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Are you thinking of taking legal action against a company or person based outside the state you are in? Out of State Company Let's say you are in California, for example. While jurisdictional issues could prevent this from occurring, there are certain conditions where it is possible for a court in California to consider your case. Firstly, use the Secretary of State's Companies Search tool to see if an entity has registered or incorporated within our state since only then can they be subject to liability here. Secondly, even companies that don't maintain offices nor operate out of The Golden State may still be held accountable legally depending on circumstances such as: You were injured by the business in California. Your property (located in California) was damaged by the business. The contract dispute in question was negotiated in California. The contract dispute in question would be performed in California. The business has an office, warehouse, retail establishment, or any physical facility in California, even if the headquarters is in another state. The business does regular business in California by selling products and/or services. The business has a sales rep who solicits you personally or by phone. The business advertises by sending a catalog to solicit your business, or advertises in California newspapers, magazines, or other media. Staying within California's borders is key, as serving court papers to a business must occur in the state for your case to be considered valid. If this requirement cannot be met, then you may need take action outside of California and file your case in either the state where it was incorporated or established. Out of State Person Do you live in California but the person you need to sue lives elsewhere? If so, don't worry! You can still take legal action with a few important caveats. Any parties filing cases must reside or be present within California - this includes both plaintiff and defendant - unless: You had a vehicle accident with a non-resident person while on a California road. The owner of the vehicle may also be sued in California if their car was being driven in California. The non-resident owns the property in dispute (could be an apartment or other rental housing), and the property is located in California. It is important to note that even if one of these conditions applies, you must be able to serve the court papers after filing the case to the other person while they are physically within California borders for the case to be valid. If none of these conditions apply, then you may have to file your case in the state where the other person lives! NEED HELP WITH YOUR JUSTICE JOURNEY? The quest for justice is never easy, particularly when it comes to getting your money back. However, thanks to advances in technology, it has become easier. Quest for Justice’s first app, JusticeDirect, is the only app of its kind designed to support people without lawyers to resolve their disputes and get their money back, both in and out of court. The first step to getting money back is through a letter demanding payment from the other party JusticeDirect offers customizable demand letters for free. If the letter demanding payment does not work, then the next step is taking them to court. JusticeDirect* will guide users every step of the way through the small claims court process by helping them: Understand the legal process; Evaluate the pros and cons that come with taking someone to court; Generate small claims court forms; and, Avoid common mistakes when filing your forms and serving notice on the other side. *Currently, JusticeDirect can only help litigants sue in California’s small claims court.

If you are looking for a way to settle a dispute without paying expensive attorney fees, you may want to consider filing a small claims court case in Santa Barbara County. Small Claims Court is a division of the California Superior Court that handles civil disputes between individuals and businesses with damages of $10,000 or less. In this blog post, we will provide an overview of how Small Claims Court works in Santa Barbara County, CA. What is a Small Claims Court? A small claims court is a court system where parties can resolve disputes over a small amount of money without having to hire an attorney. Cases are heard by a judge, and the filing process is much simpler than in other courts. Small claims courts are designed to provide justice quickly and fairly, so it is important to understand how it works before filing your claim. How Does the Santa Barbara Small Claims Court Work? In Santa Barbara County, small claims court cases are handled by the Superior Court of California. Cases are heard in one of several locations throughout Santa Barbara County and each court has its own procedures and rules. To file a claim, you must first complete SC-100 to describe the dispute and the damages sought. This paperwork is filed with the court clerk, who will then review the complaint and assign it to a judge. At the hearing, each party will be allowed to present their side of the story. The judge will listen to both sides and make a ruling based on the evidence presented. The judge may not tell you about their decision at the hearing. Rather, you will receive a formal decision in the mail. A defendant that loses their case may appeal this decision within 30 days. If you appeal the case, you can begin taking the steps for the case to be considered by a higher court. A plaintiff cannot appeal the decision unless it's losing a countersuit brought by the defendant of the original claim. Before Small Claims Court Did you know you can take steps before going to court to get your money back? Before filing a claim, you can send a letter demanding payment. A well-written demand letter may encourage the other side to come to do what you ask and avoid the time and fees associated with being taken to court. If you have not tried this option yet, read more about how to write an effective demand letter and how best to send it to the person who owes you money. Alternatively, you can use tools such as JusticeDirect to generate and send a custom demand letter for free and leave the headache out of it! Filing Your Case If you did not get what you wanted from the demand letter, consider filing a small claims court case. To file a case, you will need to complete the necessary paperwork and file with the court. You must also pay a filing fee, which is based on the amount of money you are seeking. Steps to file can be found on the court website. Alternatively, you can use tools such as JusticeDirect to generate your California Small Claims forms and to guide you step-by-step on how to file and serve your case, free of charge! Filing Fee Upon submitting the form, you’ll also need to pay a filing fee. The filing fee you owe will depend on the amount you are claiming is owed to you. *Only individuals, not businesses, can sue for this amount. **If you file more than 12 cases in a 12-month period, you must pay a $100 filing fee. Additional fees may apply for extra copies of documents. To review fees associated with other parts of the small claims court process, visit the county website. After Filing After filing, the plaintiff will receive court-stamped forms that indicate the court hearing date and time. The plaintiff will now need to "serve" the defendant so the defendant is aware that they have been sued and to show up to the court hearing. If the defendant chooses to respond to the filing, they may submit a MC-030, however, this is not required. A defendant can just show up at the hearing to present their case. How much money can you ask for in the Small Claims Court in Santa Barbara County? Individuals or businesses represented by an individual: $10,000 Businesses: $5,000 If you filed more than two cases in the same calendar year, you can only sue for $2,500 or less in subsequent cases. How Long Do You Have to Take Someone to Small Claims Court in Santa Barbara County? In California, cases must be filed within a certain amount of time called a statute of limitation. In each case, you must calculate the time limit from the date the contract was broken or the date the damage/injury/fraud occurred. If you file your claim after the set period of time, your case might be dismissed or some of your requested damages denied. What Happens if You Don't Show Up for Santa Barbara County Small Claims Court? If the plaintiff doesn't appear at the hearing and doesn't notify the court of the reason for the absence, the court has several options. The judge may: Reschedule the case Dismiss the case with prejudice Dismiss the case without prejudice If the defendant appears, the judge may enter a judgment against you after considering the defendant's evidence. To learn more about how to request for dismissal after filing your claim in California read here. If the defendant doesn't appear at the hearing but the plaintiff does, then it's very likely a default judgment will be entered against the defendant after the plaintiff presents their case. A defendant with a valid reason for missing the hearing may file to vacate the default judgment and have the case heard again. This can be done by filing SC-135. NEED HELP WITH YOUR JUSTICE JOURNEY? The quest for justice is never easy, particularly when it comes to getting your money back. However, thanks to advances in technology, it has become easier. Quest for Justice’s first app, JusticeDirect, is the only app of its kind designed to support people without lawyers to resolve their disputes and get their money back, both in and out of court. The first step to getting money back is through a letter demanding payment from the other party JusticeDirect offers customizable demand letters for free. If the letter demanding payment does not work, then the next step is taking them to court. JusticeDirect* will guide users every step of the way through the small claims court process by helping them: Understand the legal process; Evaluate the pros and cons that come with taking someone to court; Generate small claims court forms; and, Avoid common mistakes when filing your forms and serving notice on the other side. *Currently, JusticeDirect can only help litigants sue in California’s small claims court.

If you are looking for a way to settle a dispute without paying expensive attorney fees, you may want to consider filing a small claims court case in Solano County. Small Claims Court is a division of the California Superior Court that handles civil disputes between individuals and businesses with damages of $10,000 or less. In this blog post, we will provide an overview of how Small Claims Court works in Solano County, CA. What is a Small Claims Court? A small claims court is a court system where parties can resolve disputes over a small amount of money without having to hire an attorney. Cases are heard by a judge, and the filing process is much simpler than in other courts. Small claims courts are designed to provide justice quickly and fairly, so it is important to understand how it works before filing your claim. How Does the Solano Small Claims Court Work? In Solano County, small claims court cases are handled by the Superior Court of California. Cases are heard in one of several locations throughout Solano County and each court has its own procedures and rules. To file a claim, you must first complete SC-100 to describe the dispute and the damages sought. This paperwork is filed with the court clerk, who will then review the complaint and assign it to a judge. At the hearing, each party will be allowed to present their side of the story. The judge will listen to both sides and make a ruling based on the evidence presented. The judge may not tell you about their decision at the hearing. Rather, you will receive a formal decision in the mail. A defendant that loses their case may appeal this decision within 30 days. If you appeal the case, you can begin taking the steps for the case to be considered by a higher court. A plaintiff cannot appeal the decision unless it's losing a countersuit brought by the defendant of the original claim. Before Small Claims Court Did you know you can take steps before going to court to get your money back? Before filing a claim, you can send a letter demanding payment. A well-written demand letter may encourage the other side to come to do what you ask and avoid the time and fees associated with being taken to court. If you have not tried this option yet, read more about how to write an effective demand letter and how best to send it to the person who owes you money. Alternatively, you can use tools such as JusticeDirect to generate and send a custom demand letter for free and leave the headache out of it! Filing Your Case If you did not get what you wanted from the demand letter, consider filing a small claims court case. To file a case, you will need to complete the necessary paperwork and file with the court. You must also pay a filing fee, which is based on the amount of money you are seeking. Steps to file can be found on the court website. Alternatively, you can use tools such as JusticeDirect to generate your California Small Claims forms and to guide you step-by-step on how to file and serve your case, free of charge! Filing Fee Upon submitting the form, you’ll also need to pay a filing fee. The filing fee you owe will depend on the amount you are claiming is owed to you. *Only individuals, not businesses, can sue for this amount. **If you file more than 12 cases in a 12-month period, you must pay a $100 filing fee. Additional fees may apply for extra copies of documents. To review fees associated with other parts of the small claims court process, visit the county website. After Filing After filing, the plaintiff will receive court-stamped forms that indicate the court hearing date and time. The plaintiff will now need to "serve" the defendant so the defendant is aware that they have been sued and to show up to the court hearing. If the defendant chooses to respond to the filing, they may submit a MC-030, however, this is not required. A defendant can just show up at the hearing to present their case. How much money can you ask for in the Small Claims Court in Solano County? Individuals or businesses represented by an individual: $10,000 Businesses: $5,000 If you filed more than two cases in the same calendar year, you can only sue for $2,500 or less in subsequent cases. How Long Do You Have to Take Someone to Small Claims Court in Solano County? In California, cases must be filed within a certain amount of time called a statute of limitation. In each case, you must calculate the time limit from the date the contract was broken or the date the damage/injury/fraud occurred. If you file your claim after the set period of time, your case might be dismissed or some of your requested damages denied. What Happens if You Don't Show Up for Solano County Small Claims Court? If the plaintiff doesn't appear at the hearing and doesn't notify the court of the reason for the absence, the court has several options. The judge may: Reschedule the case Dismiss the case with prejudice Dismiss the case without prejudice If the defendant appears, the judge may enter a judgment against you after considering the defendant's evidence. To learn more about how to request for dismissal after filing your claim in California read here. If the defendant doesn't appear at the hearing but the plaintiff does, then it's very likely a default judgment will be entered against the defendant after the plaintiff presents their case. A defendant with a valid reason for missing the hearing may file to vacate the default judgment and have the case heard again. This can be done by filing SC-135. NEED HELP WITH YOUR JUSTICE JOURNEY? The quest for justice is never easy, particularly when it comes to getting your money back. However, thanks to advances in technology, it has become easier. Quest for Justice’s first app, JusticeDirect, is the only app of its kind designed to support people without lawyers to resolve their disputes and get their money back, both in and out of court. The first step to getting money back is through a letter demanding payment from the other party JusticeDirect offers customizable demand letters for free. If the letter demanding payment does not work, then the next step is taking them to court. JusticeDirect* will guide users every step of the way through the small claims court process by helping them: Understand the legal process; Evaluate the pros and cons that come with taking someone to court; Generate small claims court forms; and, Avoid common mistakes when filing your forms and serving notice on the other side. *Currently, JusticeDirect can only help litigants sue in California’s small claims court.

Does someone owe you money? The first step to get your money back is sending a letter demanding payment, better known as a Demand Letter . Create Demand Letter for Free WHY IS A DEMAND LETTER NEEDED? If your demand letter did not work, the next step is taking them to court. See more reviews on Small Claims Court icon Is Small Claims Court right for me? While taking someone to court can feel overwhelming, with JusticeDirect it doesn’t have to be. JusticeDirect will help you evaluate the pros and cons that come with taking someone to court. Answer simple questions to help you decide if going to court makes sense for you. If you do decide to go to Court, JusticeDirect will guide you through the process step-by-step. Why are you owed money? If any of these apply to you, get started with JusticeDirect. You let someone borrow money and were not repaid as expected. They agreed to sell a product, but it doesn't work / it was never received. You sold a product or completed a service but didn't get paid. The other party didn't pay housing rent payments in full. They agreed to provide you a service, but it was not completed. The landlord did not return the security deposit as expected. Start for Free How can I get my money back in Small Claims Court with JusticeDirect? You will be guided step-by-step to understand the legal process, build your small claims court case, and avoid common mistakes, without the expense of a lawyer. Start for Free *At the moment, filing and service assistance is only available in California Small Claims Court. However, custom demand letter is available nationwide! See how easy it is with JusticeDirect. Start for Free Access Legal Education Not sure where to start? Look into our free educational resources to help you at any step throughout your journey. Suing Out-of-State Entities 3 min How Small Claims Court Works | Arizona 4 min How Small Claims Court Works | Los Angeles County, California 4 min All Resources How much money did you loan to the defendant? $ 5000.00 Was the agreement written down or made verbally? Written Verbal Do you have a copy of the written agreement? Yes No Answer simple questions and JusticeDirect will help you: Create a customized demand letter. Prepare the court forms needed for your CA Small Claims case. Understand where you need to file your case, along with the options and costs to filing. Learn the options and steps to Service of Process. Start for Free JusticeDirect guides you step-by-step to avoid common mistakes. Identify the relevant law, who owes you money, and how much you are owed and can sue for. Create a timeline with important facts to support your cases and evaluate those facts against each of the elements. Generate your court forms and receive instructions on how to file your case then serve the other party. Start for Free Case created on October 20, 2021 Welcome back! Let's pick up where you left off on your quest for justice. Continue Case Demand Letter You haven't sent your demand letter to the defendant. An all-in-one solution. JusticeDirect will help you resolve your dispute and get your money back. Start for free Pricing JusticeDirect, the simple, fast, and effective way to get the justice you deserve without the expense of a lawyer. Guided Legal Education Free Demand Letter Create and Download Free Certified Mail Demand Letter Delivery and Tracking (optional) $19.50 Identify Facts and Build Your Case Free Should I Sue Analysis Free Calculate Amount to Sue For Free Filing Court Locator Free Court Form Generation Free Filing Instructions Free Serving Instructions Free Start for Free Pricing Anchor Testimonials Andrew Hanna I consulted with several lawyers who each wanted to charge me around $250 for a demand letter. I’m very happy that I was able to write a demand letter myself with JusticeDirect. Read full story Dominic Gonzales I found the JusticeDirect demand letter online. The website was easy for me to understand and I sent my demand letter online certified mail. I’d recommend this to anyone who needs to write a demand letter! Read full story Long Ng The JusticeDirect website makes it easy for people without legal backgrounds to understand what they need to do. I was able to prepare a very professional demand letter and save a lot of money. Read full story

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Testimonials See reviews on Nancy Oyola ​ ​ I sold over $5k worth of high end designer dolls to one of my online customers that had purchased from me in the past. PayPal denied her sale a few days after I had already shipped out her large order. Since I had previously done business with the customer I trusted her in repaying me back. A few days of broken promises turned into weeks than months than two and a half years. This caused financial hardship on my end and it also changed my life around where I no longer trust anyone. I came across this site and figured what the heck do I have to lose, I might as well order the demand letter just to let the lady know that what she did to me hasn’t been forgotten. Lord and behold I kid you not, my customer responded the same day the letter arrived and took care of her responsibilities. I was shocked because honestly I didn’t think it was going to work. The pain has finally lifted from my chest and I can finally start enjoying life without being depressed over being taken advantage of. Thanks 🙏 a million for helping me. I had lost faith but your letter helped me clear my mind and free me of the thoughts of being taken advantage of. I’m 62 years old and I can honestly say that the demand letter makes me feel like I’ve been given a 2nd chance in life. Andrew Hanna ​ ​ I’m 32 years old and I live in San Diego. One of my mother’s good friends said she had inherited a large sum of money but could not afford a lawyer to help her claim the money. She asked me if I could lend her money periodically to cover her legal bills until her inheritance check came in. ​ I ended up loaning her over $20,000 over time. Eventually, I learned that she had a gambling addiction and that her story was a lie. She ran this con job with multiple people scamming them out of money to support her gambling. ​ I work as a video editor and do not have much extra money. The $20,000 I gave her was everything I had saved and more. Eventually, I found myself unable to afford my credit card bills. I begged her to pay me back. For a while, she periodically gave me $300 or $400 dollars so I could cover some of my monthly bills. However, it got to the point, where I had become dependent on her to provide me small amount of the money to survive week to week. Last year, she stopped communicating with me and my mother all together and stopped making payments to us. I consulted with several lawyers who each wanted to charge me around $250 for a demand letter. I started doing research online on how to write a demand letter and found JusticeDirect. Your letter was detailed and much more affordable. I’m hopeful that my mother’s friends will take my letter seriously and that I might be able to get more or all of my money back. I’m very happy that I was able to write a demand letter myself with JusticeDirect. Dominic Gonzales ​ A drunk driver damaged my parked car when he hit another car on the street. I reached out to my insurance company with the police report but wasn’t able to get the help I needed to pay for all the car repairs I needed to make. After many attempts to contact the driver he eventually agree to pay me $1735.00 to cover the damages. Since then, he has not paid me a single cent. I’m a disabled U.S. veteran and am not able to work. For me money is always tight and the repair bill was too much to afford on my own. The mechanics shop said if I didn’t pay they would put a lean on my car. Eventually, I was able to borrow some money and cover the mechanic cost. But I still need the drunk driver to pay me back. I went to a lawyer who said I needed to start a “paper trail” before filing a lawsuit. Sending a demand letter is my first step. I found the Justice Direct demand letter online. The website was easy for me to understand and I sent my demand letter online certified mail. I’d recommend this to anyone who needs to write a demand letter! Long Ng ​ I’m an immigrant from Vietnam. My wife and I have a 5-year-old son and live in an apartment outside of San Francisco. We are one of the only Asian or young family in an old apartment building of mostly retirees. For years now we have been targeted by our downstairs neighbors, and our Home Owners Association (HOA), because of “excessive noise” from our little son. He is a normal happy 5-year-old little boy who likes to play. We try very hard to keep him as quite as possible. However, because of COVID he ends up spending more time in the apartment we would like. I have tried explaining to my downstair neighbor that some noise from our son will happened during the day. She refuses to accept this reality and has started an all-out war against us. ​ She went as far as calling the police on us because of our son. The police came but refused to take any actions because “the noise was not unreasonable.” Our neighbor convinced our HOA to hire a lawyer and who sent me a demand letter saying that if we did not keep our son quiet, we would be fined $150 dollars. Further, that if we did not pay, we would be taken to small claims court. My neighbor then sent me a demand letter directly saying I owed her $10, 000 for disturbing her peace and quiet and if I did not pay she would take me to court. This had all become too much. I didn’t know what to do! I went to several community legal aid groups and all of them had very different things to say. I did not understand if they would or could help me or what to do next. I then went to our court’s website and self-help center. All the information on line was confusing and I did not understand it either. ​ Eventually, I found an attorney to talk to. He charged me $500 for just a single initial consultation visit. He said that if I wanted him to write a demand letter it would cost me an additional $700 to $1,000. And then I would have to pay more money if the other side responded and he had to write a response. He estimated that the cost would be between $1,500-$2,000. After having spent the $500 I could not afford to pay any more money. ​ I began doing some research online about demand letter and found www.JusticeDirect.com. The JusticeDirect website makes it easy for people without legal backgrounds to understand what they need to do. I was able to prepare a very professional demand letter and save a lot of money. Now I feel like I something to defend my family with. They will take us seriously now. Best of all, if I do need to go to court, I will have a good demand letter to show I asked for my money. I wish the free community legal advisors would recommend JusticeDirect. Erica S. ​ My father installs fences at homes and businesses and has been in business since 1997. Recently, we worked with a builder who hasn't paid for work my father did for him. Eventually we got the builder to agree to make smaller payment to us over time. He only made two payments though. I got several quotes from lawyers to write a demand letter ranging from $200 to $550. I found JusticeDirec t that only charged me $15 with shipping! I'm so glad we were able to save that money. We did get a response to the demand letter from the creditors because the builder is going into bankruptcy. We might not recuperate all the money owed but will claim it as a tax write-off and at least we didn’t waste money on lawyer’s fees. I will always use this company before hiring a lawyer! Melodie O. ​ In my spare time I nanny through an online service matching child care professionals with parents. A mother contacted me about watching her daughter for four hours. I watched the little girl as planned and everything seemed to go just fine. However, the mother never paid me despite my payment requests made through Paypal and Venmo. She then made a comment online saying that I was rude to her daughter and would not pay me for my service! I’ve been in the childcare field for over 30 years working as a public school special education professional and have even owned my own daycare. Additionally, I’ve raised two boys. Based on my years of experience, I can confidently say that while I may be firm at times I am always kind to the kids I work with. Hiring a lawyer to get my money would cost more than what I was owed so I started searching online for other option. JusticeDirect showed up in my search and I used it to send my demand letter. I really like JusticeDirect because they were very quick about sending the letter that I needed to help me get paid. The fee was very affordable. They were also very friendly and accommodating to whatever needs or questions I had.