The four layers/levels of the federal judiciary are…

The Judiciary Act of 1789, officially titled “An Act to Establish the Judicial Courts of the United States,” was signed into law by President George Washington on September 24, 1789. Article III of the Constitution established a Supreme Court, but left to Congress the authority to create lower federal courts as needed.

More specifically, federal courts hear criminal, civil, and bankruptcy cases. And once a case is decided, it can often be appealed.

• district courts.
• supreme court.
• magistrate courts.
• appellate courts.

Even if you do not have the money to pay the debt, always go to court when you are told to go. A creditor or debt collector can win a lawsuit against you even if you are penniless. The lawsuit is not based on whether you can pay—it is based on whether you owe the specific debt amount to that particular plaintiff.

Complaint/Filing Fee In California, filing a small claim for $1,500 or less will cost $30. But the costs go up for higher claims. In limited civil cases, you pay $370 for a complaint of amounts over $10,000 and up to $25,000. There are different charges depending on the complaint.

Renew the judgment Money judgments automatically expire (run out) after 10 years. Once a judgment has been renewed, it cannot be renewed again until 5 years later. But it has to be renewed at least every 10 years or it will expire.

$15,000

Anyone in the United States has the right to represent themselves in court and file a lawsuit without an attorney. In fact, when it comes to small claims court people are even encouraged to represent themselves, because small claims court was designed to be accessible to both lawyers and non-lawyers.

Legal Fees for the Defense Depending on what part of the country the case is in, and the attorney’s experience and level of expertise, a standard rate for a personal injury lawyer might range from $150 to $400 per hour. Since a trial can take upwards of 50 or 60 hours — sometimes significantly upwards!