Up to $10,000 · 10 years to file.
A landlord who kept your deposit past the legal return deadline. In Indiana, small-claims cases for this kind of dispute are filed in the Small Claims Court (or Circuit/Superior small-claims docket), where you can sue for up to $10,000.
Your deadline: Indiana generally gives you 10 years from when the claim arose to file. Miss it and the court can dismiss the case no matter how clearly you're owed.
The filing fee is around $95 (About $90–$100 plus service.). Before you file, send a written demand letter and keep proof of delivery.
Source: Ind. Code § 33-29-2-4; deadlines: Ind. Code §§ 34-11-2-4, 34-11-2-7, 34-11-2-9. Reviewed 2026-06-17 (verify with the court clerk).
Note on deadlines: Written contract 10 yrs; oral contract 6; property damage and personal injury 2 yrs.
Suing for something else in Indiana: Indiana unpaid loan · Indiana property damage · Indiana unpaid rent · Indiana contractor dispute.
Suing for security deposit in nearby states: Illinois ($10,000, 10 years) · Michigan ($7,000, 6 years) · Ohio ($6,000, 8 years) · Kentucky ($2,500, 15 years).
General legal information, not legal advice. Rules change and vary by county and court; consult a licensed attorney or your court clerk.
Updated July 2026