- What happens when you violate a lease or landlord-tenant code
- What happens when your landlord takes you to court
- I just received an eviction notice. What should I do?
- What are the common reasons a landlord can legally evict a tenant?
- What are the common reasons a landlord can never evict a tenant?
- What are some things that a landlord can never do to evict me?
- What can happen if I fail to pay the rent?
- Can a landlord evict me if I am convicted of a misdemeanor or felony?
- If I received an eviction notice, can I make a deal with my landlord?
- What is "holding-over" ? Can a landlord evict me for "holding-over"?
What happens when your landlord takes you to court
If your landlord has gone to court to evict you, the court will notify you and tell you when and where to go to court. You will be notified in one of two ways:
By certified mail, return receipt requested
If you get a card from the Post Office telling you to pick up some certified mail, GET IT! If you do not, the court will evict you anyway and you will not get a chance to defend yourself.
By Constable
A Constable will try to deliver the notice to you in person. If you are not home, he will tape it to your door.
If you get a notice telling you to go to court, DON’T IGNORE IT.
Normally, the court date will be 2 to 4 weeks after the date your landlord files his case. (It can be more or less.) The date depends on how busy the court is.
On the court date, be sure to go to court early. There will be a trial in front of a judge. Both you and the landlord will have a chance to tell their side of the story.
If you do not go to court, your landlord will win.
If you are late, the court will go ahead without you, so get there early.