Please note: Any mobility services carry a fee of $35.00.
In Alberta, claims of up to $100,000.00 can be heard at the Alberta Court of Justice level. The Alberta Court of Justice allows for civil court agency representation which means that you do not have to hire a lawyer. All matters, with the exception of land ownership disputes, government matters, wills/estates disputes, malicious prosecution, false imprisonment and defamation (libel/slander) can be heard at the Alberta Court of Justice level. AzPerLegal Services, as a civil court agent, will represent your interests at a fraction of the cost of a lawyer.
AzPerLegal Services has extensive experience in civil litigation, with a particular emphasis on debt collection and expertise in enforcing your judgment – or in normal people speak – collecting the money!
There are typically three to four stages to a litigation where a significant amount of work is required. With the recent changes to the Alberta Court of Justice Act, there are now more options or routes that a litigation can take, i.e. once the Claim has been filed, the Court may order the matter go to a mediation, a Judicial Dispute Resolution, Pre-Trial Conference or a simplified trial, prior to going to trial (with the exception of a simplified trial which takes the place of a full trial). At the beginning of the claim, documents must be reviewed to obtain a solid understanding of the matter and to properly prepare the claim.
Depending on the actions of the party, there may be very little to do until such time as either a Court mediation, Judicial Dispute Resolution or a Pre-Trial Conference is ordered. With the exception of a Judicial Dispute Resolution (where the outcome is binding), if the matter cannot be settled at the mediation or Pre-Trial Conference stage, then the matter is scheduled for an actual trial. Each of these stages require preparatory work and with particular regard to trial, extensive preparation in terms of witness preparation, evidence preparation and argument.
We will also make every effort throughout the course of the litigation to try to resolve the matter so that no further legal expense is required. In connection with this, as a paralegal firm, AzPerLegal cannot provide you legal advice. We are able to assist in the process as your civil court agent and provide general information on legal matters, however, this should not be taken nor construed as legal advice. If, at any time, you wish legal advice, we are happy to refer you to a lawyer.
Fees are billed at $185.00 per hour in three minute increments
| SERVICE | PRICE |
|---|---|
| Filing Civil Claim | $100.00 – $200.00 |
| Filing Dispute Note with no Counterclaim | $25.00 – $25.00 |
| Filing Dispute Note with Counterclaim | $75.00 – $125.00 |
| Filing Third Party Claim | $50.00 |
| Notice of Application (in course of the matter up to trial, if required) | $50.00 |
| Service of Documents | Depending on manner of service |
| Corporate Search where company involved | $20.00 |
You have obtained judgment, now what? It is one thing to obtain a judgment, and another to enforce it, or in plain English, to collect on it. Once a judgment is obtained, further steps have to be taken to convert the judgment into a form acceptable for collection.
AzPerLegal is skillful in collecting on judgments and is also licensed as a debt collection agency. Our principal, Christine Herrington, brings a wealth of knowledge from several years as a collections paralegal with a large Calgary law firm which she uses to most effectively assist you in collecting on your judgment. She also educates small businesses on obtaining pertinent information on clients in order to, in the future, if required, be successful in collecting on debts and/or judgments.
We will assist you by converting the judgment into a Writ of Enforcement and taking measures to register the Writ of Enforcement with Personal Property Registry, the Land Titles Office (where applicable) and Equifax. Registering the judgment with Equifax makes it evident to other possible creditors of the party you have sued (now referred to as a judgment debtor) that they are not a good risk and have been successfully sued before. We will also, where possible, garnishee bank accounts, wages, investment accounts, and where applicable, seize assets.
All prices are plus GST
| SERVICE | PRICE |
|---|---|
| Writ of Enforcement procedures – preparation, filing and registration | $375.00 plus disbursements |
| Writ of Enforcement procedures (as above) with Land Titles registration | $400.00 plus disbursements |
| Writ of Enforcement procedures (as above) with garnishee | $525.00 plus disbursements |
| Garnishee summons alone | $175.00 plus disbursements (includes monitoring same) |
| For each additional garnishee | $150.00 plus disbursements |
| Renewal of Writ of Enforcement with Personal Property Registry, including calculation of post judgment interest | $300.00 plus GST and disbursements |
| Civil Enforcement procedures, including asset seizure | to be discussed |
“My wife and I had a call with Christine for our Will and Power of Attorney. Christine is professional and fun to work with, she really made everything easy to understand and the meeting was a breeze!”
The Alberta Court of Justice has jurisdiction to hear and adjudicate claims up to $100,000.00, exclusive of interest and costs. Exceptions regarding the type of claim that can be brought at the Alberta Court of Justice include certain land ownership disputes, municipal government disputes, estate litigation, malicious prosecution, false imprisonment, and defamation. Civil Court Agents, such as AzPerLegal Services Inc., can assist in successfully navigating the Court process to provide the best chances of success.
The Alberta Court of Justice allows for civil court agents to provide representation of clients, whether you are the one bringing the claim or are having to defend against a claim. We, at AzPerLegal, can act as your civil court agent, taking conduct of the matter at the outset, including preparation and filing of a claim (or in the case of a defendant, preparing a defence), attending Court applications, and providing representation at trial. It is important to note that we are not lawyers and, accordingly, are unable to provide you with legal advice; however, we are able to provide you with guidance, based on our practical knowledge and experience, in the process of litigation and the potential outcomes.
The first step in litigation involves preparing the claim (if you are the one suing) or preparing a defence to the claim (if you are being sued). Once this step has been completed, the Court will determine whether the matter is a suitable candidate for mediation and if so, the matter will be sent to mediation. If mediation is not an option or is unsuccessful, the matter will be scheduled for a PreTrial Conference at which time, it will be determined whether the matter will proceed to a full trial, a simplified trial or binding judicial resolution. Each stage requires specific and detailed preparation and document management.
Yes. We help prepare, file, and serve all court documents (called pleadings), including Civil Claims, Dispute Notes, Applications, and trial evidence.
Yes. We can assist with judgment enforcement. This entails a number of steps, including the preparation, filing and registration of what is called a Writ of Enforcement. This is a necessary step to allow for further judgment enforcement efforts.
Historically, judgments over $2,000.00 were automatically registered against the judgment debtor’s credit account; however, more recently, the judgment creditor must take steps to contact all credit reporting agencies to register any judgment over $2,000.00.
Options may include garnishing bank accounts or wages, registering writs against property, freezing financial assets, or seizing eligible assets, and eventually, if a judgment debtor refuses to provide requested information as to their assets and liabilities, a warrant for the arrest of the judgment debtor.
As a civil court agency firm, AzPerLegal Services Inc. is not able to provide legal advice. We are civil court agents, not lawyers. Only lawyers can provide legal advice. We can, however, provide you with our wealth of knowledge regarding the Court process and procedure, as well as our thoughts and knowledge based on our experience, all gleaned from over 35 years of experience in litigation. Our principal, Christine Herrington, was employed for many years with some of Calgary’s largest law firms as a litigation paralegal, working closely with litigation lawyers and thereby gaining invaluable experience and insight.