I agree that sometimes it is just not worth it to sue.  It seems like the majority of clients that have delinquent balances with me is because they only make a partial payment on an invoice and never catch up.  Sometimes we have clients that don't pay at all, but it is usually just a couple of search and usually less than $200.  It is not worth paying my attorney $150/hr and even if I could do it myself in small claims court - my time is worth more than that.

In the past, with the companies that continue to send us work, but always shave a few dollars off of their invoices, I just raise their price per search.  That way, in the long run I get paid.

Usually, I simply stop doing work for them.  If I receive another order we just fax it back with their statement and tell them that when they pay their balance we would be happy to continue doing their work.

We have been stuck for much greater sums, but it is usually when a client goes out of business and they usually end up filing bankruptcy.  They are kind enough to include me on their service list so I can see every time their attorneys take a nice healthy draw for legal fees.  Even those times when the debt is large enough to make it worth the legal fees to try to collect, if they are uncollectible, its just a waste of money.

I have just resolved myself to cutting off their service before the balance gets too large and forget about them.

Best,
Robert A. Franco
SOURCE OF TITLE