The Expert Podcast

So you have some type of dispute with another person or company. Maybe it's a small claims lawsuit. Maybe it's some type of damage somebody did to your vehicle or property. Maybe it's something as small as arguing over a fence with your neighbor. Almost everybody at any given time has some pending conflict or dispute with another person.

What are your options? You can hire an attorney. You can go back and forth with demand letters. You can do depositions. You can file litigation either in small claims court or regular court and see what happens. You can also do mediation.

In addition, you have another option: you can do a virtual court through our portal. The way it works is if you and the other party are willing, you both sign into the portal. There'll be a scheduled time where each party can present their case, their evidence, and their statements. They'll be asked questions, and our adjudicator will go through the case in a limited, abbreviated way, similar to how a court case would proceed. They will provide you with an example of what a judgment or ruling would be on the case.

Now, remember, we're not attorneys. We're not giving you legal advice, and we're not a judge. However, we are certified mediators, licensed private investigators, and licensed insurance claims adjusters. This gives us a perspective from all sides of what's likely to happen in any kind of dispute. What this will do is provide you with one person's perspective on what will happen should this case proceed.

You don’t have to abide by it. If Demand Court (see the link below) tells you that you win, lose, or have to pay a certain amount, you can simply use it as an example. You can say "go pound sand" or use it as a guideline for how you negotiate in the future.

Remember, attorneys normally bill at $300 to $500 per hour. They bill both sides on an ongoing basis, and even with just five or six hours per month, that's several thousand dollars. It could add up to $8,000 to $9,000 a month. This is a way to get a virtual trial of what a dispute resolution might look like for just a fraction of that cost.

In addition to providing a judgment standpoint, Demand Court also offers a mediation standpoint—helping to bring parties together. From our insurance knowledge, we assess the risks for each party. This way, you can make a good decision, have a chance to vent, tell your story, and hear the other side’s story.

You may think, "I don't want to hear what they have to say," but there could be value in listening. It might offer insight into how you can handle your case later or resolve it. From experience, even plaintiffs and defendants who win their cases often wish they hadn’t gone through the lengthy process due to mounting legal fees and the personal emotional toll, including sleepless nights and financial worries.

This Demand Court can give you a quick and straightforward resolution—usually within an hour or two. It’s all virtual, so you don’t have to travel. You can use Zoom or Google Meet to present your information in a condensed and inexpensive way, likely for just a few hundred dollars.

This sneak peek preview of what a full trial might look like also provides insights that most courts don’t offer. Judges and juries don’t have the same investigative insights or knowledge of mediation, insurance, and related industries like general contracting.

If this sounds interesting, check out the website below for Demand Court and see if it might be worth trying before diving into a full-blown court case.