Getting Started in Small Claims Court:

Question:How do I commence a Small Claims Court lawsuit in Ontario using Form 7A and retain a paralegal?

Answer:Ajodhia Legal Services can help you commence a Small Claims Court proceeding by preparing the Plaintiff’s Claim in Form 7A and making sure you follow the required filing steps under Rule 7 of the Rules of the Small Claims Court.  You’ll still need to decide what facts to include, how to handle risks like countersued claims, costs, name errors, or third-party issues, and what to do if the matter becomes more complex than expected.  Ajodhia Legal Services offers paralegal support designed to help you move forward with clarity and better documentation, so call (647) 882-8205 today to start optimizing your Small Claims case before you file.

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Commencing Proceedings and Retaining Legal Counsel for Small Claims Court

To get a lawsuit started in Small Claims Court, the preparing and issuing of the document known as a Plaintiff's Claim is required.  The Plaintiff's Claim document is a specific form, numbered and referred to as Form 7A, and is accessible online.  The main form is relatively easy to complete as much is just filling in the blanks with basic information such as names and addresses of the parties involved in the lawsuit.  More difficult is the telling of the story that gives rise to the lawsuit whereas, in legal matters, the story often must be written in a sensible chronology and will often require some legalese, even in Small Claims Court. Additionally, knowing what should be said and what should be omitted can be crucial.  The prescribed rules for the requirements when beginning a Small Claims Court lawsuit are available for review at Rule 7 of the Rules of the Small Claims Court.

Note: Please contact Ajodhia Legal Services by phone at: (647) 882-8205 to discuss any specific questions that you may have.

Although people may think of Small Claims Court cases as an informal legal process, and indeed there are many Small Claims Court cases that are relatively simple enough that minimal, if any, legal training is required, there are still many concerns to consider. Concerns to carefully consider include:

• What if a counterclaim is brought against me?
• What if I lose the lawsuit?
• What if I lose and legal costs are awarded against me?
• What if the Defendant includes a 'third party'?
• What if I name someone wrong?
• What if the case is more complicated than expected?

The concerns listed above, among others, should be very carefully reviewed before bringing a lawsuit. Understanding and carefully reviewing the potential complications, considerations, and consequences, before starting a lawsuit is highly important.