Posted and up-to-date on 8/2/2021
I have a small claims court date coming up - what do I do?
All Small Claims Court cases in Maine were postponed starting in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some courts are starting to schedule Small Claims. We do not have details on which courts or when. We do not know if court dates are in person, over the phone, or through video. If you have a date for your Small Claims case, you should call the clerks office to confirm you have a court date and whether you should go in person or call in. We will post more information about Small Claims re-opening once the courts provide more information. You should call Pine Tree Legal Assistance if you are being sued in Small Claims because of a credit card debt.
The other side wants me to sign an agreement to settle the case instead of waiting for a court date - should I do that?
Do not sign an agreement to pay without legal advice! If you are being sued for a consumer debt like credit card debt, the lawyer for the company suing you might reach out to you. They may try to convince you to sign an agreement to pay outside of court. We strongly urge you to get advice before signing any agreement, even if it doesn't require you to make payments right now. You may have defenses in your case, or your money and property may be exempt from collection. The company suing you cannot force you to make payments without a court order or agreement from you. Please do not sign an agreement without talking to a lawyer.
Where can I learn more and get help?
If you have questions about a pending consumer debt collection case, you can read our page on Debt Collection in the Maine Courts, or contact Pine Tree – we may be able to help!