Any opinions on Judicial Department Small Claims in Middletown, CT?

I load paul $1500.00 he paid me back $500.00 he owed me my $1000, and promise to paid from last year march it's been a year i e-mail him, call him, my lawyer wrote him and i still haven't receive my money this ting is stress me out we live in hartford ct, i live in NJ how could i get him to paid me back my money without i have to go to hartford?