Small claims court exists so that ordinary people can resolve money disputes without hiring a lawyer. The rules are deliberately simplified, the filing fee is small, and in many states attorneys are not even allowed at the hearing. If someone owes you money and won't pay, this is usually where you go.
Step one is making sure your dispute fits. Every state caps how much you can sue for in small claims — commonly somewhere between $2,500 and $20,000 depending on where you live. If your claim is larger, you either waive the excess to stay in small claims or file in a higher court. There is also a deadline, the statute of limitations, that runs from when the problem happened; miss it and you lose the right to sue at all.
Step two is filing. You fill out a simple claim form naming the defendant by their correct legal name and address, pay the filing fee, and the court schedules a hearing. The defendant then has to be formally served with the papers, which the court or a process server handles for a small extra cost.
Step three is the hearing. You bring organized copies of your evidence — the contract, texts, emails, photos, receipts, and your demand letter — and tell the judge what happened in a few clear sentences. There is no jury and no complicated procedure. The judge usually decides quickly, sometimes on the spot.
Winning is not the same as getting paid — collecting a judgment is its own step. But the process itself is designed to be navigable by anyone. Pick your state below to see your exact dollar limit, filing fee, where to file, and the steps for your court.
Look up the small-claims rules for your state.
Updated July 2026