Not a lawyer but am a landlord. We have what you call a county court in my area. The limit of dollar amount for this county court is $3000. Court cost for filing and the case to be heard in my area is $35. Usually no lawyers are present. This is your call whether to use a lawyer if you have such a judicial branch in your area. Considering the dollar amount is limited to the $3000 dollars I represent myself as do most landlord in my area. If your renter is still there then file an eviction plus breach of contract plus unknown damages, chose service by sheriff, wait two weeks to confirm service [renter got the suit the must have been served to be heard in court], provide a copy of the lease attached to the filing papers, claim the rent owed about two weeks from the day you file plus estimated damages, plus remainder of lease to end of contract term, asking for immediate possession of the apartment. The judge should rule about a week or two for the renter to be gone and reschedule a second hearing for compliance and true amount of damages at that second hearing. When the renter doesn't pay within thirty days then file a proceeding supplemental which should be for free. It is your job to know where they took off to. You might have a skip tracer in your area or you can find skip tracers on the net. Cost of about $35 to again find the renter and serve him with the proceeding supplemental. Then ask the judge at that hearing to garnish his wages and set contempt charges if a forwarding address is not provided from that date on. Be sure to have pictures of damages of your rental. Best advice I have is to have pictures of the apartment before you rent to a person and obtain a social security number during leased signing. Have the renter sign the pictures at time of lease signing accepting the apartment as the conditions portray in the pictures. Then after he damages your apartment and you must go to court again then you have before and after pictures to show the judge.
Good Luck
Wg
