About Small Claims Court
October 1st, 2011

Small Claims Courts are designed for people with fairly minor cases to bring a lawsuit without necessarily having to hire a lawyer. The cases usually involve disputes about money owed. After hearing evidence from both sides, the judge will decide whether money has to change hands.
To file a lawsuit in Small Claims Court, you can visit the court in your state and talk to the clerk about how to open a case and serve the other party with the suit. Some courts even offer classes in how the process works so that everyone involved will know what to expect.
Typically, there’s a filing fee and a cost for bringing a lawsuit, which can range from $15 to $150, or sometimes more. There’s also usually an upper limit on the amount of money you can recover in Small Claims Court, which typically ranges from $2,000 to $12,000.
For information on how to file a Small Claims lawsuit in your state, click here.