Small Claims Mediation

Creditors typically do not use mediation services because they want to negotiate directly with you. It is best to:

• Contact the Creditor Plaintiff and make arrangements with them; or
• Wait until your day of trial where you will get an opportunity to meet with the attorney handling your case. There you will get the option to either settle, or have a trial.
• You may also reach out to the Worcester Consumer Rights Program (WCRP) a local consumer program (LCP) that works in cooperation with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO).

If you missed your court date – see answer below.

It depends. Often parties, especially ones who do not have legal representation, have not yet had the opportunity to speak to each other. Mediation can be helpful in these instances because it affords parties the opportunity to have a conversation.

No, unless it is something you believe will be useful for the other party in your case to see. Mediators do not make judgments or evaluate who is right or wrong based on any verbal or physical “evidence.” Parties themselves make all the decisions and decide whether they want to come to an agreement. An alternative is to return to court where evidence can be presented to the Magistrate who can and will decide for you.

There are limitations in which a party can be made to pay a court judgment. The court will require the paying party to fill out a financial affidavit. Parties who receive certain benefits cannot be required to pay judgments using those funds. To learn more, please contact the court where your case is filed.

This is not something Family Services of Central Massachusetts can assist you with. You must call the court to which you were summonsed to appear.