Ontario Small Claims Court Pricing
We Bill at $150 per Hour.
Typical Costs for Each Step Listed Below *
Description of Activity
Typical Costs
PLEADINGS (CLAIM OR DEFENCE)
Whether you are a Plaintiff or Defendant we draft pleadings that capture your narrative and apply the appropriate legal principles. We strive to produce pleadings that are concise and use plain language. We also review the opposing parties pleadings and provide you with our assessment of them.
$900
These are the first steps in a lawsuit.
⇓
SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE
Most defended actions settle at this stage. We prepare for and attend at the hearing. If a settlement cannot be reached we seek any orders that may assist in the matter.
$750
If required after previous step.
⇓
TRIAL PREPARATION
If a matter is not resolved at a settlement conference we begin preparing for trial by complying with any orders made, requesting a trial date, reviewing evidence, etc. Incidentally, many defended actions that did not settle at the Settlement Conference get resolved at this stage.
$900
If required after previous step.
⇓
TRIAL ATTENDANCE
We conduct your trial for you by managing evidence, ensuring compliance with procedures, making legal submissions, and responding to the opposing party. Statistically, only about 10% of cases go all the way to trial.
$1,200
If required after previous step.
⇓
ENFORCEMENT PROCEEDINGS (IF NECESSARY)
If you are a successful Plaintiff and the Defendant does not pay voluntarily then enforcement proceedings may become necessary. Enforcement proceedings vary depending upon the Defendant’s circumstances and assets.
varies
If required after previous step.
[ ! ] Brief Answers to Some Common Questions
A. Typically, clients spend about $1,500 – $2,000 in legal fees with us for defended actions that settle at some point. If a matter proceeds all the way to a trial it may cost another $1,500 – $2,000 but if you are successful the court can award you up to 15% of the claim amount towards your legal fees. On a $35,000 claim that would be $5,250.
A. Our hourly rate is exclusive of court fees, taxes and disbursements (if any). Some common court fees are as follows:
[1] Plaintiff’s Claim – $108. [2] Defence – $77. [3] Request a Trial – $308.Unless the court orders otherwise a successful party is entitled to their court costs.
A. We always include your legal fees, court costs and interest in any Claim.
A. Disbursements, if they occur, are typically limited to:
[1] Business and property searches;
[2] Personal or couriered service of documents;
[3] Books of documents or case law briefs; and
[4] Witness fees and attendance money.
If you are the successful party the court may award you an amount for your disbursements.
[ * ] DISCLAIMER REGARDING OUR FEES AND SERVICES
The above fees and services are exclusive of court fees, taxes and disbursements and are intended for General Litigation files only. In many cases they are the only steps that are necessary. In the event a Defence is not filed then neither a Settlement Conference nor a Trial will be necessary and a Default Judgment (not shown) may be obtained instead. Also not shown are Motions, Enforcement Proceedings, Defendant’s Claims, extraordinary hearings (e.g. Jurisdiction Hearing) or settlements outside of Settlement Conferences. All of our services are subject to our “General Conditions of Service” as stated on the back of our Retainer Agreements, Invoices and/or Bills.
The charges shown above are based on the typical amount of hours spent on a client’s file and are not a binding estimate with respect to same. While we have done our best to show our typical fees the actual amount hours spent for each step does vary from case-to-case and can vary greatly depending upon individual circumstances.
Additional hours over and above those shown most often occur if we are retained after a case has already started or if a matter involves multiple Defendants, multiple issues, multiple or expert witnesses, contracts involving multiple pages or an account reconciliation.