Collections and small claims

I live in Washington County, Oregon. I am about to be sent to collections by an old landlord for charges I would like to fight in court. If I go to court and have been sent to collections, will the court remove it from the collection report? Or would it be better to pay them to avoid collections and then sue to get the money back?

Please help.

Collections and the credit agencies will remove it if you win in court.

Not necessarily so. Collections agencies work for the LL, not for the courts. Have you lost a case and the old LL was granted a judgement against you? You should check the clerk of court's site to be sure he did not win this in absentia. If none exists, then you can write the collections agency and contest the charges. Request a detailed accounting of the charges against you (if you have not already received on from the LL). If it shows up on your credit report, you can also contest this by writing the credit agency and filing an appeal. If you stil dispute these charges or he has kept your deposit unlawfully, then sue the LL in small claims court to have this settled. The credit reports only pick up what judgements are recorded after the court cases.