Many Real Estate Disputes are Settled in Small Claims Court

For a variety of reasons, one of the attractive features of small claims court is that no attorneys are allowed. This is a major factor in keeping down the costs of small claims cases, and it is no doubt one of the reasons that so many real-estate related disputes are processed there. To be sure, small claims actions are not the real estate cases that make the news, but they do encompass a great bulk of disputes over such matters as security deposits, damages to property, encroachment issues, and even commission agreements. In California, claims up to $10,000 will be heard. Some other states have higher limits and many have lower. Often, aggrieved parties will decide it is better to press in small claims for less than they think they actually deserve, simply in order to get the matter over with at a cost that is not prohibitive.