Related Links
• CA Courts – Small Claims
• Cortes de California – Reclamos menores
• Local Forms
• State Forms
• Local Rules of Court
• Fee Schedule
• Children’s Waiting Room
• Community Legal Referrals
CA Judicial Council - Small Claims Videos-5-part overview https://www.courts.ca.gov/20129.htm
CA Judicial Council – Preparing for Small Claims Trial (Animation) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBoO0nSnxB4
San Francisco Sheriff’s Office Earnings Withholding Orders https://www.sfsheriff.com/services/civil-processes/earnings-withholding-orders/oppose-earnings-withholding-order
Small Claims
small claims
Small Claims is a special Court in which disputes are resolved quickly and inexpensively. The rules are simple and informal. Representation by lawyers is prohibited in the Small Claims Court.
You cannot ask for more than $10,000 in a claim if you are filing as a "natural person" or $5,000 if you are filing as an entity (corporation, limited partnership, limited liability company, etc.) You can file as many claims as you want for up to $2,500 each in a calendar year. But you can only file two claims a year that demand more than $2,500.
The ACCESS Center can show you how to fill out the forms through most of your small claims case: preparing your claim, serving a defendant, and preparing for Court. We are not assisting with collecting your judgment a this time.
Frequently Asked questions
- Get Ready for Small Claims Court
- Where can I find the forms I need?
- Who do I sue?
- Is it too late for you to sue?
- Which court should I file in?
- How do I sue to get my security deposit back?
- How do I sue someone when I was in a car accident?
- How do I sue a contractor?
- How do I sue for unpaid wages?
- How do I sue for a bounced check?
- How do I sue someone for medical malpractice?
- How do I sue a governmental or public agency?