How to Sue DirecTV in Small Claims Court

So you’re looking to sue DirecTV?

At FairShake we’ve helped thousands of people with claims against DirecTV and other big companies that ripped them off get millions of dollars in settlement offers… [continued below]

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Has DirecTV not been playing by the rules? Have you tried getting a refund from DirecTV and gotten nowhere?

You’re not alone. From what we hear, a lot of people out there have tried all the DirecTV customer service options and not gotten satisfaction.

There are other ways to bring your DirecTV complaint, but not many with real consequences, which is why some DirecTV customers turn to the legal system.

So where should you start if you want to sue DirecTV? You might think there would be tons of class action lawsuits against DirecTV. But the truth is more complicated.

Companies like DirecTV add clauses to their contract requiring consumer consumer arbitration. This gives them the right to force legal claims out of most US courts.

But your DirecTV contract can’t take away your right to sue entirely.

Two options to Sue DirecTV

The first option for suing DirecTV is through consumer arbitration. Contracts with arbitration clauses give you the right take legal action through an officially-designated, independent dispute process that’s not a court and won’t require showing up in person. This can be a better option for a lot of regular people.

The second way to sue DirecTV, if you want to avoid the arbitration system, is to use Small Claims Court. Because Small Claims Court processes differ from place to place, FairShake can’t help out here. It may require showing up in person and filling out some forms.

If you’re ready to take your DirecTV claim to Small Claims Court , read on below:

Taking DirecTV to Small Claims Court Step-by-Step

Does your claim qualify?

Just because you are ready to sue DirecTV in small claims court doesn’t mean they will accept it. There are two things you need to pay attention to:

The amount of money: Every small claims court sets a maximum dollar size for the claim you can bring. In most states it’s either $5000 or $10,000, but it can be as low as $2,500 (in Kentucky and Rhode Island). 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 – monetary (a dollar value payment) and equitable (any non-monetary request). Most small claims courts can only grant monetary awards.

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 the demand letter.

Before you can sue DirecTV you have to ask them to fix the problem beforehand.

This is called the demand letter.

The letter doesn’t have to be award winning. It can be nothing more than a few sentences telling DirecTV who you are (your name, address, phone number and account number), what the problem is, and what you want from them.

When you’re done writing, you need to mail a hard copy of the letter, preferably as certified mail or some other service that allows you to confirm delivery. According to our most recent research, DirecTV is legally based in California and receives mail at this address:

DIRECTV, LLC
C/O C T CORPORATION SYSTEM
330 N Brand Blvd
STE 700
Glendale, CA 91203

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 DirecTV in small claims court, you’re going to need to fill out some paper work.

Every state has different requirements which will be listed on the state court website. There might also be requirements for your county which can be found on the same site.

It is important that you fill out the right forms, and in the right number. Most states require 3 or 4 copies when you file and if you don’t have enough, there won’t be a copy machine near by.

“File” your documents with the court.

Now that you have the forms filled out, it is time to officially “file”. This is where you formally inform the courts you are going to sue DirecTV.

Many courts will require you to physically go to the courthouse during specific hours and days to hand-deliver the forms to the county clerk. If you are lucky, your courts may allow you to file by mail, fax or (for a few courts) online.

At this time you will need to pay the small claims court filing fee before you can sue DirecTV. You will get a stamped copy back of your forms, and keep them safe.

“Serve” your forms on DirecTV.

This is a lengthy process and now that you’ve filed you need to inform the company that you are going to sue DirecTV.

This is called “serving” the company. Each court has different rules for how you have to “serve” a company. It is important that you follow each of them exactly, otherwise your case might be thrown out.

If you can’t find out how to sue on your state court website, you can search for “[your state] small claims service of process”.

Head to court for your hearing.

The county clerk will give you a court date at the time you file, and this is the official hearing. Go to the right courthouse at the right time. Some counties have multiple courthouses so plan ahead.

Bring the copy of the forms you filed and any evidence you have to back up your claim, such as printed account documents or agreements.

Sometimes, DirecTV will show up and offer their side, and other times they will not show up to oppose you. If that happens, take advantage of the situation to focus on your side of the story.

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

How to Sue DirecTV