Consumer Resources News

MASSPIRG has published an updated version of its handbook "It's in Your Court: How to Use the Massachusetts Small Claims Courts."

Small Claims Court, or "the People's Court," can be used when the amount of damages sought is $2,000 or less. The atmosphere of Small Claims Court is informal, and the rules of the Court are simple. You can sue or be sued in this Court without an attorney. Instead, you are allowed to present your own evidence and speak in layperson's terms.

"The informality inherent in Small Claims Courts make them a good place for consumers to resolve disputes that they have not been able to resolve through either personal negotiation or mediation," said Deirdre Cummings, MASSPIRG's consumer program director. "Also, claims may be decided more quickly in Small Claims Court and the process can be substantially less expensive than claims brought in District or Superior Court."

The handbook published by MASSPIRG Education Fund and co-authored by members of the Small Claims Advisory Service at the Phillips Brooks House at Harvard University, will help familiarize the public with small claims procedure and issues that may arise through the process. The information in the book will guide potential plaintiffs through the entire process of filing, litigating, and collecting on a claim all on their own.

"It is very important to make this type of guide available to the public. The ease of use and cost-effectiveness of the Small Claims system are lost if people have to spend time or money to receive information on the process" said Caroline Cecot, Director of Legal Research at the Small Claims Advisory Service.

For advice or questions about how to use the small claims court contact:

Small Claims Advisory Service
Phillips Brooks House Association
Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138-6565
617-497-5690
scas@hcs.harvard.edu
www.hcs.harvard.edu/~scas