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Difference between revisions of "I Am Being Sued — What Should I Expect?"

From Clicklaw Wikibooks
Added a draft section dealing with CRT process
(Added a draft section dealing with CRT process)
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{{Template:Legal Help Guide TOC}}A lawsuit for loss or damages caused to another person or another person's property is known as a ''civil claim''. If you are being sued in a civil claim, you will receive court papers: a Notice of Claim if you are being sued in the Provincial Court's Small Claims Court or a Notice of Civil Claim if you are being sued in BC Supreme Court. Different forms are used in family disputes.
{{Template:Legal Help Guide TOC}}A lawsuit for loss or damages caused to another person or another person's property is known as a ''civil claim''. If you are being sued in a civil claim, you will receive court papers: a Notice of Claim if you are being sued in the Provincial Court's Small Claims Court or a Notice of Civil Claim if you are being sued in BC Supreme Court. Different forms are used in family disputes.


Lawsuits in Small Claims Court are limited to claims of up to $25,000, however on June 1, 2017 this increases to $35,000. With just a few exceptions civil claims up to $5,000 will no longer be dealt with in Small Claims Court. Instead claims up to $5,000 will be resolved in BC’s new online [http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/4300 Civil Resolution Tribunal].  
Lawsuits in Small Claims Court are currently limited to claims of up to $25,000, however, on June 1, 2017 this limit will increase to $35,000. Another important change is that as of June 1, 2017, with just a few exceptions, civil claims up to $5,000 will no longer be dealt with in Small Claims Court. Instead claims up to $5,000 will be resolved in BC’s new online [http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/4300 Civil Resolution Tribunal].  


There is no money limit to claims in BC Supreme Court.  
There is no money limit to claims in BC Supreme Court.  
== Civil Resolution Tribunal ==
=== First steps ===
On or after June 1, 2017, if you receive a CRT Dispute Notice and you don't agree with it:
#Complete a Dispute Response Form [https://www.civilresolutionbc.ca/forms/] that should have been provided with the Dispute Notice. This can be done by filling out either a paper copy or the online form which is free. In your Dispute Response, say why you don't agree with the claim(s). If you don't get a blank Dispute Response Form with the Dispute Notice, you can get one from the Civil Resolution Tribunal. Forms are also accessible online from the [https://www.civilresolutionbc.ca/] CRT website.
#Provide the Dispute Response form to the Tribunal and all other parties within the time limit specified on the Dispute Response. There is a cost for filing a hard copy Dispute Response of $25 or if you file online there is no charge.
#You can add your own claims or add another person to the dispute by filling out an Additional Claim Form.  It costs $150 to file a paper form or $125 to file online.
=== What happens next ===
For the Civil Resolution Tribunal, you will first go through an online process called Facilitation with the help of a Facilitator, who will try to mediate the dispute.  If that does not resolve the dispute, you will next go to the Tribunal. Information about these processes is available on the [https://www.civilresolutionbc.ca/] CRT website.


== Small Claims Court ==
== Small Claims Court ==
=== First steps ===
=== First steps ===
If you receive a Small Claims Court Notice of Claim and you don't agree with it:
If you receive a Small Claims Court Notice of Claim and you don't agree with it:
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=== First steps ===
=== First steps ===
If you receive a Supreme Court Notice of Civil Claim:
If you receive a Supreme Court Notice of Civil Claim:
#Obtain and complete a [http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/forms/sup_civil/2.pdf Response to Civil Claim'] form. Supreme Court forms are available online through the Clicklaw website "[http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/content/lawscases Laws, Cases & Rules]" page; click on "[http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/courthouse-services/documents-forms-records/court-forms/sup-civil-forms BC Supreme Court Civil Forms]." You are looking for Form 2.
#Obtain and complete a [http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/forms/sup_civil/2.pdf Response to Civil Claim'] form. Supreme Court forms are available online through the Clicklaw website "[http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/content/lawscases Laws, Cases & Rules]" page; click on "[http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/courthouse-services/documents-forms-records/court-forms/sup-civil-forms BC Supreme Court Civil Forms]." You are looking for Form 2.