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Hot take: filing my small claims case in San Bernardino instead of LA County made all the difference
I got stiffed on a $2,400 deposit by a landlord who managed a duplex in Fontana, and the place sat in LA County where I live. I talked to a clerk in LA and the earliest date was 94 days out, and the filing fee was $50. Then a friend said to try San Bernardino County since the property sat there, so I called. The clerk walked me through venue rules over the phone, the fee was the same, and my date landed in 31 days. The other side actually showed up because it was a 20 minute drive for them instead of a two hour haul into downtown LA. I got a judgment for the full amount plus my fee, and collecting took another two months but it happened. I know some folks say never file outside your home county, and others say you should always file where the defendant is, so which one wins? Wondering if anyone here has picked venue for a small claims case and regretted it.
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