Adam Frankel
General Counsel · Technology & AI
15+ years as General Counsel to technology, cloud & AI companies
Free demand letter
Demand what you're owed, in writing.
Legal AI, built with lawyers
Tell GitLaw who owes you, how much, and what for. It drafts a formal US demand letter, certified-mail ready, with the paper trail small-claims courts expect. Free.
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The escalation path
Four steps, each one firmer.
Most invoices get paid at step two. Escalate only if they ignore you, every letter builds the paper trail a small-claims court will ask to see.
Sample
Example Company812 Fremont Avenue, Austin, TX 78704
[email protected] · (512) 555-0184
October 9, 2026
To: Accounts Payable [Client Name]
Re: Invoice for website design services, a quick reminder
Hi there, Just a quick note that our invoice for $4,800.00, covering website design services, is now past due. We know these things slip through the cracks, no trouble at all. Could you let us know when we can expect payment? If it's already on its way, please disregard this. Happy to resend the invoice or answer any questions.
Best regards,Riley MorganRiley MorganOwner, Example Company
Sample
Example Company812 Fremont Avenue, Austin, TX 78704
[email protected] · (512) 555-0184
October 9, 2026
To: Accounts Payable [Client Name]
RE: DEMAND FOR PAYMENT: $4,800.00
To Whom It May Concern: This letter is a formal demand for payment of $4,800.00, due and owing to Example Company for website design services provided to [Client Name]. The amount is now 30 days past due, and our earlier reminder has gone unanswered. Demand is hereby made that you pay $4,800.00 in full within fourteen (14) days of the date of this letter. Late fees provided for in our agreement continue to accrue and will be added to any claim. This letter is sent by certified mail, return receipt requested. If payment is not received within fourteen (14) days, we intend to pursue the remedies available to us, including a claim in small-claims court, without further notice. If you dispute any part of this debt, notify us in writing within the same period.
Sincerely,Riley MorganRiley MorganOwner, Example Company
GitLaw drafts with tried & tested templates like:Letter before action
Sample
Example Company812 Fremont Avenue, Austin, TX 78704
[email protected] · (512) 555-0184
October 9, 2026
To: Accounts Payable [Client Name]
RE: FINAL NOTICE BEFORE LEGAL ACTION: $4,800.00
To Whom It May Concern: Despite our earlier reminder and our formal demand letter, sent to you by certified mail, return receipt requested, our invoice of $4,800.00 for website design services remains unpaid, now 30 days past due. This is our final notice before legal action. If payment in full is not received within ten (10) days of the date of this letter, we will file a claim against [Client Name] in small-claims court and ask the court to award the debt together with court costs and the late fees our agreement provides. Some states require a written demand before a small-claims filing, you now have ours, and our certified-mail receipts will be filed with the claim as evidence. This is not a step we take lightly, and it remains open to you to resolve it today: pay the balance in full, or contact us in writing to agree a payment plan.
Sincerely,Riley MorganRiley MorganOwner, Example Company
Sample
Small-claims filing checklist
Small-claims filing pack, prepared Everything from this campaign becomes your evidence: ✓ Contract and invoice, exhibit A ✓ Reminder (Day 0) and demand letter (Day 10), exhibits B & C ✓ Certified-mail receipts, proof of delivery ✓ Final notice (Day 24), exhibit D Before you file, GitLaw checks: • Your state's small-claims limit ($2,500–$25,000 depending on the state) • Whether your state expects a written demand first (California does: CCP § 116.320) • Where to file, the forms your court uses, and what filing costs • The statute of limitations on written contracts in your state Most defendants settle before the hearing. If yours doesn't, you walk in with the paperwork a judge expects to see.
Previewing for [Client Name] · $4,800.00 for website design services
What sending a demand letter usually involves
Unpaid work drains cash and hours you can't bill. A formal demand letter shows you're prepared to follow through, and it's the first thing a small-claims court asks about. Law firms charge hundreds for one; yours is free.
$249–600what attorneys charge for one demand letter
14–30 daysthe deadline a demand letter typically sets
50 stateshave small-claims courts you can use without a lawyer
Published flat-fee pricing (JusticeDirect, xCounsel); Rocket Lawyer & TexasLawHelp guidance
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- Securely stores your contracts and reminds you before renewals.
How it works
1
Tell it the facts
Who owes you, how much, and what for. Add the contract or invoice if you have them: GitLaw reads the payment terms for you.
2
Review your letter
A firm, factual demand letter built on your details, a clear deadline, stated consequences, and only the charges your contract actually provides.
3
Send it so it counts
Print and send by certified mail with return receipt, keep a copy in your workspace, and let GitLaw remind you when the deadline passes.
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Steven J. Shanker
Partner and Chair of Corporate and Employment Law
25+ years as a corporate & employment attorney in New York
Trusted by 5,000+ businesses
Put it in writing. Make it count.
A demand letter with a deadline, consequences, and a court-ready paper trail, drafted from your facts, free.
GitLaw drafts with trusted templates from its library
Browse all templatesFrequently asked questions
Often, yes. A written demand signals you're organised and prepared to file, which changes the maths for the other side. Many disputes settle at this stage, but there's no guarantee, which is why the letter sits inside an escalation path that ends court-ready.
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