Sue a landscaper

[larlin]

I had a landscaper do about $15,000 in landscaping. We also use him for lawn maintenance-we've used him for a couple of years. Finally, after putting us off time and time again with every excuse in the book from the weather and workers calling off, he completed the job. Half the bushes/plants were wrong and most were poor quality. He also admitted verbally that he wasn't happy with the nursery he had been using and cut ties with them. Now, half the bushes are dead. He said he will replace them in the Spring, however, after how he handled things this past summer don't want to use him. I have also asked him multiple times for the complete breakdown of what we paid for each plant/tree, etc. He says he no longer has that breakdown. What course of action should I take? Can I sue for the entire job? Thank you.

 

[army judge]

If he won't work with you, you'll ave no choice but to sue him and PROVE your allegations to a small claims court judge.

Don't expect miracles, because even if you prevail, collecting your money is 100 times harder than proving you're owed the money.

http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/prose/

Small Claims is one of three sections of the Superior Court's Special Civil Part. The other two sections are Landlord/Tenant and regular Special Civil Part. Small Claims handles cases in which the demand is not more than $3,000 or $5,000 if the demand is for the return of a tenant's security deposit. These are the money limits of Small Claims. If the amount of money you are trying to recover is more than the money limits, but less than $15,000, your case should be filed in the regular Special Civil Part. Cases in which damages are more than $15,000 must be filed in the Law Division of the Superior Court.



http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/civil/civ-02.htm


http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/essex/civil/small.htm