(Visual: A thin purple line appears in the lower third of a white screen. On top of the purple line, a brown gavel strikes a sounding block twice.)

Female Narrator: Do you need to start a court case?

(Visual: The gavel slides down below the purple line and away, and a yellow scrolled piece of paper appears with purple lines representing text on it. A magnifying glass scrolls up from below and scans over the document.)

Female Narrator: In this video, you’ll learn how to…

(Visual: The words, “Find the right forms appear in purple font below the line. As the words appear, the magnifying glass scrolls down from the top of the page, and scans over the document. When it reaches the bottom, it slides below the purple line and disappears as the text disappears.)

Female Narrator: Find the right forms,

Find the right forms

(Visual: The scrolled paper disappears, and a debit/credit payment machine appears in its place. A purple credit card flies in from the top right corner of the machine, and swipes through the top. A dollar sign on the machine’s screen changes to a checkmark as the card swipes as the words, “Find out if you need to pay a filing fee” appear in purple below the line.)

Female Narrator: Find out if you need to pay a filing fee.

Find out if you need to pay a filing fee

(Visual: The payment machine and text disappears, and the credit card flips over, and turns into a manila envelope with the word, “complaint” on it. In the centre, above the purple line, a white building with many columns and peaked roof, like a Roman-style courthouse appears, and the manila envelope flies inside it and disappears, as the words, “file a complaint with the court” appear in purple below the line.)

Female Narrator: File a complaint with the court, and…

File a complaint with the court

(Visual: The building and text slide down and disappear, and a brown door in a brown doorframe appears in the centre of the screen. A hand holding the manila envelope with the word “complaint” on it reaches out to the door as the words, “serve the defendant” appear in purple below the line.)

Female Narrator: serve the defendant.

Serve the defendant

(Visual: All the text and pictures slide away and disappear, and the words, “Step 1” appear above a thin purple line in the middle of the screen, and below the line, the words, “Find the right forms” appear in purple.)

Female Narrator: Step One, find the right forms.

Step 1: Find the right forms

(Visual: The words and line disappear, and a very long purple piece of paper drops down from the top of the screen, stretching all the way to the bottom, and then curling around and up. The paper is covered with purple lines representing text. The word “complaint” appears near the top. A purple pen rises up from beneath the curled-around part of the paper, as moves away, as if it has finished writing.)

Female Narrator: Most court cases start with a complaint.

(Visual: The paper and pen slide to the left, and a white building with many columns and a peaked roof, like a Roman-style courthouse, appears to the right.)

(Visual: The courthouse slides to the left, and disappears behind the purple paper, which moves to centre screen. On the left, a circle with a purple shadow appears, showing the head and shoulders of a person in a purple shirt, with hair in a ponytail, but no facial features.)

Female Narrator: That’s a written statement of what you want from the court, and the other person,

(Visual: On top of the purple paper, another white circle appears with a purple shadow. This circle shows a brown one-storey building with two windows and a central door inside of it.)

(Visual: A third white circle with a purple shadow appears to the far right, with a drawing of a blue skyscraper inside. The building has five storeys, with light blue windows on every floor except the ground floor, which has a blue door.)

Female Narrator: business, or organization.

(Visual: The pictures disappear, and two rectangles appear, one in front of the other, so that only the top of the second one is visible behind the one in front. They both have a purple line across the top, the front one is light purple, and the back one is dark purple, and they both have a white oblong in the middle, like a typeable search bar. The words, “Legal Services Vermont” appear below the rectangles.)

Female Narrator: You can find the right complaint form on the Legal Services Vermont website,

Legal Services Vermont

vtlawhelp.org

(Visual: A purple arrow like a mouse cursor pointer, but larger, floats in from the right, with a motion trail, and comes to rest on the oblong search box on the front rectangle. The arrow twitches as though it is clicking on the search bar and moves to the left. The website address, “vtlawhelp.org” appears in purple in the search bar.)

Female Narrator: at vtlawhelp.org.

(Visual: The purple mouse arrow moves back to the right, and the rectangle with “vtlawhelp.org” written in it moves down and to the left, while the rectangle behind, moves up and to the right so that the whole of the back rectangle is visible, and it is identical in appearance to the first rectangle, with the typeable search bar, except a darker purple.)

(Visual: The two rectangles change places, the lighter purple window moves behind, and is obscured from view by the window with the dark purple bar at the top. The purple mouse arrow slides up and onto the new window, coming to rest in the white search bar in the centre. The website address appears in purple font in the search bar.)

Female Narrator: or the Vermont Judiciary Website, at vermontjudiciary.org.

vermontjudiciary.org

(Visual: The search bar collapses inward, and the website address disappears. The search bar grows outward again, and the purple mouse arrow moves over it. The word “download” appears in the search bar, and when the mouse arrow moves over it, the whole search bar turns purple.)

Female Narrator: Download the form, download

(Visual: The search windows slide to the left, and a Roman-style courthouse appears to the right, white, with many columns a peaked roof.)

Female Narrator: or get a paper copy from your local courthouse.

(Visual: The images disappear, and the text appears in purple.)

Female Narrator: There are different complaint forms for the many types of court cases.

There are different complaint forms for the many types of court cases

(Visual: The words slide up and away, and a spinning yellow disk flies up from below. There is an arrow in the centre of both sides of the disk. As the disk comes to rest in the centre of the screen, “$5K or less” appears in the centre of the disk in place of the arrow. A gleam runs across the disk as it comes to rest.)

Female Narrator: For example, if you want to sue someone for five thousand dollars or less,

$5K or less

(Visual: The yellow disk spins over, and reveals an arrow pointing down on the opposite side. The arrow points down to the text, which appears in purple.)

Female Narrator: use a small claims complaint form.

Small claims complaint

(Visual: The disk spins again, with arrows on both sides. As it comes to rest, the words, “more than $5K” appear in place of the arrow.)

Female Narrator: If you need to start a lawsuit for more than five thousand dollars,

more than $5K

(Visual: The yellow disk spins to reveal an arrow pointing up, on its opposite face, and moves left. As the disk comes to rest on the far left, a pair of papers rolled into a scroll shape appear overlapping each other on the right. At the top of the paper sitting behind and slightly left, the words, “Don’t lock me out!” appear. On the paper in front, the title reads, “Return my stuff!” in purple. Both papers are covered in purple lines representing text under the titles. )

Female Narrator: or ask for something other than money,

(Visual: The text appears in purple beneath the images.)

Female Narrator: use a Superior Court Civil Division Complaint form.

Superior Court Civil Division complaint

(Visual: The text and images disappear, and a thin purple line appears. Out of the line grows an old-style Roman courthouse, white with many pillars and a peaked roof. The text appears in purple beneath the courthouse.)

Female Narrator: To start a divorce case in family court,

Family court

(Visual: Three scrolls of paper slide up and fan out of the top of the courthouse. The papers are covered with purple lines representing text.)

Female Narrator: there are a few different forms.

(Visual: The papers disappear, and a white circle with a purple shadow appears to the left of the courthouse. Three figures stand in a row in the circle, two taller parents, and a smaller child.)

(Visual: A second circle appears, with a one-storey brown house inside, with two windows, and a yellow front door. In front of the house, the same three figures from the first circle appear, standing in a row.)

Female Narrator: It depends whether you have children, and if you and your spouse agree about property and child custody.

(Visual: The images and text disappear, and a purple and white cell phone appears above a thin purple line. In the middle of the cell phone screen is a large purple question mark.)

Female Narrator: If you can’t find the right form,

(Visual: The question mark disappears, and a phone receiver appears. The phone moves as though it is vibrating, and lines move out from the handset showing it is ringing. The text appears in purple beneath the purple line.)

Female Narrator: contact Legal Services Vermont, or ask your local court clerk.

Legal Services Vermont

(Visual: The cell phone dissolves into a computer search window, grey with a purple bar at the top. A purple mouse arrow flies in from the right with a motion trail following it, and clicks on a white search bar in the middle of the search window. As the arrow clicks on the search bar, the website address appears in purple in the search bar.)

Female Narrator: The phone numbers and addresses for county courts are on the Vermont Judiciary’s website,

vermontjudiciary.org

(Visual: The mouse arrow moves away, and then moves back, clicks on the website address, and moves away. The website address changes into the text, “Find a Court.”)

Female Narrator: under “find a court.”

Find a Court

(Visual: The text and images disappear, and a thin purple line stretches horizontally. Above it, the words, “Step 2” appear. Under the purple line, the words, “Find out if you need to pay a fee” appear.)

Female Narrator: Step Two.

Step 2: Find out if you need to pay a filing fee

Female Narrator: Find out if you need to pay a filing fee.

(Visual: The text disappears, and a yellow scroll of paper with purple line representing writing on it appears. A magnifying glass scrolls upward from the bottom of the paper, moving across the lines. Three green bills with dollar signs on them appear in front of the scroll, and a stack of yellow coins bounce in and pile up to the right of the scroll.)

Female Narrator: You may need to pay a filing fee to start your case.

(Visual: A purple mouse arrow pointer flies in from the right with a motion trail, and comes to rest on a white search bar that pops up above the coins. The mouse arrow clicks on the search bar, and the website address appears in the search bar in purple.)

Female Narrator: The fees are listed on the Vermont Judiciary’s website, at vermontjudiciary.org.

vermontjudiciary.org

(Visual: The search bar disappears, and a purple and white cell phone appears in its place. In the middle of the cell phone screen is a large purple phone receiver. The phone moves as though it is vibrating, and lines move out from the handset showing it is ringing.)

Female Narrator: Or you can ask the court clerk.

(Visual: The cell phone and the paper disappear, and the money slowly unstacks, and the coins and bills slide and bounce away. Behind the money, a computer window with the heading, “Bank Account” “Available Funds” has a slider filled with green. As the money fades away the green in the slider moves down and is replaced almost entirely by red.)

Female Narrator: If you can’t afford the fee you can ask to have it waived,

(Visual: A very long yellow paper runs down over the “Bank Account” window. The paper is covered in purple lines representing text. The paper bounces when it hits the thin purple line along the bottom the screen, and keeps scrolling up and bouncing down, getting longer and longer.)

Female Narrator: using an Application to Waive Filing Fees, and Service Costs Form.

(Visual: A brown rubber stamp flies in to the right, and stamps a purple circle with a white checkmark inside in the top right-hand corner of the “Bank Account” window.)

Female Narrator: The court will decide whether you have to pay.

(Visual: The images disappear, and the words, “Step 3” appear above a thin purple line stretching horizontally. Under the purple line, the text, “File a complaint with the court” appears.)

Female Narrator: Step Three, file a complaint with the court.

Step 3: File a complaint with the court

(Visual: The text disappears, and the purple line slides down. Above it, a Roman-style courthouse appears, white, with many pillars and a peaked roof.)

(Visual: The courthouse moves to the right, and a white circle with a purple shadow appears to the left. Overlapping the top right of the circle, a manila envelope with the word “complaint” on it appears. Beneath the envelope and spilling out of the white circle, a piece of yellow paper stretches down. The paper is covered in purple lines like text.)

Female Narrator: To open your case, the court needs your complaint, and your filing fee, or waiver application.

(Visual: The text appears in purple under the images.)

Female Narrator: Giving the court your paperwork is called filing.

Giving the court your paperwork is called “filing”

(Visual: The images shrink down. The paper disappears, and the manila envelope appears in the hand of a man in a yellow t-shirt, who is inside the white circle. his hand with the envelope stretching out over the courthouse)

(Visual: A second white circle with a purple shadow appears to the right. Inside the circle is a blue mailbox, and a the same manila envelope is held by an outstretched arm toward the mailbox.)

Female Narrator: You can file in person, or by mail.

(Visual: The text and images slide to the left and disappear. The words, “Step 4” appear above a thin purple line. Below the purple line, the words, “serve the defendant” appear.)

Female Narrator: Step Four, serve the defendant.

Step 4: Serve the defendant

(Visual: The text disappears, and the man in the yellow t-shirt appears from the waist up, with his arms crossed. Text appears in purple beneath the thin purple line beneath the man.)

Female Narrator: If you start a case, you are called the plaintiff.

Plaintiff

(Visual: The text and image disappears, and another man with longer hair in a purple t-shirt appears from the waist up, on the far left. He has his arms crossed across his chest, and is looking away to the left. To his right, a small brown one-storey building appears. The word “Store” is printed on a sign on the roof. To the right of the store, a large blue skyscraper appears, with five storeys, with rows of windows, and a blue door at the bottom. Text appears beneath the images in purple.)

Female Narrator: The other person, business, or organization is called the defendant.

Defendant

(Visual: The three images shrink, and the man in the yellow t-shirt appears to the left of the man in the purple t-shirt, so they are facing each other. The drawing of the man in the yellow shirt is twice as big as the man in purple. A manila envelope with the word “complaint” on it flies out from behind the man in the yellow t-shirt, arcs with lines of motion, and enters the top of the store. The text appears in purple beneath the images.)

Female Narrator: Telling someone you are taking them to court is called, “serving the defendant.”

“Serving the defendant”

(Visual: Everything disappears except the man in the yellow t-shirt, who moves to the centre of the screen. To his right, a purple circle appears with a white checkmark in it.)

Female Narrator: Usually, as the plaintiff, this is your responsibility.

(Visual: The circle and checkmark disappears, and a manila envelope with the word “complaint” on it appears, and the man reaches out and grabs it. A blue mailbox pops up to his right, and he slides the envelope into the mailbox, and it disappears inside.)

Female Narrator: The simplest and cheapest way is to mail the defendant a copy of your complaint.

(Visual: Text appears beneath the images in purple.)

Female Narrator: Sometimes, the court will mail it for you.

Sometimes, the court will mail it for you

(Visual: The text and images disappear, and a close-up of the top of a manila envelope appears sticking up above the thin purple line. The flap on top of the envelope is open, and three pieces of paper slide out the top and curl around. Each piece has purple lines on it representing text.)

Female Narrator: Each type of case has forms that you need to attach to the complaint.

(Visual: A sticker appears and affixes to the middle paper with the word, “plaintiff” on it. A second sticker appears and affixes itself to the right-hand paper, with the word “court” on it.)

Female Narrator: Ask the court clerk who is responsible for mailing,

Plaintiff

Court

(Visual: The two papers with the stickers on them turn green, and the paper without a sticker turns red.)

Female Narrator: and which forms do you need to attach?

(Visual: The papers and the envelope disappear, and a calendar appears with tear-off pages, and two rings at the top. Numbers appear in the centre of each page in purple, with a dark purple line at the top and light purple line at the bottom. The first pages has the number “1” on it, the next page has a “5,” followed quickly by the pages tearing off with “10,” “15,” “20,” “25,” and the pages stop tearing off at “30.”)

Female Narrator: If the defendant doesn’t respond within 30 days,

(Visual: The calendar with the “30” on it slides to the left, and a yellow sheriff’s badge appears to the right, and a gleam runs across it as it comes to rest.)

Female Narrator: you’ll need to pay a sheriff to serve them in person.

(Visual: The sheriff’s badge disappears, and the calendar moves back to the centre, elongates, and becomes a cell phone with a map grid of streets represented on it. A purple map pin drops down onto the street grid on the map, and purple circles emanate out from it and slowly disappear.)

Female Narrator: Contact the sheriff’s office in the area where the defendant lives or works.

(Visual: The cell phone disappears, and a brown door in a brown doorframe appears in its place. A hand with a bit of blue sleeve flies in and knocks on the brown door.)

Female Narrator: If the sheriff is unable to serve the defendant in person,

(Visual: The hand disappears, and the door slides to the right. A Roman-style courthouse appears to the left, white, with many columns, and a peaked roof.)

Female Narrator: ask the court for permission to contact them another way.

(Visual: The door slides back to the centre, and the hand in the blue sleeve returns, holding a manila envelope with the word “complaint” on it.)

Female Narrator: For example, having the sheriff post the paperwork to their door,

(Visual: The door and the hand disappear, and a newspaper appears, a grey folded paper with lines and columns, and large dark boxes representing pictures.)

Female Narrator: or putting an ad in the paper.

(Visual: The newspaper disappears, and the man in the yellow t-shirt appears with his arms crossed across his chest. A brown rubber stamp moves in to the top right corner, and stamps a purple circle with a white checkmark above and to the right of the man.)

Female Narrator: When you’ve completed these steps, the court will tell you they can start your case.

(Visual: The man slides to the left, and the stamp and circle with the checkmark disappear. The Roman-style courthouse appears to the right, and a purple and white cell phone appears between them, with a purple phone receiver with lines indicating ringing on it, moving back and forth slightly as though it is vibrating.)

Female Narrator: Ask the court clerk any questions you have about the process,

(Visual: The images disappear, and a thin purple line stretches horizontally. Above it, the logo for Legal Services Vermont appears, with the words, “Working together for justice” below it. Below the purple line, the phone number and website address appear.)

Female Narrator: Or get quick advice by contacting Legal Services Vermont.

Legal Services Vermont
Working together for justice
1-800-889-2047
vtlawhelp.org

End of transcript.

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