Sometimes, despite your best efforts, it all goes wrong, and you have no choice but to try to get help from the legal system. Today in most states, the "legal system" includes a small-claims court, an alternative designed to produce faster judgments at a reduced expense. Small-claims courts have big advantages over the more standard courts where, even if you win, you still spend buckets of money on legal fees, and consume hours and hours of time that you could have better used making a living. Payment Problems Only Small-claims court is designed to help people recover money. Arbitration or courts of greater jurisdiction would be better alternatives for more complex problems, but if all you're doing is
