The Debtors' Guide to Local Courts is an invaluable resource for debtors, financial counsellors, community workers, and lawyers. It provides comprehensive, accessible, and up-to-date information about the debt recovery system for people facing debts in New South Wales.

Being in debt can be a confusing and frightening experience. This book aims to put some control back into the lives of debtors--providing practical guidance on negotiating with creditors, dealing with debt harassment, responding to a statement of claim, and stopping debt enforcement. It also gives an overview of the Local Court.

The updated third edition includes:

• flowcharts which provide simple overviews of various steps in the debt recovery process;
• updated practical information such as filing fees, amounts that can be claimed, interest rates, and solicitor’s scales of costs in the Local Court;
• updated information on the different ways of running matters in the Small Claims or the General Division of the Local Court;
• sample letters and improved sample forms, including an example of a defence under the Consumer Claims Act;
• associated and relevant information on the powers of the Consumer Trader and Tenancy Tribunal to decide credit and debt matters and the process followed by the State Debt Recovery Office for the payment of unpaid fines; and
• more comprehensive information on bankruptcy.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1: How to use this guide
CHAPTER 2: Debt recovery and the legal system
CHAPTER 3: More about debts
CHAPTER 4: At the Local Court
CHAPTER 5: Before court action
CHAPTER 6: Start legal proceedings
CHAPTER 7: Hearing in the Small Claims Divison
CHAPTER 8: Hearing in the General Division
CHAPTER 9: Judgment
CHAPTER 10: Enforcement
CHAPTER 11: Ways of stopping enforcement action
CHAPTER 12: Bankruptcy - voluntary or otherwise
CHAPTER 13: Sample letters and froms
CHAPTER 14: Contacts