Crime Victims in Civil Court

Litigating fraud — especially felony offenses — is a slippery slope for fraud victims.

But hang in there. You came to the best place to get help for fraud victims, especially if you have to be your own attorney.

If you are one of the fortunate few that can afford an attorney or found one to take your case pro bono, then congratulations. In that case, if you seek the fellowship of other victims that know how you feel, join the support group.

If, however, you are like most victims, and have to be your own attorney, then we have a wealth of resources available to help your through your journey. The support group is full of people that have been in your shoes and may be able to help you navigate the court system.

Options

Small Claims Court

For smaller frauds, you can sue the crook in small claims court, even if you don't know the address of the thief. Use his last known address.

Most small claims courts have legal clinics with law students that help direct you.

Small claims courts have a set amount that the filer cannot exceed. Such as in California it is $6,000.

Give some thought to the amount time, money, and effort you want to invest in pursuing the crook. It may be worth taking a bit of a loss to avoid a bigger expense down the road. and the emotional turmoil of a long trial.

We know how difficult it is to suddenly become an attorney in a system that is not user friendly for the public.

WJFA has spent much time gathering tips and insights from fraud victims to provide you with successful strategies.

You'll find helpful advice and tools for preparing and fighting a lawsuit.

If you want to talk to other fraud victims that had to be their own attorney, join the support group.

Collecting Your Judgment

If you received a judgment from a court that the thief has to repay you, or, retun the stolen item, then you have some options for collecting.

If you know the guilty person owns a home, you can get from the court a writ of judgment that you record at a county recorder against the person's home. That is known as a judgment lien. They have to pay if they sell or refinance the home.

The county will mail the recorded lien back to you with all the official court and county stamps on it. Make copies and then mail to all the credit reporting agencies.

Another option is, file the judgment with credit reporting bureaus.