Do you really need a lawyer to file a lawsuit ? Can't you just hire one for an hour or two and show him/her the proof you have, get some advice, and then go to court and file the paperwork yourself ?

File? Yes. Win? Not so easy.

For example; Long ago I made a deal to let a friend/neighbor with bad credit use a cell phone for his business with the understanding that he would pay for all usage. Yes, I was very young and very stupid. For about 6mo he paid me, and I paid the cell company. Since there had been zero problems, I had the bill sent to his house and just monitored the balance due. Again, 6 mo passed without any incident and I got (stupidly) comfortable. At some point he and the provider (PacTel) got into a billing dispute. His ridiculous response was not to pay them anything at all. Needless to say, I found this out when they cut off my phone and came after me for the balance.

I sued him for the amount he owed me (~$1000). He brought a lawyer, I represented myself. After all this is a cut and dry case, right? Wrong. Nothing is cut and dry with respect to the law. I lost not because we had a verbal agreement, but because his lawyer knew the law and quoted the judge page and paragraph. What was the ruling? Under Ga law, you cannot obligate a third party (my "friend") to pay a bill you owe (PacTel). And since we changed from him paying me to him paying Verizon, and both parties participated in that arrangement, it was the new working agreement. And unfortunately, an agreement that was unenforceable under law.

Footnote: Mitchell, if you ever happen to read this you are truly a piece of shit. I helped you when you needed it, and you paid me back by royally crewing me over. I wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire.
 
Long ago I made a deal to let a friend/neighbor with bad credit use a cell phone for his business ...
paid me back by royally screwing me over

Hopefully you pursued NON-litigious measures after this...

such as 40mph cinderblocks chucked from the back of a pickup truck into his home/business/car/dog/mailbox
 
File? Yes. Win? Not so easy.

For example; Long ago I made a deal to let a friend/neighbor with bad credit use a cell phone for his business with the understanding that he would pay for all usage. Yes, I was very young and very stupid. For about 6mo he paid me, and I paid the cell company. Since there had been zero problems, I had the bill sent to his house and just monitored the balance due. Again, 6 mo passed without any incident and I got (stupidly) comfortable. At some point he and the provider (PacTel) got into a billing dispute. His ridiculous response was not to pay them anything at all. Needless to say, I found this out when they cut off my phone and came after me for the balance.

I sued him for the amount he owed me (~$1000). He brought a lawyer, I represented myself. After all this is a cut and dry case, right? Wrong. Nothing is cut and dry with respect to the law. I lost not because we had a verbal agreement, but because his lawyer knew the law and quoted the judge page and paragraph. What was the ruling? Under Ga law, you cannot obligate a third party (my "friend") to pay a bill you owe (PacTel). And since we changed from him paying me to him paying Verizon, and both parties participated in that arrangement, it was the new working agreement. And unfortunately, an agreement that was unenforceable under law.

Footnote: Mitchell, if you ever happen to read this you are truly a piece of shit. I helped you when you needed it, and you paid me back by royally crewing me over. I wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire.

How much did he spend on the lawyer to defend the $1000?
 
How much did he spend on the lawyer to screw over his friend

Fixed it for you. That said, probably more than that. There was a mandatory arbitration and court, the lawyer was at both.

Unfortunately... in the real world... that leads to more trouble than it solves.

Yep, because he richly deserved it.
 
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