The claims that come out of a shop
- The authorized job nobody paid for. Estimate signed, work done, car picked up on a promise.
- The after-the-fact dispute. Extra work approved by text, disputed when the bill was delivered.
- The abandoned vehicle. Taking up a bay while the owner stops answering their phone.
- Bounced checks and chargebacks. The car left; the payment did not clear.
- The fleet account that went quiet.
Each of the above is a money claim of up to $10,000 brought in your shop's own name.
The lien lives in the bay
The shop's lien, 42 O.S. §91, is defined by one phrase:
“…has a special lien thereon, dependent on possession, for the compensation, if any, which is due to such person from the owner for such service.”
42 O.S. §91(A)(2)
It covers labor, material, skill, and storage — but only if you were lawfully in possession, meaning written authorization from the owner or an insurer. Hand the keys back and the lien generally leaves with the car. It survives a bounced-check release or an unauthorized removal only if a sworn statement reaches the Court Clerk within 30 days of the dishonor or five days of the removal.
The file that wins
Small Claims has no discovery - the Judge decides your Trial based on what is presented the day of your Trial. For a mechanic's shop:
- The signed estimate or work authorization, and the texts approving additions;
- The final invoice, itemized into parts, labor, and storage;
- Parts receipts and photos of the repair;
- The storage log and certified-mail receipts for any notice sent;
- The returned check or chargeback notice.
Mr. Ingham and his TSC Law Team will help you build the file as part of evidence preparation for your Trial.
Tulsa County, start to finish
A suit on an open account or instrument may be brought where the debt was contracted (12 O.S. §1752B) — so a Tulsa County job generally stays collectible here even if your customer moves out of the county.