How people without a lawyer handled serious civil cases

Twelve stories drawn from member experiences. Most settled, some won a court order, and one lost. Every one shows the work: what they had to prove, the mistake they caught and the decision they made.

Breach of contractSettled Simone · I’m suing A client canceled two days before the event and refused to pay. She proved each element, beat a motion to dismiss and settled. Read the case study → Debt collectionSettled Marcus · I’ve been sued Sued by a debt buyer weeks into a new job, he found a payment it missed and settled for far less than its first offer. Read the case study → Quiet titleSettled Harold · I’m suing A developer’s fence crossed his yard. He named every party, got work paused and got the fence moved. Read the case study → Child custodyCourt order Danielle · I’ve been sued Her ex hired a lawyer to move the kids. Her records and a workable schedule kept their routine. Read the case study → Probate disputeCourt order Alicia · I’m suing Her sister ran their father’s estate. A court-ordered accounting put $60,000 back in it. Read the case study → Foreclosure defenseDismissed Tonya · I’ve been sued Behind on an FHA mortgage, she found a step the lender skipped and got the case dismissed. Read the case study → EvictionDismissed Mei · I’ve been sued New owners sued to evict instead of raising rent. She turned down the first offer and kept her home. Read the case study → Wrongful terminationSettled Jenna · I’m suing Fired after reporting harassment, she won the records she needed and settled before trial. Read the case study → Personal injurySettled Ray · I’m suing Burned on a job and denied by the insurer, he defeated summary judgment and settled for $250,000. Read the case study → Copyright infringementSettled Malik · I’m suing A studio used scenes from his rejected screenplay. The judge narrowed his case; he still won payment and credit. Read the case study → Legal malpracticeLost Carlos · I’m suing He sued his former lawyer knowing the claim was weak, and lost. He understood exactly why. Read the case study → Medical malpracticeSettled Denise · I’m suing Given a drug her chart said she was allergic to, she built the case with experts and settled for $415,000 on the eve of trial. Read the case study →

Litigate like your case matters.

Each case study is a composite drawn from the experiences of Courtroom5 members, not a report of one person’s case. Outcomes vary. Courtroom5 is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.