Conciliation Court or Small Claims Court is a system that allows people to resolves disputes in a court without going through a full lawsuit. Conciliation Court cases often are handled by the parties without attorneys. The parties in conciliation court cases are entitled to have a lawyer represent them, however. Attorneys can be very helpful with filling out the conciliation court forms, preparing the strategy for the case, and presenting your case to the judge.
The procedure for a conciliation court hearing is similar to a regular district court hearing. The case is decided by a judge rather than a jury. The judge listens to the evidence and then issues an order with his or her findings and conclusions. This is akin to a jury making its findings in a district court case.
If one party is dissatisfied with the conciliation court’s decision, it can appeal to district court. There are strict timelines for appealing a conciliation court judgment; it is a good idea to consult an attorney right away after you receive the judgement from conciliation court in order to evaluate whether you should appeal the decision.
Once you appeal a conciliation court judgment, the district court treat it “de novo,” meaning as new. The district court is not bound by the judgment of the conciliation court. The court’s decision does have some persuasive value.
If you are involved in a conciliation court case in Hennepin County or anywhere else in Minnesota, contact the attorneys at Twin Cities Law Firm. We can assist you with preparing conciliation court forms and with appealing a conciliation court judgment.
