The services of a good lawyer can be invaluable.  When someone owes you money, be it from a breach of contract or a car accident, a lawyer is the only one who can give you legal advice on what to do and how to do it.  When the stakes are high getting legal advice is very important.    The problem is what happens when your case is not worth enough for a lawyer to take?  You may have a good case, but the time a lawyer would need to spend to get your money may be worth more than the expected outcome.  That is why there is Small Claims.  Here individuals can sue for up to $10,000.  That also means you can be sued for up to $10,000 so this is serious.    The courts offer mediation because they know that mediation not only helps clear the court of cases, but people often can settle their cases in a more favorable manner.  The problem is that there are so many cases that mediators at the courthouse can only spend usually 10-30 minutes per case, and this is after the plaintiff has already spent $30-$130 in court and service fees and took a day off from their work or business.     Neighborhood Legal offers mediation for Small Claims, Unlawful Detainer, Common Counts collection lawsuits, Breach of Contract disputes, divorce marital settlement agreements, security deposit dispute, car accidents, slip and fall accidents and all landlord and tenant disputes all for less than it costs to file and serve your Small Claims action (in some cases mediation can run longer than our standard offering at additional cost).     Mediation can be done in person in our office, over the phone, via Internet, or any combination.  We provide service by appointment only daytime, evenings, weekdays, weekends and even holidays. If you have a lawyer he or she can be present and assist you in the mediation, but you do not have to have a lawyer to have a successful mediation.  Mediation is flexible, quick, convenient, cost effective and in most cases confidential.      If you have a problem please contact us and see if our services are right for you.  760-972-7500 .http://selfhelplegalaccess.com ...read more

Small Claims is a division of the court that affords easy access to the court.  Filing fees are much less than in a regular civil action, and in most cases attorneys are not allowed to participate.  That is all well and good, but if you are not properly prepared the results can be devastating. California allows individuals to sue for up to $10,000 in Small Claims.  It may be Small Claims but the stakes are now pretty high.  If you lose the judgement can end up on your credit report and you could have your bank account seized and wages garnished.  If you are a business the winner could send the Sheriff into your business and take the contents of your cash register or even stay all day and collect the money your customers pay you. If you are the Plaintiff and do not name the defendant correctly you may find it extremely difficult if not impossible to collect at all. Mediation may be worth a try before investing in filing fees, service fees, and appeals.  Mediation provides a neutral party to help both sides come to an agreement.  It is fast, effective, and low cost. Check out our website for more info http://selfhelplegalaccess.com ...read more

Mediation is where a neutral third party facilitates discussion and clarifies issues to help resolve disputes.  In most cases mediation is confidential and can avoid judgements on credit reports.  Mediation also saves money.  The costs are generally a lot less than litigation, faster, and mediation can be scheduled where neither party has to miss work or school. Our mediators are experts in landlord-tenant, collections, and almost all consumer issues.  We have resolved hundreds of these disputes as well as hundreds of personal injury (mostly car accidents and slip and fall claims). Before you file a Small Claims action or answer a common counts or breach of contract lawsuit, give us a call and see if we can help resolve your issue. ...read more