How to Fight an Eviction

If you receive an eviction notice from your landlord, you have the right to fight the eviction in court. Here's how.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• File Cabinets
• Real Estate Attorneys
• File Folders
• Notebooks
• Personal Organizers
• Writing Pens
• Cameras
• Disposable Cameras
• Film

1. Consult a real estate attorney about your concerns and the rental laws in your state if you believe you're being evicted for unjust causes.
2. Hire an attorney to defend your case in court.
3. Provide your attorney with copies of your lease, rent receipts, correspondence, pertinent papers and pictures, or other evidence to prove your case in court.
4. Review all applicable events leading up to the eviction notice with your attorney to prepare your defense.
5. Ask witnesses to attend the court hearing to aid in your defense.
6. Attend the court hearing for your eviction case; in some states, the landlord wins by default if the tenant is not present in court.
7. Be prepared to testify in court on your own behalf.

Tips & Warnings

• Landlord-tenant laws vary from state to state, so always consult a real estate attorney in regard to eviction notices.
• In some states, tenants can be limited in their ability to contest eviction notices if the landlord has followed proper eviction procedures.