http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/shlep/2007/03/12/tell-your-legislatures-to-increase-small-claims-limits/ news, views and info on self-help law and pro se litigation Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:11:37 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/shlep/2007/03/12/tell-your-legislatures-to-increase-small-claims-limits/comment-page-1/#comment-1106 Daniel Quackenbush Tue, 13 Mar 2007 23:22:28 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/shlep/2007/03/12/tell-your-legislatures-to-increase-smal#comment-1106 I'm speaking of California. Small claims courts are Kangaroo courts. There are essentially no rules of evidence, no effective cross-examination, and the judge isn't neutral (that is, the judge decides how the case is presented, not necessarily the parties), etc. Plaintiff can't appeal the kangaroo court ruling. When the defendant appeals, there is merely another kangaroo court proceeding. Finally, although the California courts have held otherwise, small claims courts violate the California constitutional right to a jury trial ("the right to jury trial shall [supposedly] remain inviolate." I’m speaking of California. Small claims courts are Kangaroo courts. There are essentially no rules of evidence, no effective cross-examination, and the judge isn’t neutral (that is, the judge decides how the case is presented, not necessarily the parties), etc. Plaintiff can’t appeal the kangaroo court ruling. When the defendant appeals, there is merely another kangaroo court proceeding. Finally, although the California courts have held otherwise, small claims courts violate the California constitutional right to a jury trial (”the right to jury trial shall [supposedly] remain inviolate.”

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