Lawyer and court: when to go and what it costs

A lawyer is not only for the "rich": Beratungshilfe gives free advice for the poor (the Amtsgericht issues the voucher for ~€15). Prozesskostenhilfe makes court free if you have no money. Legal insurance (Rechtsschutzversicherung) is a lawyer policy (~€15–25/month covering disputes). The order: first Mahnbescheid (claim), then Klage (suit). The Streitwert (dispute value) sets costs: under €500 settling is cheaper.

• ●Beratungshilfe: ~€15 for an hour of legal advice — on low income
• ●Lawyer search: anwalt.de, deutscheranwaltverein.de, by specialty
• ●Verjährung: debts and claims expire — usually 3 years