My lawyer buddy told me small claims court is better than mediation and I think he's onto something

My friend Jen, who handles landlord-tenant disputes in Phoenix, said she's seen mediation fall apart 3 times this month alone because nobody actually commits to the outcome. She showed me case files where small claims rulings got paid out within 60 days versus mediation dragging on for 6 months - has anyone here had better luck getting results from one route over the other?

2 comments

2 Comments

grayh6013d ago

That's interesting, but I've seen mediation work a lot better than court in most cases I've been around. The problem with small claims is you still have to enforce the judgment yourself if they don't pay, and that can take months of paperwork and sheriff visits. I'd rather spend a few hours in mediation getting a signed agreement than gamble on a court order that might not mean much.

kevin_wells4612d ago

Didn't I read somewhere that judges in small claims actually push for payment plans now, making it easier to collect? My cousin in construction said his mediation agreement got ignored completely, but the small claims judge forced the guy to sell some equipment to pay up. Seems like the court has better teeth when someone tries to stiff you.