Someday you may need to sue someone. It rarely works when done wrong. And it's usually done wrong.

There are some basic guidelines for doing it better:

For small bucks, small claims court works. But for this route, prepare well. Much exists online and in booksabout navigating these courts. Several states like California, Michigan and Nebraska won't let you use an attorney. Rules vary by state. If you're alone and your opponent has a good attorney, you're at a huge disadvantage. 

Sadly, any lawyer can go to court. In decades overseeing dispute resolution at my firm, the worst litigation advice I've gotten came from lawyers who weren't actual trial lawyers. They think they know but don't - like some text-book-only surgeon. Ignore them. It's bloody.

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