HB 187

Abstract

This Act would both raise the jurisdictional limit of the Justice of the Peace Court to $25,000 and allow Justice of the Peace to consider claims in excess of the jurisdictional limit where the underlying matter involves a commercial tenancy and possession of the rental unit is at issue. Currently, if a party is owed rent in excess of the jurisdictional limit they must either submit to the jurisdictional limit of the Court and forego the portion of the claim which exceeds the jurisdictional limit or bifurcate the case, filing both for possession in the Justice of the Peace Court and a debt action in a court of competent jurisdiction. While this Act would increase efficiency in terms of allowing one court to consider all aspects of the case it would in no way preclude a party from bifurcating the action if they chose to do so.