The legal forum that most average citizens are familiar with is small claims court. This is a special court designed to handle civil suits in a fast and efficient manner. As the name suggests, the lawsuits heard in this type of court tend to be under a certain monetary threshold.

If you've ever had a collections account, you have probably received letters warning about a potential lawsuit. These can be scary notices to get when you are not prepared to go to court. Furthermore, some debts may be so relatively small you may not know whether you need to hire legal representation.