless and i neeed all the knowledge and help i can get in ohio law. I know where i stand and i want to pay the contractor what is fair but they are trying to over charge me. We shall let court decide. I will Point out, the most impactful part of this video to me was "have fun." I've learned that there are all versions of who is right ans wrong. But the law is drafter and altered based on the laws od averages and understanding that as long as im prepared, i will have a good time and learning from this costly experience is worth while. Thanks again for your mentorship.
When I went to court against my neighbors they lost the case before it got started. I live in a small town and there were few people in the court room. None of us knew the judge was in street clothes and was sitting in the courtroom talking to some people. He was off to the side and got to hear the people I was going against laughing, pointing and saying bad things about me. They were also dressed in shorts and sweats while my husband and I were dressed well. When the judge put on his robe and started court he had already formed his opinion about my neighbors characters and I won my case easily. Everything you said is right on. Great advice!
Noah Enoch It was a barking dog law my neighbor violated. I didn't ask for money because my neighbors are low income. She had to pay a fine and $400 in probation fees for a year. I should have asked for the cost of my new $5000 windows and lost income from renting to students that I can no longer do but I was trying to be nice. She is doing the same thing again. She has shot my new car along the side and took out my windows.,,,thousands in damaged because I filed another barking dog report. I don't have it on video so the police won't help me. II guess I'm going to have to bankrupt this woman to make her leave me alone. She started a war with the wrong person.
siszam thanks for reply...i have a court date on friday 17...what will happen the respondent if he plea guilty for trespassing 2 times and forcing my son to open it is child abuse, stalking and harassment and the last violation of restraining order after he recieve the TRO when the cops left there house..he attempt to hurt my family and he infront our door...can u tell me whats on your opinion about charges,fines and prison for how many yrs or months? thanks
I understand the culture behind dressing nicely for court. It's a shame, however, that the Economy is in such dire straits that many of us who can't afford such attire have to fork over just to prove our innocence. It's nothing against you, Steve, I would be advising others the same and it's amazing what people show up in court with, I know. (TY for putting this info up, btw!)
Californians are not known for dressing nicely to court because they have very easy-going attitude. People wear shorts to court all the time. But I'm not sure how it affects the outcome. Ha Ha Ha!
Hi Stephen, jurisdictions may differ. In California, most of the Courts I have seen just have the litigants exchange evidence in the hallways that improvise their way though the case. Usually there are a ton of cases to be heard and not a lot of time for the small claims judge to read a bunch of briefs prior to hearing the case. That's why in my opinion a litigant has to learn to be short, brief, concise and to the point. No time for blabber, the judge is busy and wants to know whats going on and get justice done! Great question!
Thank you, have to go to court Mon. for a furnace repair made almost 7 years ago. The contractor put in a circulation pump for our boiler and would not come back to see why it was not getting back up to temperature, without charging for another service call. At that time my father owned the house and it was billed to a trust, so I'm hoping it will be thrown out. My father and I did live in the house together and I did let the contractor in. Dad passed away two years ago and the home became mine in Dec. 2016, so I'm guessing that is why they are taking me to court now. Half the bill was paid so I'm desperately looking back through old records to prove that and looking for a copy of the original bill, which was not included in the papers when I was served. I'm in the state of WI and I think contractors have up to 7 years to sue.
Thank you for the video! I'm heading to small claims in Colorado this Monday, October 23rd, 2017 seeking compensation from an automobile warranty company. I will definitely heed your advice!
How did you do in court Terrence? Those warranty companies are pretty slick creatures and sometimes the dealer collects the money for your extended warranty and then keeps it instead of remitting it to the warranty company. Anyone who bought an extended warranty with a new or used car should CONTACT the actual insurance company to verify that the policy was registered with them, and that you actually have a policy in place!
love your tips...this was such a smart video thank you for sharing your expertise and time Steve...top 10 tips..i have court on Thursday and this was beyond helpful...:)
This was very helpful 5Ps! Dealing with a landlord who made us a verbal promise, we sent the rent check on time certified through the post office, now she's served us with a 60 day notice! And lying about us making changes to the property despite us not being home due to the excessive heat and in need of AC(something she verbally agreed to and even raised the rent!) we had to move from a damaged unit where there was a leak in the kitchen for almost 2 months, mildew built up in the bathroom and horrible smell in the entire unit. What do we do once we receive a 60 day notice? Reply to whom? Should I contact housing rights? I am also disabled and recovering from major surgery and the landlord is being unfair. Please help me, I live in California
Hi L Blangor. The landlord-tenant laws in your state should be consulted. Perhaps see if there is a housing agency or tenant's rights association (or even a local real estate lawyer) that can help you answer questions and see what you can do. I am not licensed in Georgia, so unfortunately I cannot give an opinion on that. Best of luck to you. Steve
Hello Steve! I just watched your video for a small claims court. I'm actually doing a little research it would be very intimidated by going to court. I know they're trying to serve her documents. I know what the case is going to be about. She went to the dentist and could not afford the dentist fees for work to be done. Of course the dentist was very convincing along with his staff that she had to have this work done or things have turned out really bad for her. So they recommended a credit company that they are in line with. She ended up signing papers and she got approved with that credit company so the dentist could go ahead and do some work. She really only went in to have a tooth pulled. But the dentist being a professional person and she not knowing the difference went along with the dentist with other work that had to be done according to the dentist. The dentist ended up ringing up a big Bill from several trips to the dentist. Approximately 5,000 dollars. Make payments for a while it looks like the payments are mostly just paying for interest. The amount of the payments were sizable. She just couldn't keep up with these big payments anymore especially when a lot of the money was going towards the interest only. Any advice Steve?
I'm going to try to dress professionally, thank you!! I'm going to try to be curtious as well it's hard because what happened was so wrong, illegal and enraging. It caused me a huge amount of pain and trouble so I was thinking about practicing with a freind so I have a good presence in the court and don't look crazy. It's my first time doing this.
Great vid! I have a couple questions! 1. Can a judge decipher whether or not a person is telling the truth? Keep in mind that there are habitual liars out there! 2. Where can I obtain a law book, with pervious cases!
Wow, very on point Steve! I have been to court before, as plaintiff, and won, even though defendant didnt bother to show up the first time. Took me three years to collect though! Now, again, as plaintiff, suing for "Breach of Contract" this time, for my services, I am a Landscape Designer, and after much much work with extremely difficult clients, they "cut me loose" with no further payment, even though we had a contract stating they still owed me $3,000. Its been a year now, and I think I need to take him to court at this point. Although I'm well aware of "presentation" and "manners" in court, I think your point about having FIVE bullet points is a good one. I try to pretend, not really pretending actually, that I'm dealing with idiots, this includes the judge, who know NOTHING and therefor require detailed information in a simple presentation. lol! You know what I mean. Anyway, I just sent the client/defendant an email asking if he'd like to go to mediation, I've bent over backwards for these people, and offered to settle for much less a year ago, he ignored me though, so I thought one last effort, see if he wants to mediate, it would be to HIS benefit Im guessing, not mine though. Anyway, thanks for the great tips, I also live in Southern California, Temecula actually.
