I won in small claims court!The deadbeat homeowner who stiffed me has to pay the $1200 plus court costs and interest.
So I finally got my day in court.We get into the room in front of the clerk and it goes like this:
clerk:has this been settled yet?
shortcircuit:no sir, it is not,I'm ready to move forward ( I then pull out 2 copys of all the paper work to back up my claim and give one to the clerk and 1 to the deadbeat homeowner)and before I say another word...
deadbeat:let me say something
clerk :Plaintiff talks first
deadbeat:Well I do owe him the money and he did do the work, but I'm not going to pay him
clerk:Why not?
deadbeat:because he is stupid (and he said this in a load voice and he is gettin hot around the collar,clerk looks over to the court officer and says "get ready")
clerk:WHAT
deadbeat:he says to me...remember the phone call on feb 5th
shortcircuit:I don't recall
deadbeat:well thats when you threatened me and told me I could not replace you because you had the permit on the job
clerk:he threatened you in what way,did he say he was going to kill you,or going to beat you up??
deadbeat:he said I couldn't replace him...
clerk:thats not a threat,you've said that you owe him the money,when can you pay him?
deadbeat:he shrugs his shoulders while shakeing his head
clerk:LISTEN(clerks pointing his finger at the deadbeat) you may have wasted his time,BUT YOUR NOT GOING TO WASTE THE COURTS TIME,payment is due in 30 days in the amount of $1200 plus court costs of $40...judgement for plaintiff
He says to me to have a seat and wait 5 minutes and has the court officer escort him out and they watch to see him get in his car and drive away then escort me out and watch me drive away.
Well, he can still appeal,but I don't think he has a pot to piss in after what he said in small claims court.
Justice is served
shortcircuit
[This message has been edited by shortcircuit (edited 10-01-2004).]