Small claims cases progress through the courts at varying pace. This is dependent upon which court the claim is issued at, the court’s resources and whether the parties comply with relevant deadlines. We do not therefore offer any guarantees about how long your matter will take to resolve. Instead we will keep you informed throughout and will explain what is required of you. We will ensure that your matter is given the attention that it deserves and will address any concerns that you may have about the process.
We will also look at whether it is appropriate to mediate your case. This would involve a neutral party acting as a mediator. This allows both parties to discuss what outcome they are looking for and why, in a less formal setting than a court hearing. Mediation can be an effective way to resolve a dispute but not all mediations will result in a settlement. It is always something that should be borne in mind when dealing with a small claims matter and will require an element of compromise.
In some cases, a court may rule that a matter is too complex for the small claims procedure and this is just something to bear in mind when we assess the merits of your claim/defence.
If you do wish to issue small claims proceedings to recover a debt that is owed to you then please read about how your case will be funded here.