Small Claims Court
Small claims court offers ordinary people the chance to resolve small disputes at a low cost and without a lot of complication. Learn how to correctly file or handle a small claims action in the proper courts and get answers to some important questions you may have about small claims court.
Here are guides to filing a small claims action in most major U.S. states.
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Washington
West Virginia
Filing a Small Claims Action in Your State
Here are guides to filing a small claims action in most major U.S. states.
The small claims amount limit determines how much you can get in small claims court. Find the dollar limit for your state.
How does small claims court work in my state?
Know the time limits for filing a lawsuit (statutes of limitations) in your state.
Wondering if your case belongs in small claims court? Find out about the kinds of cases state law lets you file, small claims dollar limits, and more.
If you find yourself at the wrong end of a lawsuit in small claims court, here are your options.
The secret to winning small claims court case is presenting your case in a clear, easy-to-understand manner. One way to impress the judge is to utilize planning and organization to ensure that your comments and evidence are in good order.
Rules and strategies for bringing your dispute to small claims court.
Filing a lawsuit against your old dentist is possible, but proving that their work failed to meet the standard duty of care could be difficult.
Am I legally entitled to any housing compensation or money for the loan, even though there was no written contract for either one?
Empower Yourself: DIY Products by Nolo
Sidestep the lawyers with do-it-yourself books, documents, and software.
Online Form
Demand Letter
Online Form
General Mutual Release
Nolo offers hundreds of consumer-friendly, do-it-yourself legal products for all types of legal situations. Browse our full product list.
More Legal Issues
Click below to view more legal issues. Our extensive collection of legal topics ranges across different areas of practice.
Corporations Car Accidents Criminal Law Debt Management Disability Law Divorce & Family Law
Learn About Our Team
Our editors have over 100 years of combined experience practicing law. These professionals have worked in a wide range of legal areas, from estate planning to criminal law to business formation and beyond. They’re experts at explaining complicated legal issues in easy-to-understand terms.
Learn more about the team that manages Nolo’s articles, books, and DIY tools.
Need a Lawyer? We Can Help
Find an experienced, local attorney in three easy steps. Our process is designed for ease and simplicity.
Describe Your Case
Briefly tell us about your case, and provide your contact information.
Get Connected
We find and instantly list attorneys that can best handle your case.
Hire an Attorney
Choose the attorneys you would like to work with.
Nolo Legal Dictionary
At Nolo, we prioritize quality and transparency because we know how important reliable legal information is to our readers. Our information is meticulously researched, regularly updated, and written in plain English by our experienced writers and editors. Learn more about our editorial standards.
Are You an Attorney?
Grow your firm with Martindale-Nolo, the largest legal network, and learn more about our attorney lead-generation and marketing services.
Integrity and Expertise You Can Rely On
At Nolo, we prioritize quality and transparency because we know how important reliable legal information is to our readers. Our information is meticulously researched, regularly updated, and written in plain English by our experienced writers and editors. Learn more about our editorial standards.
Copyright ©2025 MH Sub I, LLC dba Nolo ® Self-help services may not be permitted in all states. The information provided on this site is not legal advice, does not constitute a lawyer referral service, and no attorney-client or confidential relationship is or will be formed by use of the site. The attorney listings on this site are paid attorney advertising. In some states, the information on this website may be considered a lawyer referral service. Please reference the Terms of Use and the Supplemental Terms for specific information related to your state. Your use of this website constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use, Supplemental Terms, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, and Consumer Health Data Notice.
Your Privacy Choices