Got a "professional" deadbeat

I posted notice two weeks ago Thursday and filed Last Monday. He goes to court Friday. I am getting some satisfaction out of the fact that I am on vacation while he is getting evicted. I am supposed to have possession within a week of the court date.

He called a few days ago and called me some choice names and threatened to destroy the house. I told him our conversation was over and hung up on him. He called me back seven times that night. Not sure what he wanted.

We’ll see what happens. This is my first eviction.

Well, he is successfully evading the court, who is no help. He showed up to contest the eviction by saying he wants to pay the rent he owes. Now the court date is set as the 17th of April. Not sure how this is supposed to represent justice. I’m as mad at the court now as I am him.

Sorry I’m late to the party.
In Florida, in Feb, my own professional deadbeat filed an answer, a motion, and a counterclaim (but no rent paid into the court escrow, of course), just for the purpose of squeezing another two weeks before the old legal heave-ho. Paid my attorney another $800 to quash the motion and answer, and have counterclaim dismissed (oh, the attorney was also very useful in getting the “hearing date” moved up 10 days earlier that the Florida court wanted to schedule it).
Here’s my take (in Florida, and probably in most states) the court clerk will accept for filing a dead possum so long as it has “motion in oposition to eviction complaint” written on it in magic marker - they do not jusge sufficiency, of course, but get this – a counterclaim filing costs just south of $300 and my deadbeat was allowed to file it and got a “letter” saying, Now don’t forget, y’all got to pay the court that $300 one of these days…"
My deadbeat would never attempt to get a legal aide attorney because those nosies would ask him all kinds of questions.
A judge could review the motion and answer for sufficiency on its face (not the merits, just, you know, was it a note saying “Landlord is unfair!” in magic marker on the side of a dead possum), but elected to just put it down for a hearing.
Of course Deadbeat showed up, pleaded he was just a sad little non-lawyer…Lond story short, Sheriff had him out two days after that.
Moral - move immediately on the eviction and don’t relent with the forward motion on eviction, even if the tenant counterclaims for $50,000 for violating his civil rights and hurting his feelings for putting a three-day pay-or-quit notice in his hand. Can’t make this stuff up.

Just pull the water water meter…
JUST KIDDEN. :banghead

Went to court this morning. The attorney had it all wrapped up before court even started. 5 minutes in and out. He will be out monday or he understands that I am entering and taking his stuff. I figure he’s moving this weekend.

From start, 2/25/13, to finish, 4/22/13, is about 60 days of grief.

Not bad for someone fighting you.

Part of it was my fault. The court dilly dallied too long and got into my spring trade show at work, leading to scheduling conflicts. I lost two weeks because of it.

Thats a crazy ordeal. I know in Dallas county I can get a deadbeat out in 21 days, from the day I give notice to the day I move his stuff to the curb. But you need to not waste a day, and also file a surety bond to expedite the time you can get his stuff to the curb - to make it work

It wasn’t quite two months. He paid February rent, really late. He didn’t pay March rent and I posted three day notice on his door. It then takes between 9 and 16 days after the end of the three day period before a court date is scheduled. If he hadn’t showed up I would have gotten a writ of restitution and had him out soon after that. That date was the 25th of March. He did show up and said he wanted to pay the rent. I said no, so a trial was set. The trial was going to be the fourth and he likely would have been out on the 8th, but my travel schedule and the judges vacation left me with the 17th and he got free time there.

I’m glad I got to learn the process. I didn’t screw this one up too badly but the next eviction will go smoother.