Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is for general educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute formal legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed. Read the full disclaimer
Lead Legal Procedures Researcher
B.A. Paralegal Studies, NALA Certified Paralegal (CP)
Dana writes CaseFilePrep document-preparation checklists. Her focus is the unglamorous part of a case: what paperwork exists, what order it belongs in, what a clerk will reject on sight, and how a self-represented filer can assemble a clean file without guessing. She reads the current court rules and published clerk instructions for every guide and re-checks them at each scheduled review.
Experience: Eleven years as a litigation paralegal in civil and small-claims practice, preparing and indexing exhibit binders for more than 400 filed matters before moving into full-time legal research writing.
Dana Whitfield is not a practising attorney and does not provide legal advice or representation through this site. See our disclaimer.
How to prepare a security deposit claim: move-in and move-out evidence, deposit return deadlines, itemised deduction statements, normal wear and tear, and the written demand that precedes a filing. Educational information, not legal advice.
Winning is not collecting. A procedural walkthrough of post-judgment enforcement: the debtor examination, wage garnishment, bank levies, property liens, abstracts of judgment and the paperwork each one requires. Educational information, not legal advice.
What a demand letter contains, how to structure it, how to calculate and evidence the amount, and how to send it so delivery can be proved. A procedural template walkthrough, not legal advice.
Service of process explained step by step: who is allowed to serve papers, the difference between personal, substituted and mail service, how long you have, and how to complete and file proof of service. Educational information, not legal advice.
A step-by-step document preparation checklist for small claims court: how to build your timeline, organise evidence into exhibits, prepare proof of service and assemble a packet a judge can follow. Educational information, not legal advice.