Home » Forums » Massachusetts Law » MA Consumer Law Questions and Answers

How to locate defendant for Small Claims Court suit

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 12/01/2011 - 23:32
Posted in

I want to file a small claims case against someone for a loan. Unfortunately they have moved a couple times since the original loan. I have checked and can't find out where their residential address is, the only address I have is at their work. Can I have it sent to their work? if not any suggestions? only other thing I can think of is follow them home one night after work to find out where but figured that'd be a bad idea

‹ Can I sue doctor or dentist under 93A consumer protection act? Filling Small Claims after Harrasment Order ›

Finding a defendant for small claims court

Submitted by admin on Fri, 12/02/2011 - 10:35.

Yes, I agree, following them home is probably not a good idea.  There are several ways to find a defendant for a small claims court action.  You can go to the court and ask them for a form that I believe is called a "Request of change of address or box-holder information needed for legal service."  If you are unaware of the address for the defendant, the clerk will give you the form, for a small fee, and place the court's seal on the document.  You then take the form to the post office and ask them to find the most recent address.

Also, many private organizations that serve documents related to legal actions will, for a fee, use their databases and other resources available to them to locate a defendant.  Similarly, although I have never tried one, I know there are Internet companies that perform searches for a fee.  Good luck.

Talk to a Lawyer Today
Find a Consumer Protection Attorney in your County
Most offer FREE Consultations