Q: After eviction for lease expiration, the tenant owes close to $10,000.00; how can landlord claim,track tenant&collect?
My understanding is that small claim court limit is much less than that in Maine. Do I need a lawyer? How much does it roughly cost?
A: You are correct about small claims court – the limit is $6,000. If the landlord is an entity, then the general rule is the entity needs to be represented in court by an attorney (it cannot represent itself). If the landlord is a natural person, he or she can represent themselves in court, although I would not recommend it. The cost is difficult to estimate because litigation is often unpredictable. The landlord may be best served by finding an attorney who will agree to handle the matter on a contingent fee basis.
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