Consider this scenario: you're a successful floor finisher and have just completed a project that consisted of sanding and resurfacing a client's dining room floor. You've made the floor gleam, packed up your equipment, and even finished the job on schedule. But when you request payment the client expresses dissatisfaction. Portions of the floor were gouged, he says, and the surface appears to have bubble spots. The client refuses to pay the bill, which — labor and materials included — you've set at $575. How can you collect payment without necessarily hiring a lawyer? By taking the matter to small claims court. Quite often, a small contractor is in the position of seeking relatively small monetary damages from a
