Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in California

Re: Entering a Small Claims Court from Abroad.

You have to appear personally at the hearing, but your potential recovery is not worth the cost of the plane flight. I have not heard of it being done, but I suppose you could sell your cause of action to someone else. There would be the problem of proof of your damages; you would have to submit a detailed Declaration under penalty of perjury and any photographs you have.

Call the owner of the building, not the management company, and try to work out a settlement. While you are out of the country he can not collect against you and will never know when and if you have returned.