Legal Question in Business Law in Pennsylvania

Can a non-US person resident outside the US take a US person to small claims court to claim money contractually owed? If so, can the plaintiff be absent from proceedings or is a representative required?


Asked on 9/16/13, 10:32 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Sure. But you will have to sue the US person where he or she lives. If you are the plaintiff, then you will have to get a lawyer and file suit. You will have to show up at the hearing. Lawyers can represent you but they cannot testify for you - only you can do that. Or skip small claims court, get a lawyer and file in the court of common pleas. If the defendant does not answer, then the attorney can get a judgment without you having to appear at all possibly. If the case makes it all the way to trial then you would have to appear at any trial unless something else was agreed upon - like a videotape deposition or you appearing on a computer link or something like that.

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Answered on 9/17/13, 5:51 pm


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