01
Family Law
Separation, divorce, parenting and support — handled with clarity when things are hardest.
Learn more
Civil Litigation
A dispute is a business decision before it is a legal one.
Overview
Contract disputes, debt recovery, Small Claims Court and civil actions.
Litigation is a means, not an end. Before anything is filed we want to know what a win is actually worth, what it will cost to get there, and whether the other side can pay. Sometimes the answer is a firm demand letter. Sometimes it is a claim filed the same week. We tell you which, honestly.
Civil LitigationBuzi Law · Ontario
When to call
Any of these apply?
If one of these is true, the conversation is worth having now rather than after the next step is taken.
- A demand letter has arrived
- You have been served with a claim
- An invoice has gone unpaid past every promise
- A contract has been breached and the other side has stopped replying
- The limitation period is approaching
- You hold a judgment nobody has paid
What we handle
The work, specifically.
01
Contract disputes
Breach of contract, failure to pay, defective performance and disputes over what was agreed.
02
Debt recovery
Demand, claim and enforcement — including garnishment and writs where a judgment goes unpaid.
03
Small Claims Court
Claims up to the Small Claims monetary limit, where speed and proportionate cost matter most.
04
Superior Court actions
Claims beyond the Small Claims limit, including pleadings, discovery and motions.
05
Negligence and property damage
Claims arising from damage, defective work and losses caused by another party's carelessness.
06
Mediation and settlement
Most files settle. Negotiating from a prepared position is what determines on whose terms.
Who we act for
The people on this file.
01
Businesses
Chasing unpaid invoices, defending claims, and resolving disputes with suppliers, customers and former partners.
02
Individuals
Contract and property disputes where the amount matters and the process is unfamiliar.
03
Judgment creditors
Where the fight is over and the problem is now collection.
How it runs
From first call to closed file.
01
Assess before you file
What the claim is worth, what it will cost, how long it will take, and whether the defendant can actually pay.
02
Demand
A properly framed demand letter resolves a meaningful share of disputes, and costs a fraction of a claim.
03
Claim and pleadings
Small Claims or Superior Court depending on the amount and complexity, with pleadings that set up the case you intend to run.
04
Settle or try it
Mediation, settlement conference and offers to settle — and trial where the other side leaves no alternative.
Fees
What this costs
Demand letters and Small Claims matters are quoted as fixed fees per stage, so you can decide at each point whether to continue. Superior Court matters are hourly with stage estimates. Before any of it, you get an honest answer about whether the claim is worth pursuing — including when the answer is no.
Get a written estimateQuestions
Answered plainly.
Small Claims Court hears monetary claims up to a set limit — currently $35,000, exclusive of interest and costs. Claims above that go to the Superior Court, where the process is longer and costs more. Where a claim sits near the line, the choice is strategic.
The general limitation period in Ontario is two years from when you knew, or reasonably ought to have known, that you had a claim. There are exceptions and shorter periods for certain claims. Missing it ends the matter regardless of merit — so this is the first thing we check.
Usually a portion, not all. Costs awards are discretionary and depend on the court, the conduct of the parties and whether offers to settle were made. Anyone who promises full recovery is overselling.
Only if the amount justifies the cost and the defendant can actually pay. A judgment against someone with no assets is a piece of paper. We assess collectability before you commit to a fight.
It is a formal written offer made under the rules. If you beat your own offer at trial, the costs consequences for the other side can be significant. Made properly and early, it changes the economics of the whole dispute — which is why it is a tactical decision, not an administrative one.
A judgment is permission to collect, not payment. Enforcement means examinations in aid of execution, garnishment of wages or bank accounts, and writs against property. This is why we assess collectability at the start rather than the end.
Related
Other practice areas.
02
Real Estate Law
Purchases, sales, refinancing, title, mortgage enforcement and power of sale.
Learn more
03
Estate Law
Wills, powers of attorney, probate and the administration of an estate.
Learn more
Speak with a lawyer
Tell us what happened.
We will tell you where you stand.
A short conversation costs nothing and usually saves a great deal. You will get a straight answer about whether you have a matter, what it is likely to involve, and what it will cost.