Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Louisiana
Merit Trail
I received a letter from a Justice of the Peace , it informed me a a Merit Trail concerning and issue where someone is demanding money from me .
Am I oblegated to attend , the letter came in regular mail not certifided mail . This case has been going on for about a year , the person wanting money from me tried to collect with and attorney ,he was told by his attorny that he had no case . I thought it was
over but he went to a Justice of the Peace ,filed a claim which I denided in writing to the Justice of the Peace. Now they want to meet to have a so called Merit Trail that i do not want to attend .
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Merit Trail
Even though you answered the claim in writing, denying you owe anything and even though you believe the claimant has no case and even though you do not want to have to take the time to go to court, if you fail to appear at the trial, that is probably the easiest way to get a judgment against yourself--BY DEFAULT--because you were not there to speak up and defend yourself in front of the justice of the peace. If all of your defenses(s) and assertions that you do not owe the money and/or that the claimant has no case are true, you should be able to get this thing over once and for all by attending the trial and protecting yourself. If you're not there, anything can happen and it will more than likely be at your expense. Take the time and go to the trial to protect yourself--in this case, if you're telling the truth, the truth will set you free.
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