How to Sue Raymond James in Small Claims Court

So you’re looking to sue Raymond James?

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

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

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

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

So, if you’re thinking of suing Raymond James, 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 Raymond James to push legal claims into the private realm of consumer arbitration, away from conventional courts.

But here’s the thing: your Raymond James 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 Raymond James:

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 Raymond James 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 Raymond James to Small Claims Court will typically involve appearing in person and completing necessary forms.

If you’re ready to sue Raymond James in Small Claims Court, read on below:

Taking Raymond James to Small Claims Court Step-by-Step

Make sure you qualify to sue Raymond James in small claims court.

Ready to sue Raymond James in small claims court? First, make sure you qualify. Not every case can go before small claims courts. Pay attention to:

The amount of money: Every small claims court sets a maximum dollar amount you can ask for in compensation. For most states it is $5000 or $10,000, but it can be as low as $2,500. 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 in regular court: monetary (a dollar value payment) and equitable (any non-monetary request). Most small claims courts however can only grant monetary awards if you sue Raymond James.

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 Raymond James a demand letter.

Before you sue Raymond James in small claims court, you need to ask them to voluntarily fix the problem. This takes place with what is called a demand letter.

The letter can be simple and straightforward. Just tell Raymond James who you are (your name, address, phone number and account number), what the problem is, and what you want them to do to fix it.

Once you are done writing, you have to mail them a hard copy of the letter to their official address. It is best that you send it via certified mail so that you can verify it was received. According to our most recent research, Raymond James is legally based in Florida and receives mail at this address. (Check your contract to confirm if this is the right address for legal notices):

Raymond James Financial, Inc.
C/O CT CORPORATION SYSTEM
1200 SOUTH PINE ISLAND ROAD
PLANTATION, FL 33324

If you would like examples of demand letters or more information about how to write them, you can find an excellent guide here.

Fill out court forms.

In order to sue Raymond James in small claims court, you’re going to need to fill out some paper work. Each state is different too.

There are different forms for your state, and sometimes for your county. You can find them for free on the state court website. Find your state court website here.

Be sure to fill out enough copies too, as most courts require 3 or 4 copies of all documents when you move to the next step.

File your court forms.

When you’re done filling out the court forms, you have to officially file them with the court, a complicated process.

When you sue Raymond James, most courts will require you to physically go to the courthouse only during specific hours and days to hand-deliver the forms to the court’s clerk. Other courts may allow you to file by mail, fax or (for a few courts) online.

You will have to pay the small claims court filing fee first, the amount of which can be found on your court website here. It can sometimes be waved if you are a low income plaintiff.

When you file your forms, the court clerk will provide you with a stamped copy of the forms and a court date. Keep that safe and bring your copy with you on the day of your hearing.

“Serve” Raymond James.

If you’ve made it this far – good work! This is a long and difficult process with a lot of rules. But it is important to follow each of them.

Now that you’ve filed the papers required to start your case against Raymond James, you need to tell Raymond James that it’s been sued. This is a legal step called “serving” Raymond James. To do this, you need to deliver a copy of your filed papers to Raymond James.

Here is where it gets tricky. Pay attention to the instructions on your court’s website for how to properly deliver your forms to Raymond James, or search for “[your state] small claims service of process”. Courts have many odd rules to follow and if you don’t follow them all, you won’t be able to sue Raymond James.

Show up for court.

The court date you received from the court clerk gives (after you filed your forms), is an important date, so put it on your calendar.

Make sure you know which courthouse to go to, and make sure you bring your copy of your filed forms, and any other evidence that backs up your case as to why you decided to sue Raymond James.

Sometimes, Raymond James will not show up to oppose you. If that happens, take advantage of the situation to focus on your side of the story. Remember, the judge will render a decision based on what you present and what Raymond James presents (if anything).

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

How to Sue Raymond James