Getting Started in Small Claims Court:

Question: What do I need to do to commence a Small Claims Court lawsuit in Ontario and prepare my Plaintiff’s Claim form (Form 7A)?

Answer: To commence a Small Claims Court case in Ontario, you typically prepare and file the Plaintiff’s Claim (Form 7A) by filling in the parties’ names and addresses, then writing a clear, chronological story of the facts and specific remedy you’re seeking, while also checking the Small Claims Court Rules, especially Rule 7 on commencing a proceeding.  Before you file, review key risks like being wrong on a party name, limitation deadlines, potential counterclaims, and what happens if the defendant brings a third-party claim or if costs are ordered against you.  If you want help organizing your documents and next steps in a way that supports your filing, Sharda Paralegal serves Ontario clients and can help you get ready for the process without providing public services at this time; call for a FREE 1/2 hour consultation.

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Commencing Proceedings and Retaining Legal Counsel for Small Claims Court

To start a case in the Small Claims Court requires the issuing of a document known as a Plaintiff's Claim.  The Plaintiff's Claim is a form, known as Form 7A, and is available online.  The primary parts of the form are relatively easy involving simple fill in the blanks information.  The more challenging aspect of starting a lawsuit is knowing what parts of the story to say and what parts of the story to avoid saying, or at least to avoid in the beginning.  There are many rules regarding the manner of what should be provided.  The prescribed rules for the requirements when beginning a Small Claims Court lawsuit are available for review at Rule 7 of the Rules of the Small Claims Court.

Note: Please contact Sharda Paralegal by phone at:  to discuss any specific questions that you may have.

Although many people think of the Small Claims Court as relatively informal, and some legal issues are simple enough that laypeople can handle a case without needing assistance from a lawyer or paralegal, there are concerns to think about.  Concerns to think carefully about include:

• What if a counterclaim is brought against me?
• What if I lose the lawsuit?
• What if I lose and legal costs are awarded against me?
• What if the Defendant includes a 'third party'?
• What if I name someone wrong?
• What if the case is more complicated than expected?

The concerns listed above, among others, should be very carefully reviewed before bringing a lawsuit.  Diligent review of these questions and the potential pitfalls are highly important before getting started.