Really? Part 1

I decided that I'm going to start a new post segment called "Really?" modeled after the segment of the same name on SNL with Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers. It won't be quite as funny, but I thought it would be a good way to document the stupidity and/or injustice that I am witnessing firsthand in my job. Turns out there is a lot. So this is the first segment of it.

Today we had two debt collection cases. It took me back to the days of mediating in small claims court because both of the cases were for less than $1000. Really? Yep, not kidding. When I sat down to listen to the first one, I thought that it was going to be over at least a few grand because would it really be worth someone's time to come to court over less than $500 bucks? Really? Turns out the plaintiff thought it was. They were both daycare cases. Turns out you should read the contract that you sign with someone, even if they tell you it is 'just a formality.' The woman in the first case was being taken to court for $400 and something, and the woman in the second case was being taken to court for $280. The thing that really got me was that in both cases, the women had admitted to owing the main amounts but because they were not willing to pay them up front, they got slapped with the collection company's fee, the attorney's fee and the court costs. In the second case, the lady ended up with a judgment against her of approximately $1200! Really? Just pay what you owe! She said something in her testimony about acknowledging early on that she owed at least $220. So she essentially went to court over $60 bucks and ended up paying almost 4 times more than what she would have if she had paid her bill. I was thinking, "Man! Her credit is going to be screwed for 8 years over $60 bucks!" Turns out that not knowing what your contract says or thinking it's not fair are not legal defenses. So next time you're tempted to (a) not read a contract before simply signing it because "it's a formality," (b) refuse to pay a bill that you really owe because they slapped on some fees that they are allowed to add since you didn't pay it the first time around, or (c) go to court over $60 bucks, think to yourself, "Really? Is this really a good idea?" Turns out it's not. Really.