This was a simple small claims suit. It cost me $75 to file, which I got back added to the rest of the award. As I said above, they sent a terminal manager from the local airport instead of a lawyer. Not that they would have won with a lawyer present. The day I won I emailed their lawyer, who I'd been in contact with, and told her where to send the money. She called me later in the day and said it will be a week or two but my payment is in the works. I'm sure I'll be paid promptly.
This is a good point though. In US courts, all the court does is decide the case. Collecting is another matter entirely! If you sue and win but don't get paid, you have to hire a sheriff to serve papers demanding payment. And if the loser refuses, you might have to go to court again to have some of their employee pay deducted and diverted to you. If they don't work for someone else it can be even more difficult to get money out of their bank account.
--Ethan
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