Eviction question for newbie

[John Morgan]

So I filed my first eviction with the JP last week and they are serving my tenant and his girlfriend an eviction court date in a couple weeks. It cost me $197 to do this. I should have done this months ago. I tried working with these tenants and let them slide on rent A LOT. So here’s my question. They just told me they would be out in 7 days. They asked if I filed and I said yes. The court date is 3 days after they say they’re leaving. Should I drop the case if they’re out completely this weekend when they say they will be? Or continue and go to court so they have an eviction on their record so other future land lords are warned about them? Is there a chance I could get back rent they owe me? Has anyone had any luck getting paid back rent later on after winning the court case? I assume a judge can’t make them pay me. Do some go through collection agencies to try and get back rent? Or do I bite the bullet and drop the court hearing so I don’t have to wait additional days to legally get my property back?