small-claims-court

A collection of 187 posts

small-claims-court

Missouri Small Claims Court: How to File and Win (2026)

Missouri small claims court handles money disputes up to $5,000. You file a Petition for Small Claims at the circuit court in the right county. You pay a filing fee, about $20.50 to $35.50 in most counties. The clerk serves the other side by certified mail for

small-claims-court

Connecticut Small Claims Court: How to File and Win (2026)

Connecticut small claims court lets you sue for up to $5,000 without a lawyer. Home improvement cases can go up to $15,000. The filing fee is $95 flat. But here's the part that trips everyone up: in Connecticut, you serve the defendant BEFORE you file with

small-claims-court

California Small Claims Court: How to File and Win (2026)

California small claims court lets you sue for up to $12,500 as a person, or $6,250 if you're suing as a business. Filing means one form (the SC-100), one trip to the superior court in the right county, and a fee between $30 and $100.

small-claims-court

Alabama Small Claims Court: How to File and Win (2026)

Alabama small claims court handles money disputes up to $6,000. To file, fill out Form SM-01, take it to your county's District Court clerk (or file online through AlaFile), and pay the filing fee. The real cost runs $60 to $223 once county fees stack on.

small-claims-court

Georgia Small Claims Court: How to File in Magistrate Court (2026)

Georgia's small claims court is Magistrate Court, and every one of the state's 159 counties has one. The limit is $15,000. No lawyer needed. Filing runs somewhere between $45 and $110 depending on the county, and that usually covers serving the person you're

small-claims-court

How to Dispute an Apple Pay Transaction (and Who to Actually Call)

Yes, you can dispute an Apple Pay transaction. Here's the catch nobody mentions: Apple usually can't fix it. Apple Pay is just a wallet. The money moved on somebody else's rails. Paid with a card? Your card company owns the dispute. Apple Cash went

small-claims-court

How to Sue Uber in Small Claims Court (Yes, You're Allowed)

Yes, you can sue Uber. Uber's Terms of Use push most disputes into private arbitration. But the contract has a built-in exception. Section 2(b) says the arbitration rule does not apply to individual claims filed in small claims court. So if Uber owes you money for

small-claims-court

Can You Sue Airbnb? Yes. Here's How It Actually Works

Yes, you can sue Airbnb. It says so in their own Terms of Service: either side can skip arbitration and take a dispute to small claims court instead. Denied refund, cancelled stay, frozen host payout, damage claim that died in the support queue. All of it fits. And the part

small-claims-court

How to Sue Someone in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide (No Lawyer)

To sue someone, start with a formal demand for payment. If they ignore it, file a complaint at your local small claims court (filing fees run $30 to $75 in most states), get the defendant served, and show up to the hearing with your proof. Here's the part

small-claims-court

Free Cease and Desist Letter Templates: 5 Letters That Work

What Is a Cease and Desist Letter A cease and desist letter is a written demand that tells someone to stop a specific action and not do it again. Anyone can write and send one. You do not need a lawyer. You do not need a court. It is a

small-claims-court

How to File Small Claims: Step by Step, Online or In Person

To file small claims, fill out a short claim form and file it with the right court. Pay the filing fee. Then have the papers served on the person you're suing. Fees run from $15 in New York City to $287 or more in Cook County, Illinois. Many

small-claims-court

Nassau County Small Claims Court: How to File (and What It Really Costs)

To file in Nassau County small claims court, go to the District Court at 99 Main Street, Second Floor, in Hempstead. Fill out a Small Claims Complaint, pay the fee ($15 for claims up to $1,000, $20 for claims over $1,000), and pick day or night court. The

small-claims-court

Las Vegas Small Claims Court: How to File (and What It Really Costs)

Las Vegas small claims court handles money disputes up to $10,000. You file a Small Claims Complaint with the Las Vegas Justice Court, either online through eFileNV or in person at the Regional Justice Center at 200 Lewis Avenue downtown. Filing costs $66 to $196 depending on how much

small-claims-court

How Much Does It Cost to Sue Someone? (Real 2026 Numbers)

Suing someone in small claims court usually costs $15 to $175 in filing fees, depending on your state and how much you're asking for. Add $0 to $85 to serve the papers. Most people spend under $150 total, with no lawyer. And here's the part almost

small-claims-court

How to Sue Your Employer: The Two Paths (and What to Expect)

To sue your employer, first figure out which path your case is on. Money cases can go straight to small claims court. Think unpaid wages, a missing final paycheck, an unpaid bonus. Fees often run under $100, and you don't need a lawyer. Rights cases work differently. Discrimination.

small-claims-court

How to Prepare for Small Claims Court (and What to Expect)

To prepare for small claims court, get four things ready: your papers in order with three copies of each, a story you can tell in under three minutes, your witnesses confirmed, and a plan to hit the courthouse 30 minutes early. Most hearings are over in 10 or 15 minutes.

small-claims-court

Philadelphia Small Claims Court: How to File (and What It Really Costs)

Philadelphia small claims court is part of the Philadelphia Municipal Court. It hears money disputes up to $12,000. You file in person at 1339 Chestnut Street, 10th floor, and the real cost is $94.75 for claims up to $2,000 or $116.75 for bigger claims with one

small-claims-court

Harris County Small Claims Court: How to File (and What It Really Costs)

Harris County small claims court handles money disputes up to $20,000. You file a sworn petition with one of the county's 16 Justice of the Peace courts. You pay $54 in court costs plus $85 to have the other side served. Then you wait for their answer.

small-claims-court

Miami-Dade Small Claims Court: How to File (and What It Really Costs)

Miami-Dade small claims court handles money disputes up to $8,000. You fill out a form called a Statement of Claim, hand it to the Clerk of Courts at any of six courthouses (or file online), pay somewhere between $55 and $300, then get the other side served. Your

small-claims-court

Cook County Small Claims Court: How to File (and What It Really Costs)

Cook County small claims court handles money claims up to $10,000. You file a Small Claims Complaint and a summons online through eFileIL. You pay the filing fee: $287 for claims up to $2,500, or $379 above that. Then you serve the other side through the sheriff or

small-claims-court

Gwinnett County Magistrate Court: How to File a Small Claim

To file a small claim in Gwinnett County, you file a sworn Statement of Claim with the Gwinnett County Magistrate Court at 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville, GA 30046. You can also file online through eFileGA. Filing costs $60, plus $50 for the sheriff to serve each defendant. The court hears

small-claims-court

How to Sue a Car Dealership (And the Bond Claim Most Buyers Miss)

Yes, you can sue a car dealership. Most dealer disputes fit in small claims court, where you don't need a lawyer and filing costs about $30 to $75. Here's how to sue a car dealership: gather your paperwork, find the dealer's real business name,

small-claims-court

Ohio Lemon Law: How It Actually Works (New and Used Cars)

The Ohio lemon law covers new cars that keep breaking during the first year or the first 18,000 miles, whichever comes first. Say the same problem survives three repair trips. Or the car sits in the shop for 30 days total. You can then demand a full refund or

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Illinois Lemon Law: How It Actually Works (New and Used Cars)

The Illinois lemon law says this: if your new car has a defect that hurts its use, value, or safety, and it shows up in the first 12 months or 12,000 miles, the manufacturer must fix it. Four failed repairs for the same problem, or 30 business days in

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Pennsylvania Lemon Law: How It Actually Works (New and Used Cars)

The Pennsylvania lemon law says this: if your new car has a defect that hurts its use, value, or safety, and the problem shows up in the first 12 months or 12,000 miles, the manufacturer gets three tries to fix it. Three failed repairs, or 30 total days in