The concern would be whether the defendant wishes to try to resolve the dispute, or is fishing for information. If your jurisdiction has a pre-trial procedure for small claims cases, it would probably be best to wait for that. At those hearing, called "pre-trials", the court makes an attempt to get the parties together to resolve the case without trial.
The court often uses a volunteer mediator to facilitate a settlement. The mediator has been trained in techniques to foster compromise, and makes suggestions which the parties may or may not follow. If settled, the case is over and the parties no longer must deal with the uncertainly of going to trial.
Keep in mind that if the defendant is fishing for information, and you respond, the information that you provide could be used against you at trial. If you believe that the communication is innocuous, you are free to answer. In all events, you should probably respond if only to state that you rec'd the email and will address the issues substantively when you go to court. In that way, it cannot be said that you ignored it.
no
call them
Defendant should not have a lawyer in Small Claims Court. Most small claims actions forbid having an attorney appear unless the attorney is the plaintiff or defendant.
yes
alibi
Justification
The plaintiff might assert claims such as breach of contract, alleging that the defendant failed to fulfill their obligations as agreed. They could also claim negligence if the defendant's actions caused harm or damages. Additionally, the plaintiff may pursue claims for emotional distress or punitive damages if the defendant's behavior was particularly egregious. Overall, the specific claims would depend on the circumstances of the case and the underlying facts.
If the defendant does not show up in small claims court, the judge may enter a default judgment in favor of the plaintiff. This means that the plaintiff wins the case by default since the defendant did not appear to defend themselves. The plaintiff may then be awarded the relief requested in their claim.
The defendant's alibi is supported by multiple witnesses who confirm they were with the defendant at a different location during the time of the crime. Additionally, surveillance footage from the location where the defendant claims to have been shows their presence at that time.
The writ of attachment is the seizure of any property belonging to the defendant to either create jurisdiction quasi in rem, or to preserve property at issue pending the outcome of the proceeding. The writ of sequestration permits one who already claims the ownership, the right to possession, or a lien upon property to have the property seized and held pending the outcome of a suit to establish his or her rights in the property.
These are dates used in claims made insurance.Retro date - Policy covers any claim alleging facts occurring after this datePrior & Pending Date: Covers all claims made after this date (no coverage for claims known at policy inception)
Accounts receivable