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30 guides matching your search
- Small claims court: how it works
Small claims court is designed for relatively straightforward disputes involving limited amounts of money, with simpler procedures than ordinary civil litigation. “Winning” usually means proving your claim, or defending against the other side’s claim, with reliable evidence under the legal standard that applies where t
- Small estates without full probate
A small estate may be transferred through a simplified process instead of full probate when the estate is below a local value limit and meets other legal conditions. The process commonly involves an affidavit, court certificate, or direct application to a bank or institution, but it does not usually eliminate valid deb
- A client will not pay your invoice
When a client does not pay an invoice, the dispute usually turns on the agreement, whether the work was completed as promised, and whether the amount is due. Common responses include checking the contract, sending a formal payment demand, negotiating, using a small-claims or civil court, or pursuing enforcement after j
- Finding a public defender or free legal help
A public defender usually represents people accused of crimes who cannot afford a private lawyer, while free or reduced-cost legal help may be available for some civil matters. Police-stop advice, court representation, small-claims help, and record-clearing services follow different rules, and eligibility depends on th
- Representing yourself in court
Representing yourself in court means handling your own case instead of hiring a lawyer, sometimes called appearing “pro se” or “self-represented.” The process differs greatly between criminal, civil, family, small-claims, and traffic matters, and police stops raise separate rights and risks.
- Getting paid as a freelancer: late payment rights
A freelancer’s right to be paid usually comes from the contract with the client, including any agreement about the amount, due date, milestones, and expenses. If payment is late, possible remedies may include interest, compensation, collection costs, a court claim, or a statutory payment remedy, but the available optio
- Complaints against a lawyer or professional
A complaint against a lawyer or other professional can involve discipline, repayment, compensation, or a police investigation, and these are usually separate processes. A regulator may decide whether professional rules were breached, while a court generally decides legal liability, money claims, or other remedies.
- Being served with a lawsuit: how the process works
Being served with a lawsuit means that someone has formally started a court case involving you; it does not mean the court has decided that you owe money or are responsible. The papers usually identify the claims, the court, and the date by which you may need to respond.
- A contractor or tradesperson took a deposit and vanished
When a contractor or tradesperson takes a deposit and then disappears, you may have both a contract dispute and a possible fraud or consumer-protection complaint. Your options commonly include trying to reverse the payment, sending a formal demand, reporting the conduct, and bringing a court claim.
- Free speech at work and online
Free speech protections at work and online depend heavily on who is speaking, who owns the workplace or platform, and whether the speech involves threats, harassment, confidential information, or unlawful conduct. Police, courts, employers, and online services may each apply different rules, and public-sector workers g
- Mediation and arbitration instead of court
Mediation is a negotiated process in which a neutral person helps the parties try to reach their own agreement; the mediator normally cannot impose a decision. Arbitration is a private process in which a neutral arbitrator decides the dispute, usually through a less formal procedure than a court, and the decision may b
- Car repairs that were overcharged or done badly
If a repair shop charges more than you authorized or performs unsafe or ineffective work, you may have rights to a correction, partial refund, full refund in some situations, or compensation for related losses. The result usually depends on what you agreed to, what the shop represented, the quality of the work, and the
- Suing the government or a public agency
Suing the government or a public agency is possible, but special immunity rules, notice requirements, and short deadlines often apply. Claims may involve police conduct, injuries, property damage, unlawful detention, discrimination, or a breach of constitutional or human rights.
- Court deadlines you must not miss
Court deadlines can determine whether a claim, defence, appeal, or request is heard at all. The exact time limit usually depends on the type of case, the court, the document involved, how it was served, and the law where the case is being handled.
- How probate works
Probate is the court-supervised process commonly used to confirm a deceased person’s will, authorize someone to deal with the estate, identify and pay debts and taxes, and transfer remaining property. The process depends on the location, the type and value of property, whether there is a valid will, and whether anyone
- Reading a contract before you sign it
Reading a contract before signing helps you understand what you are agreeing to, what you must do, what the other party promises, and what happens if something goes wrong. A contract can include more than the main document, such as schedules, policies, online terms, invoices, and documents incorporated by reference.
- Drainage, runoff and flooding caused by a neighbour
A neighbour may be legally responsible for flooding or runoff if they alter land, block a natural drainage route, negligently discharge water, or create a substantial and unreasonable interference with your property. Responsibility often depends on the source of the water, whether the work changed its flow, the damage
- Water damage from an upstairs or neighbouring property
If water from an upstairs or neighbouring property damages your home, responsibility often depends on the source of the water, who controlled the relevant pipe or appliance, and whether someone failed to take reasonable care. Insurance, tenancy, condominium or strata rules, leases, and local property law may all affect
- Online marketplace sales gone wrong
An online marketplace sale can create several separate problems: a disputed payment or delivery, a misleading review, disclosure of personal information, harassment, or account suspension. The platform’s rules often control the immediate dispute, while consumer, privacy, defamation, harassment, and contract law may pro
- Selling or closing a small business
Selling a small business usually involves transferring its assets, shares, or partnership interest to a buyer, while closing a business involves ending operations and dealing with debts, taxes, employees, contracts, and registrations. The legal and financial results can differ substantially depending on the business st
- Marriage in the United States: legal basics
Marriage is a legal status created under state law, and it carries rights and duties involving property, support, taxes, benefits, and inheritance. This guide explains how a valid marriage is formed, how states differ, and what the status changes.
- Getting a refund for faulty goods
When goods are faulty, consumer law may give you a right to a repair, replacement, price reduction, or refund, even if the seller’s written warranty has expired. The remedy usually depends on the seriousness of the fault, how long ago you bought the item, how much you have used it, and the law where you live.
- Lending money to a friend or family member
Lending money to a friend or family member can create a legally enforceable debt, even when the arrangement is informal. The main risks are unclear terms, missed payments, damaged relationships, tax consequences, and difficulty recovering the money if the borrower has no assets.
- Payday loans and high-interest lenders
Payday loans and other high-interest loans provide quick money but can become expensive when fees, repeated borrowing, and missed-payment charges build up. The law may limit interest, fees, collection conduct, or loan terms, but the rules depend heavily on where you live and on the type of lender and loan.
- A neighbour's tree damaged your property
When a neighbour’s tree damages your roof, fence, pipes, paving, or other property, responsibility usually depends on who owns the tree, what caused the damage, and whether the risk was reasonably foreseeable. Insurance, boundary rules, tree-protection laws, and court procedures can all affect the result.
- Misleading advertising and bait-and-switch
Misleading advertising occurs when an advertisement or sales statement gives a false, incomplete, or likely-to-mislead impression about a product, service, price, quality, availability, or important terms. Bait-and-switch is a common form in which an attractive offer draws you in, but the seller does not genuinely inte
- A contractor did bad work on your home
When a contractor does poor work, your possible remedies usually come from the contract, consumer-protection law, warranty law, and rules about defective building work. The outcome often depends on the written agreement, the seriousness of the defect, whether you gave the contractor a chance to fix it, and the deadline
- Demand letters: what they are and how they work
A demand letter is a clear, written request for payment, performance, correction of a problem, or another remedy before formal legal action. It can produce results by showing that your claim is organized and credible, but it does not guarantee payment and is not a substitute for filing a claim before a deadline expires
- Breach of contract: remedies and how they work
A breach of contract happens when a party fails to do something the contract requires, does it late, or performs inadequately. Your possible responses commonly include seeking damages, requiring performance, ending the contract in serious cases, or using negotiation, mediation, arbitration, or court proceedings.
- Accidents in parking lots
Parking-lot accidents are usually handled through ordinary negligence, traffic, property, and insurance rules. Responsibility may be shared between drivers, a parking-lot owner or occupier, and sometimes a business or contractor.