Small Claims Court: The Complete 2026 Guide
Limits, fees, filing steps, and hearing prep for every state.
Table of contents
Finding your state's limit
Finding your state's limit. This is where most people either build leverage or lose it, and the difference is almost always documentation rather than legal knowledge.
Start by writing down what happened in plain chronological order, with dates and dollar amounts. That timeline becomes the factual spine of your demand letter and, if it comes to it, your small claims exhibit list.
Filing and serving the defendant
Filing and serving the defendant. This is where most people either build leverage or lose it, and the difference is almost always documentation rather than legal knowledge.
Put every step in writing, keep dated copies, and send anything important by certified mail. Companies respond to documented, deadline-bearing requests very differently than to phone calls that leave no record.
Generate Your Demand Letter
Free to preview, $2 to download as PDF or DOCX — statute-cited and ready to send.
Start freePreparing your exhibits
Preparing your exhibits. This is where most people either build leverage or lose it, and the difference is almost always documentation rather than legal knowledge.
Put every step in writing, keep dated copies, and send anything important by certified mail. Companies respond to documented, deadline-bearing requests very differently than to phone calls that leave no record.
Collecting on a judgment
Collecting on a judgment. This is where most people either build leverage or lose it, and the difference is almost always documentation rather than legal knowledge.
Put every step in writing, keep dated copies, and send anything important by certified mail. Companies respond to documented, deadline-bearing requests very differently than to phone calls that leave no record.