What are the differences between the Disputes Tribunal and District Court or High Court for the purpose of recovering debt?

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Answer

The main differences between these jurisdictions are the value of claims that can be determined by each tribunal. The Disputes Tribunal jurisdiction is limited to claims amounting to no more than $15,000 (except that the agreement between the two parties in which case the jurisdiction is increased to $20,000). The Disputes Tribunal is also only entitled to determine issues if there is in fact a "dispute" in existence between the parties. The District Court jurisdiction is limited to claims of no more than $200,000. The High Court jurisdiction is unlimited.

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