Navigate Small Claims Court
We are experts in resolving all financial disputes. If you have been wronged by another party, our legal team will assist you in gaining financial relief.
We take your matter to court, represent you at trial, and use all available legal resources to get you the monies owed to you. We're experienced at garnishing bank accounts, issuing writs for possession of property, and attending examinations for collections.
Whether you're owed money, have been in a car accident, slipped and fell, received a bad renovation job, or anything else of a civil nature, we are able to help you fight your case.
Central Legal Services is located in the same building as the Small Claims Court, so we are able to pass on significant savings to you as we act to resolve your Small Claims Court matters.
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What is small claims court?
Small Claims Court is a judicial process that allows individuals to pursue monetary claims against other individuals or entities. In other words, Small Claims Court is the system in which you are able to make a claim or pursue a lawsuit. In Ontario small claims court, you can pursue a lawsuit up to $35,000.
Some examples of a small claims action are pursuing a contractor who exhibited poor workmanship, pursuing an individual who you've loaned money to, pursuing a tenant who has left the unit without paying outstanding rent, or pursuing a vendor who sold you malfunctioning equipment.
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Is small claims court worth pursuing?
Whether you have a strong case to bring to court must be evaluated on a case by case basis. At Central Legal Services, we provide a free consultation to help evaluate your case, outline your options, and overall decide on the viability of your case.
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What is the small claims court process?
If you are looking to initiate a lawsuit, Central Legal Services will prepare your claim and have it issued by the court clerk. Once the claim is received by the other party, the court is notified and the defendant has 20 days to file their response.
Next, the court will schedule a settlement conference that both parties are required to attend. The purpose of the settlement conference is to have both parties, along with their representatives, mediate a settlement of the claim to avoid the uncertainty of a trial. Neither party is required to settle, and if no agreement is reached, we will request a trial date.
Once the court schedules a trial date, the parties and their representatives are obligated to attend the trial where a deputy judge will hear and determine the outcome of the case. Afterwards, the prevailing party must pursue the opposing party for payment of the judgement. There are many methods for enforcing a judgement, and Central Legal Services is poised to explore each of those methods to ensure that you receive the benefit of the court's award.
For defendants: If you have been served with a plaintiff's claim, you should immediately contact us at Central Legal Services as there are time limitations by which a response must be filed. If on receipt of the plaintiff’s claim, the defendant reasons that it is the plaintiff that owes money to the defendant, then we will be in a position to have a defendant’s claim issued and serve it on the plaintiff.
Once a defendant's claim has been filed, the court will schedule a settlement conference. Again, should the parties not be capable of resolving the claims and defences at the settlement conference, the case will move onto a trial.
It should be noted that there are statutory time limitations for the plaintiff's claim, the defence, and the defendant's claim, so kindly call Central Legal Services to determine if your claim falls within the statutory limits.
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What does it cost to pursue a claim in small claims court?
The cost of pursuing legal action can vary greatly from case to case. Depending on the value of loss or damages, the length of the case, and many other relevant factors, Central Legal Services can provide you with a fair and accurate estimate on the legal costs that may be incurred. Please call us for a free consultation to explore your options.