How to Sue Guardian Protection Services in Small Claims Court

So you’re looking to sue Guardian Protection Services?

At FairShake we’ve helped thousands of people ripped off by big companies like Guardian Protection Services. And we’ve helped get millions of dollars in settlement offers…

[continued below]

Share your Guardian Protection Services complaint

Get Started Now

Tired of hitting dead ends when trying to get a refund from Guardian Protection Services? Feeling like there’s nowhere to turn?

You’re not alone. It seems like many people have tried all the Guardian Protection Services customer service options, but still feel unheard.

There are different ways to file a complaint against Guardian Protection Services, but none have the same power and leverage as taking legal action.

So, if you’re thinking of suing Guardian Protection Services, where do you even start? You might expect there to be tons of class action lawsuits against them, but it’s often more complicated than that.

What many people don’t know is that hidden clauses buried deep within their contracts frequently allow companies like Guardian Protection Services to push legal claims into the private realm of consumer arbitration, away from conventional courts.

But here’s the thing: your Guardian Protection Services contract doesn’t have the power to take away your right to pursue legal action by suing them.

Here’s what you can do…

Two options to Sue Guardian Protection Services:

Consumer Arbitration: This involves accessing an official and independent dispute resolution process that is not a court. It provides an opportunity to seek compensation for your complaint without the need to appear in person. For many, this can be a preferable option.To find out if you can take Guardian Protection Services to arbitration, you can check your contract or user agreement with them. Many companies’ standard contract are available on their websites. You can do a search for “arbitration” arbitration within the contract text — it is usually mentioned near the very top of a contract.
Learn more about the consumer arbitration process here.
Small Claims Court: If you prefer to avoid the arbitration system, you can opt for Small Claims Court. You should know that the procedures for Small Claims Court may vary depending on your jurisdiction.Taking Guardian Protection Services to Small Claims Court will typically involve appearing in person and completing necessary forms.

If you’re ready to sue Guardian Protection Services in Small Claims Court, read on below:

Taking Guardian Protection Services to Small Claims Court Step-by-Step

MAKE SURE YOUR CLAIM QUALIFIES FOR SMALL CLAIMS COURT

Are you ready to sue Guardian in small claims court? Small claims courts are only for certain types of claims. The first step is to make sure your claim qualifies for small claims court. You need to learn two important factors that are associated with a small claims court hearing:

The amount of money: Every small claims court sets a maximum dollar amount for the claim you can bring. In most states it’s either $5000 or $10,000, but it can be as low as $2,500 (in Kentucky and Rhode Island). You can find a list of all 50 states’ monetary limits here.
The type of relief: There are two types of awards that you can seek in a lawsuit: monetary (a dollar value payment) and equitable (a non-monetary request). Most small claims courts grant only monetary awards.

If your claim doesn’t fall within the limits of your state’s small claims court, you’ll have to arbitrate your claim instead.

SEND A DEMAND LETTER

Most small claims courts require that you ask the person or company you’re suing to fix your problem voluntarily before you file a claim. If you want to sue Guardian in small claims court, you need to send the company a demand letter before you do anything else.

Your demand letter should be short and straightforward. Tell Guardian who you are (your name, address, phone number and account number), what the problem is, and what you want from them. The whole letter should run just a few sentences. You are checking a box on the to do list before you file your claim.

When you’re done writing the demand letter, you need to mail a hard copy of the letter to the company’s legal address. According to our most recent research, Guardian Protection Services is legally based in Pennsylvania and receives mail at this address:

Guardian Protection Service, Inc.
174 Thorn Hill Rd
Legal Department
Warrendale, PA 15086

If you would like examples of demand letters or more information about how to write them, you should read this helpful guide.

FILL OUT COURT FORMS

In order to sue Guardian in small claims court, you need to submit legal documents.

Each state has a set of forms that need to be filled out to file a claim, and sometimes counties will request the submission of additional forms. The correct forms for your location is available for free on your state court website.

Make sure you fill out enough forms. Most states that require you to file forms by mail or in-person ask for 3 or 4 copies. If you don’t submit the correct number of copies, expect the court clerk to dismiss your lawsuit.

FILE YOUR COMPLAINT FORM WITH THE COURT

When you’re done filling out the court forms, it’s time to submit the forms to the court. This process, called “filing” can frustrate consumers.

Many courts require plaintiffs to deliver the forms to the courthouse during specific times of the week. Other courts may allow plaintiffs to file by fax, mail, or online.

All courts will require plaintiffs to pay a filing fee before they allow a lawsuit against Guardian Protection Services to move forward. This fee, which is published on your court website, is sometimes waived for low income plaintiffs.

When you file your forms, the court clerk provides you with a stamped copy of the forms and a reminder about the court date.

SERVE YOUR FORMS TO GUARDIAN

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! Suing Guardian in small claims is a long and difficult process.

Now that you’ve filed the papers required to start your case against Guardian, you need to tell Guardian about the lawsuit. This is a called “serving” Guardian. To do this, you need to deliver copies of the filed court forms to Guardian.

Look at your court’s website for instructions on how to deliver your forms to Guardian properly, or search for “[your state] small claims service of process”. Courts have made many stringent rules about how to serve a defendant. Follow every rule to avoid having your case thrown out by the court clerk.

SHOW UP FOR YOUR COURT DATE

When the court clerk gives you a court date, make sure to put it on your calendar. Write down the address of the courthouse that includes the room number of the courtroom. Bring all supporting documents, including any evidence that bolsters your claim. Sometimes, Guardian does not show up to oppose plaintiffs. If that happens to you, take advantage of the situation to present on your side of the story.

Ready to sue Guardian in small claims court?
If this sounds too hard and expensive, try consumer arbitration instead…

How to Sue Guardian Protection Services