Chapter Twenty: Small Claims - Law Students' Legal Advice Program

CHAPTER TWENTY: SMALL CLAIMSTABLE OF CONTENTSCHAPTER TWENTY: SMALL CLAIMS. 1I.FOREWORD . 1II.DO YOU HAVE A CLAIM? . 1A.TYPES OF CLAIMS. 1Tort . 1Contract . 1Equity . 2Restitution . 2Statute . 2B. TYPES OF DAMAGES . 2General Damages . 2Special Damages. 2Nominal Damages . 3Liquidated Damages . 3Statutory Damages . 3Punitive Damages . 3Aggravated Damages . 3Treble Damages . 3C. LIMITATION PERIODS . 3III.CHOOSING THE PROPER FORUM . 4A.SMALL CLAIMS COURT . 5Amount Claimed. 5Jurisdiction . 5Costs . 6B. SUPREME COURT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. 7C. CIVIL RESOLUTION TRIBUNAL . 7Jurisdiction . 7a)b)c)Small Claims Matters . 7Strata Property Matters . 7Other Matters . 8Process. 8General . 8D. ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION. 8Negotiations . 8Mediation . 9a)Conflict Resolution Clinic (CoRe Clinic) . 9Arbitration . 10IV.A.B.STARTING A CLAIM . 10SETTLEMENT LETTER . 10IDENTIFYING THE DEFENDANT(S) . 10Suing a Business . 11a)b)c)d)Corporation . 11Partnership. 11Sole Proprietorship . 12Other . 12Suing a Person over 19 Years Old . 12Suing a Society . 12Suing I.C.B.C. . 12Suing the Government . 13a)Federal Government . 13

b)Provincial . 13Suing the Police . 13Suing a Municipality . 13Suing a Young or Mentally Incompetent Person . 14Suing an Insurance Company other than ICBC . 14Suing an Unknown Person . 14C. CAN THE DEFENDANT(S) PAY? . 14D. DRAFTING THE NOTICE OF CLAIM . 15“From” . 15“To” . 15“What Happened?” . 15“Where?” . 16“When?”. 16“How Much?” . 16a)b)c)d)e)Interest . 16Claims Over 25,000 . 17Filing Fees . 18Service Fees . 18Other Expenses . 18E.FILING A NOTICE OF CLAIM . 18Cost . 18Where to File . 18How to File . 19F. SERVING A NOTICE OF CLAIM . 19Personal Service . 20Registered Mail. 21Substitutional (Alternate) Service . 21G. PROOF OF SERVICE . 21V.RESPONDING TO A CLAIM . 21A.POSSIBLE STRATEGIES . 211. Notify Insurance Company . 212. Apologising . 223. Option to Pay all or Part . 22Option to Oppose all or Part . 22Counterclaim . 22a)b)Filing and Service. 23Replying to a Counterclaim . 23Third Party . 23a)b)B.C.TIME LIMITS. 24DEFENCES. 25Common Defences . 25a)b)c)d)e)f)g)D.E.VI.A.B.Filing and Service. 24Replying to a Third Party Notice . 24Contributory Negligence . 25Consent . 25Criminality or Immorality . 25Inevitable Accident. 25Illegality . 25Self Defence . 25Defence of Third Parties . 26Statutory Defences . 26FILING A REPLY . 26SERVING A REPLY . 26DEFAULT ORDER . 26REQUESTING A DEFAULT ORDER . 27SETTING ASIDE DEFAULT ORDERS AND REINSTATING CLAIMS . 27

VII.HOW YOUR CLAIM WILL PROCEED . 28A.VANCOUVER (ROBSON SQUARE) . 28Claims of 5,000 or Less . 28Claims for Financial Debt . 28Claims Exceeding 5,000 or Personal Injury Claims (Any Amount) . 28B. RICHMOND . 29Claims of 5,000 or Less . 29Claims Exceeding 5,000 or Personal Injury Claims (Any Amount) . 29C. SURREY, NORTH VANCOUVER, VICTORIA, OR NANAIMO . 29Claims of 10,000 or Less . 29Claims Exceeding 10,000 . 29D. OTHER REGISTRIES . 29Claims of 10,000 or Less . 29Claims Exceeding 10,000 . 29VIII.A.B.C.D.E.F.PRE-TRIAL APPLICATIONS AND PROCEDURES . 30OFFERS TO SETTLE . 30WITHDRAWING A CLAIM, COUNTERCLAIM, REPLY, OR THIRD PARTY NOTICE . 30ADJOURNMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS . 30PRE-JUDGMENT GARNISHMENT . 31TRANSFER TO SUPREME COURT . 31AMENDMENTS . 31Permission to Amend . 32Amendment Procedure . 32Serving Amendments . 32Responding to Amendments . 32IX.A.B.C.D.E.X.MEDIATION . 32CLAIMS OF 10,000 OR LESS - RULE 7.2 . 33CLAIMS EXCEEDING 10,000 – RULE 7.3 . 33MEDIATION IN VANCOUVER (ROBSON SQUARE) – RULE 7.4 . 34PREPARING FOR MEDIATION. 34PROCEDURE . 34SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE . 35A.B.C.D.E.XI.WHO MUST ATTEND . 35WHAT TO BRING . 35WHAT MAY HAPPEN . 35DISCLOSURE . 36ENFORCING A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT . 37TRIAL/PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCES . 37A.B.TRIAL CONFERENCE . 37PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE . 38XII.PREPARATION FOR TRIAL . 38A.B.C.TRIAL BINDER . 38EXPERT WITNESSES . 39WITNESS PREPARATION. 39Ensuring Attendance . 39Telling the Truth . 39Arranging an Interpreter . 40General Advice for Witnesses . 40D. DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE . 41XIII.TRIAL . 41

A.B.C.SIMPLIFIED TRIAL FOR CLAIMS UP TO 5,000 . 41SUMMARY TRIAL FOR FINANCIAL DEBT . 42REGULAR TRIAL . 42Courtroom Etiquette . 42Court Room Layout . 42Check-In Procedure. 42General Order of Proceedings. 43Opening Statement. 43Direct Examination . 44Cross-Examination . 44Re-Examination .

along with the Small Claims Court rules and obtain legal advice where necessary. II. DO YOU HAVE A CLAIM? In order to have a legal claim, it must be recognised by the law. . B. Types of Damages Although the Small Claims Court has the jurisdiction to award 25,000 4, the awards in most cases are 5. C. . . . A. 13. For