50-State Surveys › Small Claims Court Dollar Limits by State
Small Claims Court Dollar Limits by State
What is the maximum amount I can sue for in this state's small claims court, and what are the key procedural rules?
51 of 51 jurisdictions verified
every entry statute-checked, oldest 2026-07-09
What this survey covers
Small claims court exists so an ordinary person or small business can sue over a modest dispute without hiring a lawyer or navigating full civil procedure, but "modest" means something different in every state, and the number is only part of the picture. This survey answers one question, state by state: what is the maximum amount you can sue for in this state's small claims court, and what are the procedural rules that actually shape whether that number works for you, can a business sue for the same amount as an individual, can either side bring a lawyer, is there a limit on how many claims you can file in a year, and can a losing side appeal and get a whole new trial? Each state's page states the rule in plain English, quotes the statute it comes from, and shows the date we last verified the statutory text.
How to read the table
Each column is one feature of the state's small claims forum, answered the same way for every state, with the statutory citation compressed into the cell. Read the dollar limit and the business/entity limit columns together: in a real, confirmed number of states the two plaintiff types face genuinely different limits, and in at least one state (New York) the business plaintiff isn't just capped lower, it's barred from the forum entirely. Also watch for states whose dollar limit itself varies by which court or venue within the state you file in, rather than a single statewide number. Click a state for the full plain-English page: the rule dimension by dimension, the practical traps people actually hit, and the verbatim statutory text with official source links.
The patterns across all 51 jurisdictions
With all 51 jurisdictions built, the dollar limit itself turns out to be the least varied dimension: most states cluster between $5,000 and $15,000, with a genuine spread from Delaware's $25,000 (a limit set for a general limited-jurisdiction court that fills the small-claims role, not a purpose-built one) down to Wyoming's $6,000. Several states write the number to move on its own: Utah's three-step statutory escalator, California's natural-person/entity split ($12,500 vs. $6,250), and a handful of 2023-2026 increases (Vermont doubled from $5,000 to $10,000 in 2023, Maine stepped from $6,000 to $10,000 in 2026, West Virginia doubled from $10,000 to $20,000 in 2025) show this is a figure state legislatures revisit often, treat any secondary source's number as suspect until checked against the current statute.
A lower dollar tier for a business or entity plaintiff is real but a minority shape (California, Washington); New York goes further and bars entities from the forum outright. More states split by CLAIM TYPE than by plaintiff type, Vermont, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Connecticut each carve out a lower cap for consumer-debt or medical-debt collection specifically, regardless of who's suing.
Attorney representation is a genuine spectrum, not a binary: some states bar lawyers outright for either side at the hearing (California, Arizona, Colorado, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, Idaho); most simply allow them freely for anyone, including a business's own non-lawyer representative (Oklahoma, Connecticut, Nevada, Iowa, Vermont's is the most explicit, naming corporations directly in the statute); a few states use a mutual-consent or mutual-fairness rule instead of a flat bar, Montana bars a lawyer unless BOTH sides have one, and Wyoming automatically grants the other side a continuance to go hire counsel if one side shows up with one. The District of Columbia splits by role rather than party type: an entity defendant can send a non-lawyer representative, but an entity plaintiff needs a D.C. Bar attorney.
Appeal rights show the widest real variation in the survey. The common default is a symmetric right to a full trial de novo. But a confirmed minority bars appeal entirely (Hawaii, South Dakota); several route the appeal to a different court on the existing record rather than a new trial (Vermont, Wyoming, Wyoming's is explicitly limited to legal error, not a review of the evidence); and the District of Columbia is a genuine outlier with a permissive, gatekept process: a party has only 3 days to apply for allowance of an appeal, and it only proceeds if at least one of three reviewing judges votes to allow it. Asymmetric rights (only one side can appeal, or gets a different remedy) recur too: Rhode Island, Maine, and West Virginia each split the remedy by which side is appealing.
An annual filing cap limiting how many high-dollar claims one plaintiff can bring in a year is rare, California's is the clearest example found, and most states have no equivalent at all. Assignee and debt-buyer access to the forum is its own real spectrum: some states bar a general assignee outright (Montana, North Dakota), one affirmatively allows it (South Dakota), and one inverts its usual no-lawyer-bar rule specifically for assignees (Alaska). Several states, Texas, Delaware, run small claims as an informal procedure layered onto an existing general-jurisdiction court rather than a separately named "small claims court"; New York has no single statewide number at all, splitting the limit by court venue instead.
Get this answered for your state
This survey compares every state side by side. Ezel applies your state's law to your specific situation and answers with citations to the statutes.
Scroll sideways in the table to see all columns →
| State | Governing law | Dollar limit | Limit for businesses/entities | Court name and where to file | Can you bring a lawyer? | Limit on how many claims you can file | Can you appeal? | What you can sue for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama verified 2026-07-09 | Ala. Code §§ 12-12-30, 12-12-31 (Title 12, Ch. 12, Art. 2, Small Claims Docket of the District Court) |
$6,000, exclusive of interest and costs (§ 12-12-31(a)) |
Same $6,000 limit as an individual: no separate lower tier for a corporation or partnership |
The Small Claims Docket of the District Court in the relevant county (§ 12-12-31(a)) |
Optional for anyone; a corporation or partnership may instead appear through an officer, manager, or employee (§ 12-12-31(b)); a judgment that includes attorney's fees requires the party to actually be represented by a licensed attorney (§ 12-12-31(c)) |
None found in Article 2 (§§ 12-12-30 to 12-12-37): no provision limits how many claims a plaintiff may file per year |
Either party may appeal within 14 days of judgment for a full trial de novo in circuit court (§§ 12-12-70(a), 12-12-71) |
Mainly money damages up to $6,000, plus a dedicated property-recovery (detinue-style) claim track using its own official form; equitable relief beyond narrow exceptions, declaratory judgments, most Rule 81 actions, and eviction/unlawful detainer are outside the district court's jurisdiction generally and are not part of the small claims docket (§ 12-12-30) |
| Alaska verified 2026-07-09 | AS 22.15.040(a) (jurisdiction); Alaska District Court Rules of Civil Procedure, Rules 15, 18, 20 (small claims procedure, representation, appeal, remedies) |
$10,000 or less, for recovery of money or personal property (AS 22.15.040(a)), raised from $7,500 by 2004 HB 227 (ch. 65, SLA 2004), effective September 14, 2004; a separate $20,000 limit applies only to a wage-payment action the Department of Labor and Workforce Development brings on a worker's behalf under AS 23.05.220 |
Same $10,000 limit as an individual; a corporation or other organization may appear through any officer or employee authorized in writing, an exception from the general rule (AS 22.20.040) that a corporation must otherwise appear through an attorney (Dist. Ct. Civ. R. 15(a)) |
Small claims procedure within the district court, before a district court judge or magistrate judge |
Not barred: any party may be represented by an attorney or legal intern at any stage, including on appeal (Dist. Ct. Civ. R. 15(b)); the one attorney-mandatory situation runs the other way: a party suing as the assignee of a claim (for collection, a fee, or value) must be represented by a lawyer or legal intern, or the court must dismiss the action without prejudice (Dist. Ct. Civ. R. 15(c)) |
None found in the statute or the small claims rules |
Symmetric: either party may appeal to superior court, within 30 days of the clerk's certificate of distribution on the judgment (Alaska R. App. P. 602(a)(1)); the superior court must grant a trial de novo only if the district court proceedings were not recorded, otherwise the appeal follows the standard record-based district-to-superior-court procedure (Dist. Ct. Civ. R. 18) |
Money damages or recovery of specific personal property up to $10,000; no injunctive or other equitable relief, no real-property title or possession claims, no evictions, no lien foreclosure, and no claims against the State of Alaska or the federal government: all excluded from small claims procedure; a prevailing party's attorney-fee award is capped at $1,000, and no attachment or garnishment may issue before judgment (Dist. Ct. Civ. R. 20) |
| Arizona verified 2026-07-09 | A.R.S. Title 22, ch. 5 (§§ 22-501 to 22-525); § 22-502 establishes the small claims division, § 22-503 sets its jurisdiction and dollar limit |
$5,000, exclusive of interest and costs (A.R.S. § 22-503(A)): raised from $3,500 by 2025 SB 1022 (Ch. 94), the first increase in over a decade; the same figure applies to every plaintiff type, so this dimension and the business/entity dimension below have the same number |
Same $5,000 limit as a natural person: no lower tier. § 22-503(A) caps claims 'by the plaintiff or defendant' at $5,000 without distinguishing plaintiff type, and § 22-512(A) confirms 'any natural person, corporation, partnership, association, marital community or other organization may commence or defend a small claims action' |
The 'small claims division,' established in each justice court (A.R.S. § 22-502): not a separate court, but a division of the existing Justice Court, with jurisdiction 'concurrent' with the regular justice court civil docket (§ 22-503(A)) |
Barred by default. A.R.S. § 22-512(B)(7): 'An attorney-at-law shall not appear or take any part in the filing or prosecution or defense of any matter designated as a small claim.' The only exception: § 22-512(D) lets the parties 'stipulate by written agreement to the participation of attorneys' any time before the hearing: a single party's objection keeps attorneys out |
None found in A.R.S. Title 22, ch. 5 (§§ 22-501 through 22-525, read in full): no limit on how many small claims a single plaintiff may file in a given period |
None at all, for either side, from a small claims judgment itself. A.R.S. § 22-519: 'There shall be no appeal in a small claims procedure and the decision of the hearing officer or justice of the peace shall be final and binding on both parties.' The only way to preserve appeal rights is procedural and must happen BEFORE judgment: § 22-504(A) lets any party who objects to being in small claims, at least 10 days before the scheduled hearing, force a transfer of the whole case to the regular justice court civil docket, where ordinary appeal rights then apply |
Money damages, plus rescission/disaffirmance of a contract or other equitable relief, but only if the amount at issue doesn't exceed $5,000 (A.R.S. § 22-503(A)). § 22-503(B) affirmatively excludes several categories regardless of dollar amount: defamation by libel or slander, forcible entry/forcible detainer/unlawful detainer (eviction), specific performance, class actions, prejudgment remedies, injunctive relief, and any action against the state or a political subdivision or their officers/employees acting officially |
| Arkansas verified 2026-07-28 | Ark. Code Ann. §§ 16-17-701 to -707 (District Court Civil Jurisdiction Act) establishes the district courts and bars jury trials there (§ 16-17-703); the small claims dollar limit and procedure are set by court rule rather than statute: Arkansas District Court Rule 10 (Small Claims), issued under the Arkansas Supreme Court's rulemaking authority referenced in § 16-17-704, together with Administrative Order No. 18. The Arkansas Judiciary's own 'Small Claims Information Publication,' reproduced in the AOC's District Court Benchbook, is the court system's official plain-language summary of that rule |
$5,000. The Arkansas Judiciary's own small claims publication states plainly: 'If you sue for money damages, the maximum amount you may claim is $5000' |
Far more restrictive than a lower dollar figure: ordinary corporations, LLCs, and other entities generally cannot use the Small Claims Division at all, because attorneys are barred there and non-attorney representation is limited to the parties themselves. The only entity carve-out is narrow: an Arkansas corporation with three or fewer stockholders, or one where 85% or more of the voting stock is held by persons related within the third degree (a 'closely held' corporation), may appear through one of its own officers. Collection agencies, collection agents, and businesses in the business of lending money at interest are barred from filing in Small Claims at all, regardless of size or structure |
The Small Claims Division of the District Court: not a separate court. A corporation or LLC that doesn't qualify for the closely-held-corporation carve-out, or a case where either side brings a lawyer, moves out of Small Claims into the district court's regular Civil Division instead |
Barred outright, for either side: 'No attorney or persons other than the plaintiff and the defendant are allowed to take part in the filing, prosecution or defense of a case in small claims court.' If a judge determines a party is being represented by an attorney, the case is transferred immediately to the regular district court civil docket, taking it out of Small Claims Division entirely |
None found: the Arkansas Judiciary's own official small claims publication and the governing statutes contain no limit on how many claims a party may file in a year |
Symmetric: District Court Rule 9(a) lets 'a party' appeal a district court judgment to circuit court within 30 days of the docket entry awarding judgment. No separate notice of appeal is required, but Rule 9(b) requires a certified docket sheet or district-court record plus a certified copy of the complaint or small-claims claim form. Unlike most states, the appeal is a genuine trial de novo, not a record review: § 16-17-703 bars jury trials in district court, then adds, 'In order that the right of trial by jury remains inviolate, all appeals from judgment in district court shall be de novo to circuit court' |
Money claims arising from a contract dispute, damage to personal property, or recovery of personal property worth $5,000 or less. Personal injury claims cannot be brought in district court at all, per the Arkansas Judiciary's own guidance, and separately, no small claims action may be filed by a collection agency, collection agent, or a business in the business of lending money at interest |
| California verified 2026-07-09 | Code Civ. Proc. §§ 116.220, 116.221 (Ch. 5.5, Small Claims Court) |
$12,500 for a natural person (CCP § 116.221) |
$6,250 for a corporation, LLC, or other non-individual (CCP § 116.220(a)(1)) |
Small Claims Court, a division of the Superior Court in the county where the case is filed |
Barred from the hearing itself (CCP § 116.530); may advise beforehand and represent you on appeal |
No more than 2 claims over $2,500 per calendar year statewide (CCP § 116.231) |
Only the defendant may appeal, for a full new trial in Superior Court; the plaintiff cannot appeal a loss (CCP § 116.710) |
Mainly money damages; some equitable relief (rescission, restitution, reformation, specific performance) only when a specific statute authorizes it |
| Colorado verified 2026-07-09 | C.R.S. §§ 13-6-401 to 13-6-417 (County Court - Small Claims Division), especially § 13-6-403 (jurisdiction, dollar limit, and exclusions), § 13-6-407 (parties and representation), § 13-6-411 (annual filing cap), and § 13-6-311 (appeal procedure) |
$7,500, exclusive of interest and costs, and the same figure for every plaintiff type. § 13-6-403(1)(a): concurrent jurisdiction 'in all civil actions in which the debt, damage, or value of the personal property claimed by either the plaintiff or the defendant, exclusive of interest and costs, does not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars,' expressly including tort damages. The same $7,500 ceiling also applies to the other action types small claims can hear (HOA-assessment disputes, restrictive-covenant enforcement, replevin, and specific performance/rescission actions, per § 13-6-403(1)(b)) |
No difference from an individual: the same $7,500 limit applies regardless of plaintiff type. § 13-6-407(1): 'Any natural person, corporation, partnership, association, or other organization may commence or defend an action in the small claims court' |
Small claims court is a DIVISION of the county court, not an institutionally separate court: Title 13, Article 6, Part 4 of the statutes is captioned 'County Court - Small Claims Division.' Cases are heard by a judge or magistrate; there is no jury |
Presumptively BARRED, a genuinely different shape than most states. § 13-6-407(2)(a)(I): an individual must represent themselves; a partnership must be represented by an active general partner or authorized full-time employee; a union by an authorized active union member or full-time employee; a FOR-PROFIT corporation by one of its full-time officers or employees; an association by an active member or full-time employee; and a nonprofit corporation by a duly elected nonattorney officer or an employee. The statute states its own intent plainly: 'no attorney, except pro se or as an authorized full-time employee or active general partner ... shall appear or take any part in the filing or prosecution or defense of any matter in the small claims court, except as permitted by supreme court rule.' If an attorney does appear under one of those narrow exceptions, § 13-6-407(4) lets the OTHER side then also be represented by counsel if it chooses: a mutual-consent structure, not an outright universal ban |
Yes: 2 claims per month and 18 claims per year, per county. § 13-6-411(1): 'No plaintiff may file more than two claims per month, eighteen claims per year, in the small claims court of any county,' and every claim filed must include the plaintiff's own certification of compliance. A narrow carve-out (§ 13-6-411(2)) exempts state-supported higher-education institutions collecting on loans or other obligations, but even they may not exceed 30 such claims per month across all of Colorado's small claims courts combined |
Symmetric, either party may appeal, within 14 days of judgment, by filing a notice of appeal AND posting an appeal bond with the county court clerk (§ 13-6-311(1)(a)). Unlike a trial-de-novo state, the appeal is generally decided by the district court on the existing record, the certified county-court record plus any transcript or stipulated summary of designated evidence (§ 13-6-311(2)), rather than as an automatic full new trial; the Colorado Judicial Branch's own guidance states plainly that 'a new trial is not part of the appeals process' and new evidence or witnesses cannot be introduced on appeal, though § 13-6-311(5) does allow for the possibility of a trial de novo in the district court in some cases |
Broader than plain money damages, but only within specifically enumerated categories. Small claims reaches: money judgments in contract or tort up to $7,500 (§ 13-6-403(1)(a)); enforcement of a unit owners' association's assessments, fines, or fees up to $7,500 (§ 13-6-403(1)(b)(I)); enforcement of a residential restrictive covenant up to $7,500 (§ 13-6-403(1)(b)(II)); replevin, recovering specific personal property, up to $7,500 (§ 13-6-403(1)(b)(III)); and, notably, specific performance of a contract or its rescission/disaffirmance up to $7,500 (§ 13-6-403(1)(b)(IV)), an equitable remedy most states' small claims forums don't reach at all. Excluded outright: defamation by libel or slander, eviction (forcible entry/detainer/unlawful detainer), class actions, most other injunctive relief, and prejudgment remedies generally (§ 13-6-403(2)) |
| Connecticut verified 2026-07-28 | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-15 (delegates small claims rulemaking to the Superior Court's judges and sets the dollar limits); Connecticut Practice Book Chapter 24 ("Small Claims") is the resulting court-rule procedure |
$5,000, except $15,000 for a claim arising from the performance of, or offer to perform, home improvement by a contractor holding a Home Improvement Act certificate, or a new-home-construction contract with a certified new-home-construction contractor (§ 51-15(d)). A tenant's security-deposit claim under § 47a-21(g) can exceed $5,000 in total damages and costs, since that statute separately authorizes doubling the deposit |
Same dollar limit as an individual: no separate lower or higher figure for a business or entity. The one confirmed difference is where you may file, not how much: an individual plaintiff may file where they live, where the defendant lives or does business, or where the transaction/injury occurred; a business-entity plaintiff may file only where the defendant lives, where the defendant does business, or where the transaction/injury occurred (not simply wherever the business itself is located) |
The Small Claims Session of the Superior Court: a session (docket) of the Superior Court, not a separately named court (§ 51-15(a)) |
Not required for anyone, but freely allowed: "The services of an attorney at law are permissible but not obligatory" (Practice Book § 24-1(b)) |
None found: neither § 51-15 nor Practice Book Chapter 24 (Small Claims, §§ 24-1 through 24-33) contains a cap on how many claims a party may file in a year |
None. "Except as provided in Section 24-31, the judgments and decisions rendered in the small claims session are final and conclusive" (Practice Book § 24-28). Two narrower, different remedies exist: a defendant (or a plaintiff facing a counterclaim) may move, on or before the answer date, to transfer the case to the regular Superior Court docket (§ 24-21), which also revives a jury-trial right otherwise waived by filing in small claims, and either side may later move under § 24-31 to open or set aside the judgment on limited grounds, a different remedy than an appeal |
Money damages only: no equitable relief, injunctions, or specific performance. Libel and slander claims are excluded outright regardless of amount (§ 51-15(d)) |
| Delaware verified 2026-07-09 | 10 Del. C. §§ 9301, 9525, 9570, 9571 (Justice of the Peace Court jurisdiction, representation, and appeal) |
$25,000, for a common-law contract action or a tort action for damage to, destruction of, or taking of personal property, including replevin (10 Del. C. § 9301(1)), raised from $15,000 by 2020 House Bill 232, effective August 25, 2020 |
Same $25,000 limit as an individual: Delaware does not lower the dollar cap for a business plaintiff |
The Justice of the Peace Court: Delaware has no separately named 'small claims court'; a higher-tier Court of Common Pleas handles civil claims up to $75,000 and hears all appeals from the Justice of the Peace Court |
Not barred: an individual may appear pro se or with a licensed attorney; a corporation may instead be represented by a non-attorney officer or employee, but only after filing a Certificate of Representation with the Chief Magistrate under Delaware Supreme Court Rule 57 (an annual $20 registration fee applies) (10 Del. C. § 9525(b); JP Civ. R. 91): that non-lawyer privilege does not carry over on appeal, where a corporation must be represented by counsel |
None found in the general jurisdiction statutes; the court can instead order an individualized restriction requiring a specific person who has already filed frivolous or malicious litigation to submit a sworn Affidavit of Good Cause before filing any further claim, a case-specific court order rather than a blanket numeric cap |
Symmetric: either party may appeal to the Court of Common Pleas from a final Justice of the Peace Court judgment, within 15 days (10 Del. C. §§ 9570, 9571(b)); the appeal is a trial de novo (§ 9571(c)); a nominal $5 threshold applies to an appeal from a judgment given without a referee trial (§ 9570) |
Money damages on a contract or tort claim, and replevin (recovery of specific personal property) worth up to $25,000; the Justice of the Peace Court separately handles landlord-tenant summary possession (eviction and back rent) under a different statutory track (Title 25, ch. 57) that isn't capped by the $25,000 limit for a commercial-lease claim, and whose appeals go to a three-judge Justice of the Peace panel rather than the Court of Common Pleas |
| District of Columbia verified 2026-07-09 | D.C. Code § 11-1321 (jurisdiction and dollar limit); §§ 16-3901 to 16-3910 (Small Claims and Conciliation Branch procedure); §§ 17-301, 17-307(b) (appeal by allowance) |
$10,000, exclusive of interest, attorney fees, protest fees, and costs (D.C. Code § 11-1321), raised from $5,000 by Pub. L. 114-257 § 5(a) (2016), applicable to cases filed on or after December 14, 2016 |
Same $10,000 limit as an individual: D.C. does not lower the dollar cap for a corporate or partnership plaintiff, though its access to the forum as a plaintiff is restricted (see attorney_representation) |
The Small Claims and Conciliation Branch of the Civil Division of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia |
Individuals may appear with or without an attorney (the statutorily prescribed notice form itself tells the defendant, 'You may come with or without an attorney,' D.C. Code § 16-3902(e)). A corporation or partnership cannot appear as a plaintiff except through a member in good standing of the D.C. Bar (Super. Ct. Sm. Cl. R. 9(a)-(b)); as a defendant, it may instead appear through an authorized officer, director, or employee under D.C. Court of Appeals Rule 49(c)(11), who must file an affidavit of authority to bind the entity, but the entity needs a lawyer if it files a cross-claim or counterclaim, if the case is appealed, or if it's certified to the Civil Division |
None found in D.C. Code § 11-1321 or the Chapter 39 procedural sections governing the Branch |
Not an appeal of right: a party must file an application for allowance of appeal with the D.C. Court of Appeals within 3 days of the judgment (D.C. Code § 17-307(b)). The clerk presents the application to 3 judges; if any one judge favors allowance, the appeal is granted and heard like any other appeal; if all three vote to deny, the denial stands as an affirmance and there is no further appeal (§ 17-301) |
Money damages only: the Branch has no jurisdiction over a claim affecting an interest in real property, and a case is certified out to the Civil Division if a counterclaim, cross-claim, or defense affecting real property is raised (D.C. Code § 11-1321). A judgment founded wholly or partly on wages or personal-services pay carries a special post-judgment remedy: the winning party can require the judgment debtor to appear (up to once a week for four weeks) for an oral examination under oath about their ability to pay (§ 16-3908) |
| Florida verified 2026-07-09 | Fla. Sm. Cl. R. 7.010(b); Fla. Stat. § 34.01(1)(c) (County Court's general jurisdiction, currently $50,000, is separate from the small claims figure) |
$8,000, exclusive of costs, interest, and attorneys' fees (Fla. Sm. Cl. R. 7.010(b)) |
Same $8,000 limit; the rules apply to 'all actions of a civil nature' without a separate business tier |
County Court, under the Florida Small Claims Rules: not a separate court, though many counties run a small claims docket or division within County Court |
Allowed but not required at trial; a business entity may instead appear through an authorized officer or employee, but a non-attorney may not represent a business entity on appeal (Fla. Sm. Cl. R. 7.230(b)) |
None found in the Florida Small Claims Rules |
A record-based appeal under the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure, not a new trial; goes directly to the District Court of Appeal since a 2021 statutory change removed circuit courts' general county-court appellate jurisdiction (Fla. Sm. Cl. R. 7.230(a); Fla. Stat. § 26.012) |
Money or property claims; the rules also apply when a money/property claim is 'expressed as, or coupled with, a claim for equitable relief' (Fla. Sm. Cl. R. 7.010(b), 2013 amendment) |
| Georgia verified 2026-07-09 | O.C.G.A. § 15-10-2(5) (Magistrate Court's general civil jurisdiction, the $15,000 cap); § 15-10-41 (no jury; de novo appeal); § 15-10-43 (procedure, including corporate representation) |
$15,000, exclusive of interest and costs: one flat figure, no venue split and no natural-person/entity split |
No lower dollar figure: an entity faces the identical $15,000 cap as an individual, and may be represented by an employee just as freely as an individual represents themselves |
No separately named small claims court: it's the ordinary civil jurisdiction of the Magistrate Court for the county where the case is filed, commonly called 'small claims' as a matter of description, not a distinct division |
Not required for anyone. Nothing bars an attorney, but an employee of a corporation or other legal entity may represent it at any stage, with no restriction on cross-examination or argument (§ 15-10-43(i)): broader than several other states' corporate-representative rules |
None found: Article 3 (§§ 15-10-40 to 15-10-54) imposes no limit on how many claims a plaintiff may file |
Symmetric and broad: either party may appeal a final judgment to the State Court or Superior Court of the county within 30 days, for a full trial de novo (§ 15-10-41(b)(1)): not available from a default judgment or a dismissal for nonappearance, which instead go through a separate review procedure |
Primarily money damages, in a civil claim not exceeding $15,000; the same Magistrate Court also independently handles dispossessory (eviction) and distress-warrant proceedings under a SEPARATE grant of jurisdiction (§ 15-10-2(6)) that is not subject to the $15,000 cap: a different proceeding type, not an extension of the small-claims money jurisdiction itself |
| Hawaii verified 2026-07-09 | Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 633-27 to 633-30 (small claims division of the district court) |
$5,000, exclusive of interest and costs, for a money claim or a claim for return of leased/rented personal property (§ 633-27(a)); no dollar cap at all for a residential landlord-tenant security deposit dispute, which the small claims division hears regardless of amount |
Same $5,000 limit applies to any plaintiff, individual or business; the only entity-specific rule is administrative: the court clerk's free help preparing papers is available only to an individual, not to a corporation, partnership, association, or individual proprietorship (§ 633-28(a)) |
The small claims division of the district court, in the judicial circuit where the defendant resides or the claim arose (§ 633-27) |
Generally allowed, with court approval, for any party (§ 633-28(b)): except that in a landlord-tenant security-deposit case, a licensed practitioner is barred from representing another party; any non-lawyer representative appearing under this section must serve without compensation, or the representation becomes unlawful practice of law |
None found in Chapter 633 or the small claims rules |
None: there is no appeal from a small claims judgment for either party (§ 633-28(a); Small Claims Rule 12(b)); the only post-judgment remedy is a motion asking the same small claims court to alter or set aside its own judgment, which must be filed within 10 days of entry (Small Claims Rule 12(a)) |
Money damages (excluding punitive damages) and, in a landlord-tenant dispute under HRS ch. 521, equitable relief limited to orders to repair, replace, refund, reform, or rescind; a separate order-to-show-cause mechanism (§ 633-8) lets the court order return of specific leased or rented personal property; class actions are prohibited (§ 633-27(c)-(d)) |
| Idaho verified 2026-07-09 | Idaho Small Claims Department statutes, Idaho Code §§ 1-2301 to 1-2315 |
$15,000 per claim, for money or personal property, effective July 1, 2026 (Idaho Code § 1-2301, amended by 2026 Idaho Sess. Laws ch. 196, S.B. 1330), up from $5,000 |
Same $15,000 limit as an individual: Idaho does not lower the dollar cap for a business plaintiff |
The Small Claims Department of the Magistrate's Division of the district court, created county by county (§ 1-2301) |
No attorney may appear at trial, a pretrial matter, or a posttrial motion for any party (§ 1-2307(1)), though an attorney may advise a party beforehand or help prepare exhibits and paperwork, and may appear in post-judgment execution proceedings; a business organization (corporation, nonprofit, partnership, professional association, or sole proprietorship) must be represented by an owner of a substantial interest or a non-attorney employee, not outside counsel (§ 1-2307(2)) |
None found in the governing statutes |
Either party may appeal within 30 days of judgment to a lawyer magistrate other than the one who decided the case, for a trial de novo; a $20 filing fee applies, and the losing party on appeal owes the prevailing party's attorney fees (Idaho Code § 1-2311, citing § 12-120(6)) |
Money or personal property up to the limit; the court may not award punitive damages or damages for pain and suffering in any proceeding (§ 1-2301); no jury trial is available (§ 1-2315); state and local government entities can be sued, but only through a designated non-attorney representative, never through the attorney general's office (§ 1-2306) |
| Illinois verified 2026-07-09 | Illinois Supreme Court Rules 281-289 (small claims procedure); Rule 281 defines the claim; Rule 282(b) governs corporate representation |
$10,000, exclusive of interest and costs: one flat figure, no venue split and no natural-person/entity split |
No lower dollar figure: an entity faces the identical $10,000 cap as an individual (the real business/entity distinction is procedural, not a dollar limit: see attorney_representation) |
No separately named small claims court: it's the Small Claims Division (or calendar) of the Circuit Court in the county where the case is filed |
Individuals never need a lawyer. A corporation may NOT appear as plaintiff, assignee, subrogee, or counterclaimant without an attorney (Rule 282(b)), but it MAY defend as a defendant, without one, through certain officers or managers, if the claim is within the small-claims limit |
None found: Rules 281-289 impose no limit on how many claims a plaintiff may file |
Symmetric, ordinary appellate review, not a fresh trial: either party may appeal a final judgment to the Illinois Appellate Court within 30 days (Ill. S. Ct. R. 303(a)), same as any other Circuit Court civil judgment |
Money only, based on either tort or contract (Rule 281); no order compelling someone to do or stop doing something |
| Indiana verified 2026-07-09 | IC 33-29-2-4 (jurisdiction of the small claims docket in the 91 counties' Circuit/Superior Courts); IC 33-34-3-2 (jurisdiction of Marion County's township Small Claims Courts); Indiana Small Claims Rule 1(A) (these rules govern small claims proceedings in every Indiana court, Marion County included) |
$10,000 statewide, the same figure in both court systems: IC 33-29-2-4(b)(1) ('not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000)') for the 91-county docket and IC 33-34-3-2 ('does not exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000)') for Marion County township courts, both current since a 2021 amendment (P.L.125-2021) harmonized what used to be separate, lower county-by-county figures. A plaintiff may waive the excess over $10,000 to stay within small claims jurisdiction (IC 33-29-2-4(b)(1); Ind. S.C.R. 2(A)(2)) |
Same $10,000 limit as an individual: no separate lower or higher figure for a business plaintiff. Both governing sections state the ceiling without regard to plaintiff type, and Ind. S.C.R. 2(A)(2) applies the same excess-waiver rule to any plaintiff |
Indiana splits by geography, not by plaintiff type. In 91 of the state's 92 counties, small claims is simply a docket of the county's Circuit or Superior Court (IC 33-29-2). Marion County (Indianapolis) is the sole exception: it has nine separate, independently-run township Small Claims Courts, each with its own elected judge, established under IC 33-34: not a division of the circuit or superior court |
A natural person may represent themselves or hire counsel (Ind. S.C.R. 8(C)(1)). Effective January 1, 2025, a Supreme Court rule amendment (In re: Order Amending Rules for Small Claims, Cause No. 24S-MS-1) removed a prior $6,000 dollar cap on non-attorney business representation: a sole proprietorship or partnership (S.C.R. 8(C)(2)) and a corporate entity, LLC, LLP, or trust (S.C.R. 8(C)(3)) may now be represented by its owner or a designated full-time employee for ANY claim within the small claims jurisdictional limit, not just claims under the old $6,000 threshold: a designated employee must still be authorized by a filed corporate resolution or sworn statement (S.C.R. 8(C)(4)-(5)). Many older county court forms and secondary sources still describe the superseded $1,500 or $6,000 caps; the current rule has no such lower cap |
None found in Ind. Small Claims Rules 1-16 (read in full) or IC 33-29-2 / IC 33-34-3: no limit on how many claims a single plaintiff may file in a given period |
Symmetric, either party may appeal. Per the Indiana Office of Court Services' own Small Claims Manual (2026 edition): 'If one or both parties are not satisfied with the court's decision and judgment, an appeal of the decision may be taken to the Indiana Court of Appeals,' and the appealing party must act within thirty (30) days of judgment. Unlike states that give a losing party a full new trial in a higher trial court, Indiana's small claims appeal goes directly to the state's intermediate appellate court, a genuine appellate review, not a retrial |
Primarily money damages: personal injury, property damage, money owed, and recovery of wrongfully taken property or money paid for faulty work, all capped at $10,000. Landlord-tenant possessory actions (including emergency ones under IC 32-31-6) are also within jurisdiction if the rent due doesn't exceed $10,000. IC 33-34-3-5 (Marion County) affirmatively excludes injunctive relief, partition of real estate, enforcing any lien (other than a judgment lien), appointment of a receiver, and divorce or marriage annulment from small claims jurisdiction regardless of dollar amount |
| Iowa verified 2026-07-09 | Iowa Code ch. 631, Small Claims; § 631.1 sets jurisdiction and the dollar limit |
$6,500 or less, exclusive of interest and costs, for actions commenced on or after July 1, 2018 (§ 631.1(1)(b)): the same figure for money-judgment, replevin, garnishment/execution, and several other listed claim types |
Same $6,500 limit as an individual: § 631.14(1) affirmatively lets an individual, partnership, association, corporation, or other entity bring or defend a small claim, with no separate lower figure for entities |
The district court sitting in small claims, using a separate small claims docket maintained by the clerk (§ 631.2): not a separately named court. Cases are typically heard by a judicial magistrate, though a district associate judge or district judge may also hear them (§ 631.2(1)) |
Freely allowed for either side: no bar and no consent requirement. A defendant may appear in person or by attorney (§ 631.5(1)), and '[a]ny person ... may be represented in a small claims action by an attorney' (§ 631.14(3)). An entity may instead appear through its own officer or employee without any attorney at all (§ 631.14(1)) |
None: ch. 631 has no provision limiting how many claims a party may file in a year |
Symmetric: 'An appeal from a judgment in small claims may be taken by any party' by oral notice at the hearing or written notice within 20 days of judgment, plus the usual district court docket fee (§ 631.13(1)). The appeal is decided by a different judge on the existing record, without further evidence unless the record is inadequate (§ 631.13(4)): a record-based review, not a trial de novo. A further appeal to the Iowa Supreme Court is not available as of right; it requires the supreme court's own discretionary review (§ 631.16) |
Primarily money judgments up to $6,500, but ch. 631 also gives the small claims docket concurrent jurisdiction over several non-money-judgment matters at the same dollar threshold: forcible entry and detainer (eviction) on specified grounds, replevin of personal property, executions/garnishments against personal property, abandonment of a manufactured or mobile home or personal property, mechanic's-lien challenges, county-treasurer tax collection actions, and judgment-release motions, plus pawnbroker goods-ownership disputes regardless of value (§ 631.1(2)-(10)) |
| Kansas verified 2026-07-09 | Kansas Small Claims Procedure Act, K.S.A. 61-2701 to 61-2714 |
$10,000 (K.S.A. 61-2703(a)), raised from $4,000 effective July 1, 2024 |
Same $10,000 limit as an individual: the Act's "person" definition already includes partnerships, LLCs, and corporations (K.S.A. 61-2703(b)) |
No separate small claims court: filed as a small claim within the District Court under the Small Claims Procedure Act |
Barred before judgment for either party (K.S.A. 61-2707(a)), except that if one side uses a non-attorney representative who is or was a licensed attorney, or an attorney represents themself, the other side gains the right to hire counsel (K.S.A. 61-2714) |
20 small claims per person in the same court per calendar year, regardless of dollar amount (K.S.A. 61-2704(b)) |
Either party may appeal within 14 days of judgment; tried de novo (a full new trial) before a different district judge; judgment enforcement is automatically stayed during the appeal, and a successful appellee must be awarded attorney fees (K.S.A. 61-2709) |
Money or personal property (including replevin actions); no discovery, depositions, or pre-judgment attachment/garnishment are allowed (K.S.A. 61-2703(a), 61-2707(a)) |
| Kentucky verified 2026-07-09 | KRS §§ 24A.200-24A.360 (Small Claims, within Ch. 24A, District Court); § 24A.230 sets jurisdiction |
$2,500, exclusive of interest and costs (KRS § 24A.230(1)) |
Same $2,500 limit as an individual: no separate lower or higher figure by plaintiff type |
The Small Claims Division of the District Court in the county (KRS § 24A.220) |
Permitted but not required for any party (KRS § 24A.240(1)) |
25 claims per calendar year per party statewide; a business gets its own 25-claim allowance for each established location that's been in trade or commerce at least 6 months (KRS § 24A.250(1)) |
Either party may appeal within 10 days of judgment to Circuit Court (KRS § 24A.340); the appeal is a review of the case file and any electronically recorded proceedings, not a new trial: no new evidence may be submitted |
Money or personal property claims up to $2,500, plus rescinding/disaffirming a contract for goods or services up to that same amount (KRS § 24A.230(1)-(2)); libel, slander, alienation of affections, malicious prosecution, and abuse of process are excluded, as are assigned claims and class actions (§ 24A.230(1), § 24A.240(2)); no prejudgment attachment, garnishment, replevin, or other provisional remedy may be filed in the division (§ 24A.230(3)); anyone in the business of lending money at interest, or any collection agency or agent, is barred from using the division to pursue that business (§ 24A.240(3)) |
| Louisiana verified 2026-07-09 | La. Rev. Stat. §§ 13:5200-13:5211 (Small Claims Procedures, within City Court); La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 4911 (Justice of the Peace Court civil jurisdiction, the parallel forum in parishes without a city court) |
$5,000, exclusive of interest, court costs, attorney fees, or penalties, in either forum (§ 13:5202(A); CCP art. 4911(A)-(B)) |
No statewide dollar-based split by plaintiff type: neither § 13:5202 nor CCP art. 4911 sets a different figure or bars an entity outright; whether a corporation or partnership may actually file in a given small claims division is instead governed by that court's own local rule (§ 13:5202(D) authorizes each court to set 'mass filing limitations') |
A Small Claims Division established by court rule inside an existing City Court (§ 13:5201(A)), where one exists; a standalone Justice of the Peace Court in parishes or wards without a city court |
No statewide bar or requirement; each small claims division 'may by local rule limit the role of attorneys' in its proceedings (§ 13:5208(A)) |
No fixed statewide number: each court may set its own 'mass filing limitations on all parties filing claims in the small claims divisions' by local rule (§ 13:5202(D)) |
None by default for either party: filing in the small claims division waives the plaintiff's right to appeal, and a defendant who doesn't file a written removal motion before the answer deadline waives it too (§ 13:5209); a defendant can preserve appeal rights by timely removing the case to the ordinary civil docket |
Money damages AND equitable relief: a broader grant than most states: 'any appropriate relief, including money damages and equitable relief,' though injunctions and restraining orders may not issue except to enforce the division's own writ, and class actions, summary proceedings, and executory proceedings are barred (§ 13:5202(B)); claims against state agencies are excluded entirely (§ 13:5210) |
| Maine verified 2026-07-09 | Maine Small Claims Act, 14 M.R.S. §§ 7481-7487, and the Maine Rules of Small Claims Procedure |
$10,000, exclusive of interest and costs, effective January 1, 2026 (14 M.R.S. § 7482, amended by PL 2025, c. 261), up from $6,000; excludes any action involving title to real estate; the Legislature's judiciary committee must review this figure every 4 years |
Same $10,000 limit as an individual: Maine does not lower the dollar cap for a business plaintiff |
A small claims session of the District Court (14 M.R.S. § 7481); venue is the division where the transaction occurred, where the defendant resides or has a place of business, or where a corporate or partnership defendant's registered agent resides (§ 7483) |
Not barred: a party may be represented by an attorney (Me. R. Small Cl. P. 16(a)); a corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, or governmental entity may instead be represented by a non-attorney officer or employee (Rule 16(b)) |
None: 14 M.R.S. § 7484-A expressly bars the Supreme Judicial Court from adopting rules restricting the number of claims filed in any period; a plaintiff filing 3 or more small claims in a calendar month must personally arrange service on each defendant rather than using the clerk's mail-service option (Me. R. Small Cl. P. 4), and a plaintiff suing on a purchased debt must disclose the original creditor's name and address (§ 7484-A(3)) |
Asymmetric: either an aggrieved plaintiff or defendant may appeal to the Superior Court within 30 days of judgment (extendable up to 30 more days for excusable neglect); a plaintiff's appeal is limited to questions of law, decided by the court without a jury, but a defendant may instead elect a full jury trial de novo on any issue triable of right (Me. R. Small Cl. P. 11(a), (d)) |
Money judgment up to $10,000, plus equitable relief limited to orders to return, reform, refund, repair, or rescind (14 M.R.S. § 7481); no broader injunctive relief is available, and the judgment is res judicata as to the full amount even if the plaintiff reduced the claim to fit the jurisdictional limit (§ 7485) |
| Maryland verified 2026-07-09 | Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 4-405 (small claim jurisdiction, $5,000); § 4-401(1) (the District Court's general $30,000 civil jurisdiction, the ceiling small claims sits inside); § 12-401 (appeal mechanism, including subsection (f)'s de novo/on-the-record split); Md. Rule 3-701 (small claims procedure); Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. § 10-206(b)(4) (non-attorney entity-representative carve-out) |
$5,000, exclusive of interest, costs, and attorney's fees (if attorney's fees are recoverable by law or contract). § 4-405: a small claim action is 'a civil action for money in which the amount claimed does not exceed $5,000 exclusive of interest, costs, and attorney's fees.' The same $5,000 figure applies to every plaintiff type: there's no separate natural-person figure the way California splits it. A claim between $5,000 and $30,000 can still be filed in the District Court (as a 'large claim'), just without small claims' informal procedure, no-discovery rule, and quick trial setting |
Same $5,000 limit as an individual: Maryland draws no distinction by plaintiff type in § 4-405's jurisdictional text, and doesn't bar entity plaintiffs the way New York does. A corporation, LLC, partnership, or sole proprietorship can sue or be sued in small claims on the identical $5,000 ceiling |
There is no separately named small claims court: it's the District Court of Maryland, the same trial court that handles all civil claims up to $30,000, sitting at a dedicated small claims session. Md. Rule 3-701(c): 'A small claim action shall be tried at a special session of the court designated for the trial of small claim actions.' Original trial dates are set within 60 or 90 days of filing depending on the defendant's response deadline (Rule 3-701(c)), notably faster than an ordinary District Court civil case |
Not required for anyone, and freely allowed on both sides, Maryland doesn't bar attorneys from small claims hearings the way California does. Beyond ordinary self-representation, Bus. Occ. & Prof. § 10-206(b)(4) creates a specific exception to the unauthorized-practice-of-law bar for 'an officer of a corporation, an employee designated by an officer of a corporation, a partner in a business operated as a partnership or an employee designated by a partner, a member of a limited liability company or an employee designated by a member of a limited liability company, or an employee designated by the owner of a business operated as a sole proprietorship' appearing in a District Court civil action, but only where the claim doesn't exceed the § 4-405 small claims amount, isn't based on an assigned claim, the designated employee isn't a full-time court appearer, a sworn power of attorney is filed certifying the person's authority to bind the business, the person isn't a disbarred or suspended attorney, and the business hasn't contracted out its court appearances to another business entity |
None found. Neither § 4-405 nor the rest of Title 4, Subtitle 4 of the Courts Article, nor Md. Rule 3-701's small claims procedure, imposes any limit on how many small claims a single plaintiff may file in a year: unlike California's CCP § 116.231 two-claims-over-$2,500 cap, Maryland has no equivalent anti-abuse filing-frequency rule |
Symmetric: either party may appeal (§ 12-401(a): 'A party in a civil case may appeal from a final judgment entered in the District Court'), filed within 30 days of judgment (§ 12-401(e)(1)). Because a small claim by definition doesn't exceed $5,000, § 12-401(f) puts it on the trial-de novo track rather than the on-the-record track reserved for claims over $5,000: 'In a civil case in which the amount in controversy exceeds $5,000 ... an appeal shall be heard on the record made in the District Court. In every other case ... an appeal shall be tried de novo,' unless the parties agree otherwise. A trial de novo in circuit court means presenting the whole case again from scratch |
Money damages only. Section 4-405 defines a small claim action itself as 'a civil action for money': there's no equitable or possessory relief available in this track. A claim for the return of specific property or an order compelling someone to perform a service doesn't qualify as a small claim at all and has to proceed as an ordinary civil action instead |
| Massachusetts verified 2026-07-09 | M.G.L. c. 218, §§ 21-25 (§ 21 sets the jurisdictional amount and general framework; §§ 22-25 govern procedure, entry fees, and appeal); Uniform Small Claims Rules (Trial Court Rule III) fill in hearing and appeal mechanics |
$7,000 (M.G.L. c. 218, § 21), raised from $2,000 by St. 2010, c. 240, § 156. No dollar limit applies to a claim for property damage caused by a motor vehicle: § 21 expressly carves that category out of the cap entirely, regardless of amount |
No lower tier for a business plaintiff, the same $7,000 figure (or no limit, for motor-vehicle property damage) applies whether the plaintiff is an individual or an organization. One narrow entity-specific exception raises, rather than lowers, the ceiling: § 21 lets 'a city or town' sue for up to $15,000 in an action to collect unpaid personal-property taxes under G.L. c. 60, § 35, a higher figure available only to that specific government plaintiff and claim type, not to ordinary business plaintiffs generally |
The 'Small Claims Session': not a separate court, but an informal procedure available within the District Court Department, the Boston Municipal Court Department, or the Housing Court Department (for housing-related claims), at the plaintiff's choice among these alternatives to the formal civil-action process (§ 21) |
Permitted, not barred, but the court can limit how attorneys participate to keep the hearing simple and informal. Uniform Small Claims Rule 7(b): 'The participation by attorneys representing parties may be limited in a manner consistent with the simple and informal adjudication of the controversy.' The same rule separately allows non-attorneys to assist a party if the court finds it would help |
None found in M.G.L. c. 218, §§ 21-25 or the Uniform Small Claims Rules (read in full, including Rule 2's separate disclosure requirements for a plaintiff suing over an assigned debt or a trade-or-commerce claim): no limit on how many small claims a single plaintiff may file in a given period |
Asymmetric, and initiated only by the defendant, but the plaintiff's rights come back into play once that happens. Filing in small claims automatically waives the PLAINTIFF's jury-trial and appeal rights (§ 23: 'A plaintiff beginning a cause under the procedure shall be deemed to have waived a trial by jury and any right of appeal'). Only the DEFENDANT may, within 10 days of the magistrate's finding, claim a full trial before a jury of six or a single justice (§ 23), after posting a $25 entry fee and typically a $100 bond (waivable for indigency if the appeal isn't frivolous). Once the defendant does appeal, § 23 restores the plaintiff's own right to a jury trial in that same proceeding. No party is entitled to a formal appellate report as of right; the trial court may, at its own discretion, submit a pure question of law to the Appellate Division as a case stated |
Money damages for contract or tort claims, with two express carve-outs written into § 21 itself: defamation by libel or slander is excluded entirely, and the court has 'all equity powers' available under the general chapter-214 equity statutes for any claim within the procedure's jurisdiction, so equitable relief is available, not just money damages, within whatever dollar limit otherwise applies |
| Michigan verified 2026-07-09 | MCL 600.8401 (jurisdiction and the $7,000 figure); § 600.8407 (filing restrictions, including the weekly cap); § 600.8408 (attorney bar, business representation, removal); § 600.8412 (waiver of counsel/jury/appeal rights); § 600.8425 (excess-claim cap); § 600.8427 (magistrate-to-judge appeal) |
$7,000, exclusive of interest and costs, effective January 1, 2024 (§ 600.8401(1)(e)): the final step of a scheduled escalator that started at $3,000 and rose through $5,000 (2012), $5,500 (2015), $6,000 (2018), and $6,500 (2021); no further scheduled increase is written into the current text |
No separate dollar figure: a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or local government entity faces the same $7,000 cap as an individual. But two real entity-specific rules exist: an assignee of a claim or a third-party-beneficiary claimant may not file in small claims AT ALL (§ 600.8407(1)); and a business or government-entity party must be represented specifically by an officer or employee with 'direct and personal knowledge of facts in dispute' (§ 600.8408(2)-(3)), not by outside counsel or an uninvolved representative |
The 'small claims division,' created as a division of the district court in every district (§ 600.8401): not a separate court |
Barred outright. Section 600.8408(1) bars 'an attorney at law, except on the attorney's own behalf, a collection agency or agent or employee of a collection agency, or a person other than the plaintiff and defendant ... from tak[ing] part in the filing, prosecution, or defense of litigation in the small claims division.' The only way to bring a lawyer in is to remove the entire case to the district court's general civil division before trial begins (§ 600.8408(4)): merely asking for a district judge instead of a magistrate does not, by itself, restore the right to counsel |
Not annual: WEEKLY: a person may not file more than 5 small claims actions in one district in one week, except a county, city, village, or township may file up to 20 per week (§ 600.8407(2)(a)-(b)) |
Conditional on who heard the case, not a flat rule. Filing in the small claims division waives 'any right of appeal' (§ 600.8412) UNLESS the hearing was conducted by a district court magistrate rather than a judge: in that case, either party gets one de novo appeal to a district court judge, due within 7 days of the magistrate's decision (§ 600.8427), but 'further appeal from the judgment of the district court judge shall not be available to either party.' A case heard directly by a district judge has no appeal route at all |
Money only (§ 600.8401): no equitable, injunctive, or possessory relief. Fraud, libel, slander, assault, battery, or other intentional torts cannot be filed in small claims at all (§ 600.8424(1)), apart from a narrow consumer-protection-act fraud claim or a specific natural-resources-act claim. The state and other governmental agencies generally can't be a party, though a county, city, village, township, or school district may sue or be sued, subject to its own immunity (§ 600.8424(2)-(3)) |
| Minnesota verified 2026-07-09 | Minn. Stat. §§ 491A.01, 491A.02 (Ch. 491A, Conciliation Court) |
$20,000 for most claims; $4,000 if the claim is a consumer credit transaction (§ 491A.01, subd. 3a) |
Same $20,000 limit as an individual — no separate lower tier for a business or other entity plaintiff |
Conciliation Court, a division of the District Court established in each county (§ 491A.01, subd. 1) |
Allowed, but the lawyer's role at the hearing is limited to what the judge decides is helpful (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 512(d)) |
None — Chapter 491A sets no limit on how many claims a plaintiff may file per year |
Either an aggrieved judgment debtor or creditor may remove the case to District Court for a full trial de novo within 21 days (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 521(a)-(b)); a corporate appellant's removal demand must be signed by its lawyer |
Mainly money damages, plus determining ownership/possession of personal property up to the jurisdictional limit (§ 491A.01, subd. 5); real estate title, defamation, class actions, most injunctive or specific-performance relief, prejudgment remedies, eviction, and most family-law and probate matters are excluded (§ 491A.01, subd. 4) |
| Mississippi verified 2026-07-09 | Miss. Code Ann. § 9-11-9 (Title 9, Justice Courts) sets Justice Court's civil jurisdiction and the dollar limit; day-to-day procedure comes from the Rules of Justice Court (RJC 1-27, current version effective 2020), adopted by the Mississippi Supreme Court, plus appeal-specific statutes in Title 11 (§§ 11-51-85, 11-51-91) and the jury-trial statute (§ 11-9-143). Mississippi has no separately named 'small claims court': the entire Justice Court civil docket up to $3,500 functions as the small-claims forum |
$3,500, one of the lowest limits in this survey. Section 9-11-9: 'Justice court judges shall have jurisdiction of all actions for the recovery of debts or damages or personal property, where the principal of the debt, the amount of the demand, or the value of the property sought to be recovered shall not exceed Three Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($3,500.00).' A 2026 bill to raise it to $5,000 (SB 2696) passed the Senate but died in a House committee, the fourth straight year (2023-2026) a similar increase has failed |
Not a lower dollar figure, but a different requirement: an individual never needs a lawyer, but a corporation must be represented by a licensed attorney to appear in Justice Court. The current Rules of Justice Court's civil rules (RJC 11-27) contain no provision letting a non-attorney corporate officer or employee appear on a corporation's behalf, unlike several other states in this survey, so Mississippi's general rule that a corporation cannot appear pro se in any state court applies here with full force |
The Justice Court: Mississippi has no separately named small claims court. Every county's Justice Court hears the full range of debt, damage, and personal-property claims up to $3,500 in the same forum that also handles eviction and other Justice Court civil matters |
Not required for an individual, and freely allowed if you want one: nothing in Mississippi law restricts an individual party from hiring an attorney. A corporation, by contrast, must be represented by an attorney: no rule lets a non-attorney officer or employee appear for it in Justice Court |
None found: the Rules of Justice Court's civil rules (RJC 11-27) and the governing statutes contain no limit on how many claims a party may file in a year |
Symmetric: 'Either party may appeal to the circuit court of the county from the judgment of any justice court judge if appeal be demanded and bond given within (10) days after the rendition of the judgment' (§ 11-51-85), one of the shortest appeal windows in this survey. The appeal requires a bond (double the judgment or the property's value, minimum $100; a poverty affidavit is available instead of the bond), and in counties with a county court the appeal goes there first rather than straight to circuit court (§ 11-51-81; RJC 27(a)). It's a genuine new trial: 'the case shall be tried anew, in a summary way' (§ 11-51-91), not a review of the Justice Court record, and a defendant who appeals and loses again faces an automatic 10% damages penalty added to the judgment |
Debts, damages, or personal property worth $3,500 or less (§ 9-11-9). Justice Court also separately hears eviction actions (unlawful entry and detainer) under its own statute, and either side may demand a jury trial at the Justice Court level itself: a genuine outlier in this survey, where most states reserve a jury (if available at all) for an appeal rather than the initial small-claims hearing (§ 11-9-143; RJC 9) |
| Missouri verified 2026-07-09 | RSMo §§ 482.300 to 482.365 (the Small Claims Court Act); § 482.305 sets the jurisdictional amount, § 482.310 sets attorney/representation and procedure, § 482.330 sets the annual-filing cap and venue, § 482.365 sets the appeal (trial de novo) mechanism |
$5,000, exclusive of interest or costs (RSMo § 482.305: 'original jurisdiction of all civil cases, whether tort or contract, where the amount in controversy does not exceed five thousand dollars'). The same figure applies to every plaintiff type: no natural-person/entity split. A plaintiff owed more may still file in small claims by waiving the excess over $5,000 (§ 482.315), but permanently gives up any right to recover that excess in the same or a later proceeding involving the same parties and issues |
Same $5,000 limit as an individual: no separate lower or higher figure. § 482.305 draws no distinction based on plaintiff type, and § 482.310(1) expressly contemplates corporations and unincorporated associations (including labor unions) as small claims litigants |
Missouri has no separately named small claims court: it's a docket within the circuit court, presided over by an associate circuit judge 'sitting as a small claims court' (§ 482.305's own phrasing), governed by § 482.310(2)'s cross-reference to the general associate-circuit-judge case structure under § 478.225 |
Not required for anyone, and a corporation gets an explicit statutory exception beyond the ordinary self-representation right. § 482.310(1): 'Parties may prosecute their claims and defenses without the assistance of an attorney. Corporations or unincorporated associations, including labor unions, may enter their appearance and be represented by an officer or authorized employee. Such representation shall not be deemed the unauthorized practice of law.' That statutory permission covers the original small claims hearing; it does not extend to filing an appeal: a 2013 Missouri Court of Appeals decision, Palmore v. City of Pacific, 393 S.W.3d 657 (Mo. App. S.D. 2013), held that filing an application for trial de novo itself constitutes the practice of law, requiring an attorney |
12 claims per calendar year, statewide, per plaintiff. RSMo § 482.330(1)(2) bars a party who 'has filed more than twelve other claims in the Missouri small claims courts during the current calendar year' from filing or prosecuting another one, and the court must dismiss (without prejudice) any claim that violates the cap; § 482.330(2) requires the plaintiff to sign a statement at filing attesting to compliance. § 482.360 adds a separate anti-abuse tool: a court that finds a party is using small claims 'for the purpose of oppression or harassment' may bar that party from small claims proceedings for up to one year |
Symmetric: either party may appeal, via a full trial de novo, not a record review. § 482.365(2): 'Any party aggrieved by any final judgment ... except a judgment by consent, may have a trial de novo,' perfected by filing within ten days of judgment. Staying execution while the appeal is pending requires posting a recognizance/bond with solvent sureties (waived for costs only if the defendant is the one appealing); by agreement of the parties, the trial de novo may be heard by a 6-person jury instead of a judge alone. If the defendant appeals, the plaintiff may amend the petition up to the higher jurisdictional limit of the court the case is appealed to (§ 482.365(2)) |
Money damages only. Chapter 482 (§§ 482.300 to 482.365, read in full) contains no grant of equitable powers to the small claims court: unlike some states' small-claims statutes that expressly authorize injunctive or other equitable relief, Missouri's grants only 'original jurisdiction of all civil cases, whether tort or contract' for a dollar amount (§ 482.305), and § 482.365(1) separately confirms 'no judgment of a small claims court shall be a lien on real estate,' underscoring the court's money-judgment-only character. Filing as an assignee of a claim is barred outright (§ 482.330(1)(1)) |
| Montana verified 2026-07-09 | Montana Small Claims Court Act, Mont. Code Ann. §§ 25-35-501 to 25-35-808 |
$7,000, exclusive of costs, for recovery of money or specific personal property, and the same $7,000 cap for an interpleader action (§ 25-35-502), raised from $3,000 by Ch. 284, L. 2011 and unchanged since |
Same $7,000 limit as an individual: partnerships, corporations, unions, associations, and other entities may sue or be sued in small claims court on the same terms as an individual, except the state or any state agency (§ 25-35-505(1)) |
Small claims court, a division of the justice's court (§ 25-35-501); Montana's municipal and city courts have no small claims division |
Barred unless mutual: a party may not be represented by an attorney unless all parties are represented by an attorney (§ 25-35-505(2)); a corporation may instead appear through one of its own directors, officers, or employees (§ 25-35-505(3)(d)); if a defendant doesn't remove the case to justice's court within 10 days, that is treated as a waiver of both a jury trial and attorney representation (§ 25-35-605(3)) |
A party may not file more than 10 claims in small claims court in any calendar year, except for claims assigned under the civil shoplifting-penalty statute, § 27-1-718 (§ 25-35-505(6)) |
Either party may appeal to the district court of the county where judgment was rendered, by filing written notice with the small claims court and serving the adverse party within 10 days of entry of judgment (§ 25-35-803(1)); there is no trial de novo: the appeal is limited to questions of law (§ 25-35-803(2)) |
Money judgments or recovery of specific personal property up to $7,000 (§ 25-35-502(1)); a defendant's counterclaim or setoff over $6,500 doesn't defeat the court's jurisdiction over the plaintiff's claim, but the court limits its ruling on the counterclaim to whether it discharges the plaintiff's claim, leaving the rest for justice or district court (§ 25-35-606(2)); only a party who claims to have been directly a party to the transaction with the defendant may sue: a general assignee, debt buyer, or collection agency holding a purchased claim cannot file, apart from the narrow shoplifting-penalty-assignment exception (§ 25-35-505(4)-(5)) |
| Nebraska verified 2026-07-09 | Nebraska Small Claims Court Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 25-2801 to 25-2807 |
$7,500 since July 1, 2025 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2802(4)), up from $6,000 (July 2024-June 2025); a 2024 law (LB139) replaced an earlier mechanism that let the Supreme Court adjust the limit every five years for inflation with these flat legislated step amounts |
Same $7,500 limit as an individual: the Act's party list already includes partnerships, LLCs, corporations, unions, and other organizations (§ 25-2803(1)) |
The Small Claims Court is a department of the County Court (§ 25-2801): filed and heard in county court, not a separate courthouse |
Barred at the hearing itself (§ 25-2803(2)), and each party type must appear through its own natural representative (an individual represents themselves, a corporation through an employee, an LLC through a member/manager/employee, etc., § 25-2803(3)); an attorney may still give behind-the-scenes advice, file a motion for a new trial or to set aside a default judgment (§ 25-2804(7)), or represent a party once the case is appealed (§ 25-2807) |
No party may file more than 2 small claims in any calendar week or more than 10 in any calendar year (§ 25-2803(6)), regardless of dollar amount and regardless of party type |
Either party may appeal to district court within 30 days of judgment (§ 25-2807, applying § 25-2729(1)), plus a small-claims-specific $50 cash bond or undertaking (§ 25-2729(4)); the district court reviews the record for error rather than holding a new trial; attorneys are allowed on appeal |
Money, damages, or personal property up to the limit, plus rescinding or disaffirming a contract for the purchase of goods or services up to the same limit (§ 25-2802(1)-(2)); no general equity jurisdiction; no prejudgment attachment, garnishment, replevin, or other provisional remedy is allowed (§ 25-2804(5)) |
| Nevada verified 2026-07-09 | NRS ch. 73 (Small Claims), within Title 6, Justice Courts and Civil Procedure Therein; § 73.010 sets jurisdiction and the dollar limit. Filing, service, hearing, and appeal procedure are supplied by the Justice Court Rules of Civil Procedure (JCRCP), Part XII (Rules 88-100), adopted by the Nevada Supreme Court |
$10,000, for the recovery of money only (§ 73.010(1)): the same figure applies to every type of plaintiff and every claim brought under this chapter |
Same $10,000 limit as an individual: § 73.010 draws no distinction based on plaintiff type. A corporation, partnership, business trust, or other nongovernmental legal or commercial entity may also appear through its own director, officer, or employee instead of a lawyer (§ 73.012) |
The Justice Court: jurisdiction is vested in "a justice of the peace" (§ 73.010(1)), not a separately chartered court. "Small claims court" and "small claims division" are the common labels for this jurisdiction within Justice Court, not a distinct tribunal. Venue is the township where the defendant resides, does business, or is employed, with additional options for injury and contract-performance cases (§ 73.010(2)) |
Freely allowed for either side: no bar and no consent requirement. The catch is fee-shifting, not representation: "no attorney's fees are allowed either party" in a small claims action, with narrow exceptions for certain deceptive-trade-practices claims (§ 73.040, cross-referencing NRS 597.860 and 597.870). Separately, an entity may skip hiring a lawyer entirely and appear through its own director, officer, or employee (§ 73.012) |
None: NRS ch. 73 and JCRCP Rules 88-100 (the small claims rules) contain no provision limiting how many claims a party may file in a year |
Symmetric: "A plaintiff or defendant may appeal from a judgment to the district court as in other cases arising in the justice courts" (JCRCP 98(a)). The notice of appeal is due within 7 calendar days of service of the judgment (JCRCP 98(b)), an unusually short window compared to the 21-day period for ordinary justice court civil appeals, and an appeal bond is required (JCRCP 99-100). The district court reviews the existing hearing record rather than holding a new trial: no new evidence is introduced, and the district judge decides based on what was submitted to the justice of the peace |
Money only: § 73.010(1) limits small claims jurisdiction to "the recovery of money only." There's no equitable relief, no return of specific property, and no injunctions, a claim seeking property back or an order to stop some activity doesn't belong in small claims court at all. No attachment or garnishment may issue before judgment (§ 73.020), though execution, including garnishment in aid of execution, is available afterward to collect on a judgment already won |
| New Hampshire verified 2026-07-09 | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. (RSA) ch. 503, §§ 503:1 to 503:13 (Litigation of Small Claims) |
$10,000, exclusive of interest and costs, effective July 1, 2015 (RSA 503:1, I, amended by 2014, 186:5), up from a prior $5,000/$7,500 progression |
Same $10,000 limit as an individual: RSA 503 does not lower the dollar cap or bar a business plaintiff |
Small claims is a simplified procedure within the Circuit Court: District Division (the statute still uses the older term 'district or municipal court'), not a freestanding small claims court |
Not barred: an attorney may appear for any party, but must file a written appearance and serve it on all opposing parties at least 7 days before the hearing (RSA 503:2-a); a non-attorney officer, employee, partner, owner, or trustee of a corporation, partnership, LLC, or trust may also represent the entity without a lawyer, if the entity files a signed, acknowledged written authorization under oath (RSA 503:11) |
None found in RSA ch. 503 or the District Division small-claims rules |
Either party may appeal to the New Hampshire Supreme Court within 30 days of the notice of judgment (RSA 503:10, II); the trial justice's findings of fact are final, and the appeal is a review of the trial record (a party may request, at their own cost, a sound recording of the hearing before trial for this purpose), not a trial de novo; the trial court may also transfer pure questions of law to the Supreme Court on its own (RSA 503:9) |
Money debt or damages up to $10,000; a defendant may demand a jury trial for any claim over $1,500, which transfers the whole case to superior court for trial there instead of proceeding as a small claim (RSA 503:1, II-III); a claim over $5,000 with no jury demand must go through mediation first (RSA 503:1, IV); the statute is framed around debt and damages, with no separate provision for equitable or possessory relief |
| New Jersey verified 2026-07-09 | N.J. Court Rule 6:1-2(a)(2) (the $5,000 small claims jurisdictional figure): a Supreme Court RULE, not a statute; also R. 6:1-3 (venue), R. 6:11 (non-lawyer business representation), R. 6:5-3 (jury demand), and R. 2:4-1(a) (appeal deadline) |
$5,000, effective July 1, 2022 (R. 6:1-2(a)(2)), raised from a prior $3,000 general figure. Before 2022 the rule set a LOWER $3,000 cap for most small claims but carved out a separate, higher $5,000 tier specifically for security-deposit disputes; the 2022 amendment raised the general figure to match, so there's now a single $5,000 ceiling covering every small claims case, including security deposits: older sources describing a $3,000/$5,000 split are out of date |
No separate dollar figure: a corporation, LLC, partnership, or other business entity faces the same $5,000 cap as an individual. What IS entity-specific is representation, not the dollar amount: see 'Can you bring a lawyer?' below |
The 'Small Claims Section,' one of three sections of the Special Civil Part of the Superior Court's Law Division (the others are the regular Special Civil Part and the Landlord/Tenant Section) (R. 6:1-2(a)(2)). Filed with the Special Civil Part clerk's office in the proper venue county under R. 6:1-3 |
Allowed, not required and not barred: New Jersey doesn't restrict attorneys from Small Claims the way some states do. The distinctive rule instead concerns NON-lawyer representation: R. 6:11(d) lets 'any authorized officer or employee' both prosecute AND defend a Small Claims case on behalf of a business entity (formally incorporated or not), so long as the claim 'originat[ed] with and [is] not held by transfer or assignment to' that entity, and the representative isn't a suspended, disbarred, or resigned attorney. This exception applies to the underlying claim whenever it would qualify for Small Claims, even if the case actually landed in the regular Special Civil Part docket. Outside this exception, a business ordinarily must be represented by a licensed attorney (R. 1:21-1(c)) |
None found in the Small Claims Section rules (R. 6:1-2, R. 6:11): no annual or per-period limit on how many claims a plaintiff may file |
Not a fresh trial. A final Small Claims judgment may be appealed by either party as of right to the Appellate Division within 45 days (R. 2:4-1(a)), but that's an ordinary appeal reviewed for legal error on the existing record, not a new trial. Separately, and only BEFORE judgment, a DEFENDANT (not the plaintiff) may demand a jury trial at least 5 days before the return date, which transfers the whole case out of Small Claims into the regular Special Civil Part rather than deciding it there (R. 6:5-3(a)): an asymmetric, pre-judgment removal right, distinct from the post-judgment appeal |
Money damages arising from contract and tort claims, plus landlord-tenant disputes over rent, a security deposit, or other money damages (R. 6:1-2(a)(2)). The Small Claims Section 'may provide such ancillary equitable relief as may be necessary to effect a complete remedy,' but an action that is PRIMARILY equitable in nature, or an action in lieu of prerogative writs, is excluded entirely. Evictions themselves are not part of Small Claims: they go through the separate Landlord/Tenant Section (R. 6:1-2(a)(3)) |
| New Mexico verified 2026-07-09 | Magistrate Court: NMSA 1978 § 35-3-3. Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court: NMSA 1978 § 34-8A-3 |
$10,000, exclusive of interest and costs, in both Magistrate Court (§ 35-3-3(A)) and Metropolitan Court (§ 34-8A-3(A)(2)) |
Same $10,000 limit as an individual: New Mexico does not lower the dollar cap for a business plaintiff |
No separately named small claims court. Magistrate Court handles civil claims up to $10,000 in 32 of New Mexico's 33 counties; the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court (Albuquerque) has the equivalent civil jurisdiction there |
Individuals may appear pro se or hire a lawyer freely. A corporation or LLC generally must be represented by a licensed attorney; it may appear through a non-attorney officer, director, or shareholder only if it qualifies as closely held under NMRA Rule 2-107(B): the New Mexico Supreme Court held in 2024 that a corporation not meeting that narrow test cannot use a non-attorney employee to litigate its case |
None found in the governing statutes |
Magistrate Court: either party may appeal to district court within 15 days of judgment (NMRA Rule 2-705(A)), tried de novo (NMSA 1978 § 35-13-2(A)). Metropolitan Court: civil judgments are appealed to the Court of Appeals on the existing record, not a new trial (NMSA 1978 § 34-8A-6(B)) |
Contract, quasi-contract, and tort claims for money. Magistrate Court has no jurisdiction over malicious prosecution, libel or slander, misconduct-in-office claims against public officers, specific performance of a real-property sale contract, land title or boundary disputes, domestic relations, or any injunction, habeas corpus, or other extraordinary writ (§ 35-3-3(C)) |
| New York verified 2026-07-09 | NYC Civil Court Act § 1801 (NYC); Uniform City Court Act § 1801 (other City Courts); Uniform District Court Act § 1801 (Nassau/western Suffolk); Uniform Justice Court Act § 1801 (Town/Village Courts) |
$10,000 in NYC Civil Court; $5,000 in other City Courts and District Courts; $3,000 in Town/Village Justice Courts: no single statewide figure |
Outright bar: a corporation, partnership, association, or assignee cannot sue as plaintiff at all (CCA/UCT/UDC/UJC § 1809(1)), though it can be sued |
No single court: venue and dollar tier depend on location: NYC Civil Court's Small Claims Part in the five boroughs; a City Court's Small Claims Part elsewhere; a District Court's Small Claims Part in Nassau/western Suffolk; or a Town/Village Justice Court's Small Claims Part |
Not required and not barred; freely allowed at any hearing (no statutory bar exists anywhere in Article 18 of any of the four acts) |
No CA-style annual dollar-threshold cap; instead a narrower anti-harassment rule (§ 1810) lets a clerk require court permission to refile a claim already litigated and lost, or filed solely to harass |
Symmetric but narrow: either party may appeal, but only on the ground that substantial justice was not done (§ 1807): not a full new trial; notice of appeal is due within 30 days of service of the judgment with notice of entry (CPLR § 5513(a)) |
Money only, by definition (§ 1801: 'any cause of action for money only'); no injunctions or other equitable/possessory relief |
| North Carolina verified 2026-07-09 | G.S. § 7A-210(1) (statewide $10,000 ceiling on the 'amount in controversy'); § 7A-211 (chief district judge sets each county's actual local assignment limit, up to that ceiling); § 7A-222(c) and § 7A-228(e) (no attorney required, at hearing or on appeal); § 7A-228 (de novo appeal) |
$10,000 statewide ceiling under § 7A-210(1), exclusive of interest and costs, but the ACTUAL local limit for magistrate assignment is set county-by-county by the chief district court judge under § 7A-211 and can be as low as $5,000; you must check your county's own limit, since the statute only caps how high a county's limit can go, not how low |
No separate, lower figure or bar: a corporation, LLC, or other entity faces the identical local cap (between $5,000 and $10,000, depending on county) as an individual |
No separately named 'small claims court': it's small claim actions assigned to a magistrate within the District Court division (Chapter 7A, Article 19), filed with the clerk of superior court in the county where a defendant resides (§ 7A-213) |
Not required for anyone. Section 7A-222(c) exempts a small claim party from G.S. § 84-4 (the general bar on non-lawyer representation), and North Carolina courts (Duke Power Co. v. Daniels, 86 N.C. App. 469 (1987)) have held this lets a corporate party appear through a non-lawyer agent, not just an individual appearing pro se. Section 7A-228(e), added in 2017, extends the same no-attorney-required rule to a trial de novo on appeal: before that amendment, a corporation that won at the magistrate level could be forced to hire a lawyer if the other side appealed |
None found: Article 19 (§§ 7A-210 to 7A-232) has no limit on how many claims a plaintiff may file in a year |
Symmetric: after final disposition before the magistrate, 'the sole remedy for an aggrieved party is appeal for trial de novo before a district court judge or a jury' (§ 7A-228(a)). Notice of appeal is due within 10 days (oral in open court, or written with the clerk of superior court); a jury may be demanded by either side (§ 7A-230) |
Money damages, recovery of specific personal property, or summary ejectment (eviction), or any properly joined combination of those (§ 7A-210(2)): not a broader 'equitable relief' category. The same magistrate also handles claim-and-delivery, subpoena duces tecum, and lien-property-relinquishment requests as ancillary remedies within a pending small claim (§ 7A-231) |
| North Dakota verified 2026-07-09 | N.D.C.C. §§ 27-08.1-01 to 27-08.1-08 (Small Claims Court) |
$15,000 (N.D.C.C. § 27-08.1-01(1)), for a money claim, a tenant's civil-damages claim under § 47-10-28(9), or cancellation of an agreement for material fraud, deception, misrepresentation, or false promise |
Same $15,000 limit as an individual; a corporation, LLC, or partnership may appear through an officer, owner, director, trustee, or employee rather than a lawyer (N.D. R. Ct. 10.2(b)) |
Small Claims Court, a division of the district court exercised by district judges (§ 27-08.1-01(1)); may be presided over by an appointed judicial referee (§ 27-08.1-08) |
Not barred: parties may be represented by a lawyer admitted to practice in the state (N.D. R. Ct. 10.2(a)); but a claim may not be filed by an assignee of the claim at all, including a collection agency or debt buyer, so an assigned debt cannot be brought in Small Claims Court by anyone (§ 27-08.1-01(3)) |
None found in Chapter 27-08.1; a separate, general 2025 vexatious-litigant law (creating a prefiling-order regime for a litigant who has lost at least two 'vexatious' cases in 7 years) applies across all courts, including small claims, but isn't a numeric annual cap |
Neither side gets a true post-judgment appeal: by electing small claims court, the plaintiff waives any right to appeal the decision; the defendant waives appeal upon receiving the order for appearance, unless the defendant instead removes the case to district court before the hearing (§ 27-08.1-04); once a small claims judgment is entered, it is final for both sides |
Money judgments or cancellation of an agreement for fraud, deception, misrepresentation, or false promise: no broader equitable or possessory relief; no jury trial is available (§ 27-08.1-03); if the judge decides the case can't be fairly resolved in small claims court because it needs relief other than money damages or cancellation, the judge must dismiss without prejudice and refund the filing fee (§ 27-08.1-04.1) |
| Ohio verified 2026-07-09 | Ohio Rev. Code §§ 1925.01-1925.02 (Small Claims Division established; jurisdiction) |
$6,000, exclusive of interest and costs: one flat figure, no venue split and no natural-person/entity split |
No lower dollar figure: an entity faces the identical $6,000 cap as an individual (the real business/entity distinction is procedural, not a dollar limit: see attorney_representation) |
No separately named small claims court: it's the Small Claims Division of the Municipal Court (or County Court in areas without a municipal court) for the territory where the case is filed |
Not required for individuals. A corporation may commence or defend an action through an attorney, or through a bona fide officer or salaried employee, but that non-lawyer representative may not engage in cross-examination, argument, or other acts of advocacy without an attorney (§ 1925.17) |
None found: Ohio Rev. Code Chapter 1925 imposes no limit on how many claims a plaintiff may file |
Symmetric, ordinary appellate review, not a fresh trial: either party may appeal a final judgment to the Ohio Court of Appeals within 30 days (App.R. 4(A)), same as any other Municipal or County Court civil judgment |
Money only, for taxes and money: excludes libel, slander, replevin, malicious prosecution, abuse of process, and claims for punitive or exemplary damages (§ 1925.02) |
| Oklahoma verified 2026-07-09 | 12 O.S. §§ 1751-1766, the Small Claims Procedure Act (Title 12, Civil Procedure, Ch. 36); § 1751 sets jurisdiction and the dollar limit |
$10,000, exclusive of attorney fees and other court costs (12 O.S. § 1751(A)(1)-(3)): covers money/tort claims (excluding libel or slander), replevin of personal property, and interpleader actions, each capped separately at that figure |
Same $10,000 limit as an individual: no separate lower or higher figure for a business or other entity |
The small claims docket of the District Court in the county: not a separately named court. A handful of counties instead route small claims to a separate "small claims division" of the district court (12 O.S. § 1751(G), cross-referencing § 1148.14), but the forum is still part of the same District Court |
Freely allowed for either side: no bar and no consent requirement. A corporation, LLC, partnership, trust, or other entity may also appear on its own, through a corporate officer, member, manager, partner, trustee, or regular full-time employee, without an attorney at all (§ 1751(G)) |
None: the Small Claims Procedure Act (12 O.S. §§ 1751-1766) has no provision limiting how many claims a party may file in a year |
Symmetric: either party may appeal a small claims judgment "to the Supreme Court of the state in the same manner as appeals are taken in other civil actions" (§ 1763): a genuine appeal, but a record-based appellate review under Oklahoma's ordinary civil-appeal practice, not a new trial |
Money based on contract or tort (excluding libel or slander), replevin of personal property, or interpleader of money, each up to $10,000 (§ 1751(A)): no broader equitable relief. No attachment or prejudgment garnishment may issue, and no depositions, interrogatories, or other discovery may be used except in aid of execution; no new parties may be added and no one may intervene (§ 1760). Collection agencies, collection agents, and claim assignees are barred from filing (with a narrow exception for a health care provider suing as an assignee of insurance benefits, § 1751(B)); an incarcerated plaintiff cannot file at all (§ 1751(E)); and no claim may be brought against a city, county, or state agency (or its employee) arising from incarceration, probation, parole, or community supervision (§ 1751(D)) |
| Oregon verified 2026-07-09 | ORS § 46.405 (jurisdiction and dollar limits); § 46.415 (procedure, attorney rule); within ORS ch. 46, Small Claims Department of Circuit Court |
$750 or less MUST be filed in the Small Claims Department; up to $10,000 MAY be filed there (ORS § 46.405(2)-(3)). A plaintiff aggregating claims from more than one transaction is capped at $10,000 total (§ 46.425(3)) |
Same $750/$10,000 limits as any plaintiff: no separate lower or higher figure for a business or entity |
The Small Claims Department of the Circuit Court in the county (§ 46.405(1)): a department inside the Circuit Court, not a separately named court. If a circuit court shares a city with a justice court, the two may agree by intergovernmental agreement to route all small claims work to the justice court instead (§ 46.405(6)) |
Not barred outright, but requires the judge's consent for any party (§ 46.415(4)): no as-of-right lawyer participation for either side. A business or other non-natural-person party may appear without a lawyer at all, through an officer or employee (§ 46.415(5)), a carve-out from the general rule elsewhere requiring a corporation to appear through counsel |
None: ORS ch. 46 has no provision limiting how many claims a party may file in a year |
None. A small claims judgment is "conclusive upon the parties and no appeal may be taken" (§ 46.485(4)). The only escape route is pre-judgment and asymmetric: if the amount claimed exceeds $750, the DEFENDANT alone has a right to demand a jury trial before the hearing, which removes the whole case to the regular circuit court docket (§ 46.455(3)) |
Money, damages, specific personal property, or "any penalty or forfeiture" (§ 46.405(2)-(3)): no broader equitable relief (injunctions, specific performance) is authorized in the small claims chapter itself. Class actions are barred outright, as are suits by one incarcerated person against another incarcerated person (§ 46.405(4)) |
| Pennsylvania verified 2026-07-09 | 42 Pa.C.S. § 1515(a)(3) (Magisterial District Judges, statewide except Philadelphia); 42 Pa.C.S. § 1123(a)(4) (Philadelphia Municipal Court) |
$12,000, exclusive of interest and costs: one flat figure, no venue split and no natural-person/entity split |
No lower limit and no bar: a corporation, partnership, or other entity faces the identical $12,000 cap as an individual and may sue or be sued the same way |
Magisterial District Court in every county except Philadelphia; Philadelphia Municipal Court's Civil Division inside Philadelphia County |
Not required for anyone, including corporations: at this level, an individual, partnership, or corporation may appear through a non-lawyer representative with personal knowledge and written authorization (Pa.R.C.P.M.D.J. 207); attorneys are freely allowed too |
None found: neither § 1515, § 1123, nor the Rules of Civil Procedure before Magisterial District Judges impose a cap on how many claims a plaintiff may file |
Symmetric and broad: either party may appeal for a full trial de novo in the Court of Common Pleas (Pa.R.C.P.M.D.J. 1007(A)), within 30 days of the judgment's entry (Pa.R.C.P.M.D.J. 1002(A)) |
Money only: assumpsit (contract) and trespass (tort) claims up to the dollar limit; real-property title disputes and equitable relief are excluded |
| Rhode Island verified 2026-07-09 | R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 10-16-1 to 10-16-16 (Small Claims and Consumer Claims) |
$5,000, exclusive of interest and costs, for money-only claims (§ 10-16-1), raised from $2,500 effective July 3, 2021 |
Same $5,000 limit as an individual; the difference is representation, not amount: see attorney_representation |
The District Court has full jurisdiction over small claims actions (§ 10-16-2); a corporate plaintiff must sue in the division where the defendant resides, not the plaintiff's own choice of venue (§ 10-16-3) |
No bar for individuals: neither the plaintiff nor an individual defendant is required to have an attorney, though either may hire one at their own expense; a plaintiff corporation may instead use a non-attorney representative only if it has total assets under $1,000,000 and is a close corporation (§ 10-16-3.1), and every other plaintiff corporation, plus every defendant corporation with no exceptions, must be represented by an attorney |
No numeric cap; instead the clerk may, in its discretion, require a claimant to get court permission to refile, or bar the procedure entirely, if the same claim was already brought and lost and is being refiled for oppression or harassment (§ 10-16-8(b)) |
Current law is asymmetric: the plaintiff waives appeal and only the defendant may appeal within 2 business days for a Superior Court trial de novo (§§ 10-16-4, 10-16-14, 9-12-10). Effective Jan. 1, 2027, enacted S 2975 permits a plaintiff to appeal a counterclaim ruling and sets a $75 appeal filing fee |
Money judgments only: contract, retail-sale or services, tax-collection, and negotiable-instrument claims, each capped at $5,000; the current counterclaim cap is $2,500 (§ 10-16-9), rising to $5,000 on Jan. 1, 2027 under enacted S 2975 |
| South Carolina verified 2026-07-09 | S.C. Code § 22-3-10 (concurrent civil jurisdiction and dollar limit, enumerated by claim type), § 22-3-20 (matters magistrates cannot hear), South Carolina Rules of Magistrates Court (SCMCR) Rule 18 (appeals), and SCMCR Rule 21 together with South Carolina Supreme Court case law (representation) |
$7,500, the same figure across every enumerated category in § 22-3-10: contract claims for money only, tort/property damage, penalties/fines/forfeitures, attachment actions, bond and surety-bond actions, confession of judgment, fraud in the sale/purchase/exchange of personal property, recovery of personal property (claim and delivery), interpleader for earnest money, and damages for failing to return leased or rented personal property. A plaintiff whose claim exceeds $7,500 may still file in Magistrates Court but can only recover up to that ceiling |
No difference: the same $7,500 limit applies whether the plaintiff or defendant is an individual, corporation, partnership, or other organization. Section 22-3-10 draws no distinction by party type, and secondary practitioner guidance confirms 'most small claims courts allow business entities, such as corporations or partnerships, to bring actions' |
South Carolina has no institutionally separate small claims court: the Magistrates Court is the forum, one per county, and it also handles minor criminal matters, bail, and search/arrest warrants alongside its civil small-claims-range jurisdiction. Magistrates are gubernatorial appointees confirmed by the Senate for four-year terms and are not currently required to hold a law degree |
Freely allowed on either side, never required. A LawHelp.org/SC summary states plainly: 'You are not required to hire an attorney unless you so desire.' Beyond that baseline, a business has an ADDITIONAL option South Carolina case law created specifically for Magistrates Court: In re Unauthorized Practice of Law Rules Proposed by South Carolina Bar, 422 S.E.2d 123 (S.C. 1992), modified the older rule from State v. Wells (1939) that had barred any lay representation of a corporation, holding it permissible for 'a business to be represented by a non-lawyer officer, agent or employee ... in civil magistrate's court proceedings': codified in SCMCR Rule 21. That representation is 'undertaken at the business's option,' and the magistrate must have a written authorization from the entity's president, chairperson, general partner, owner, or chief executive officer before permitting it; the business bears the risk of any problems the representation causes |
None found. Sections 22-3-10 through 22-3-30 (all read this session) contain no limit on how many claims a single plaintiff may file in a year, unlike states with a dedicated anti-abuse filing-frequency statute |
Symmetric, either party may appeal. SCMCR Rule 18(a): the notice of appeal must be served and filed within 30 days of delivery of written notice of judgment (or within 30 days of the judgment being announced at trial in the parties' or their attorneys' presence), with the filing fee paid at that time unless the appellant qualifies to proceed in forma pauperis; the right to appeal also survives for 30 days after denial of a new-trial motion. Rather than a live retrial, Rule 18(b) has the magistrate transmit 'the record, a statement of all proceedings in the case, and, if necessary, the testimony taken at trial' to the circuit court clerk within 30 days of the notice of appeal being filed, the circuit court reviews that transmitted record rather than starting the case over |
Reaches well beyond plain money damages. Section 22-3-10 gives Magistrates Court jurisdiction over money judgments in contract and tort up to $7,500; penalty, fine, or forfeiture actions up to $7,500; attachment, bond, and surety-bond actions up to $7,500; confession-of-judgment entries up to $7,500; fraud in the sale, purchase, or exchange of personal property up to $7,500; recovery of possession of personal property (claim and delivery) up to $7,500; interpleader for earnest money on a real estate contract up to $7,500; and damages for failing to timely return leased or rented personal property up to $7,500. Notably, 'all matters between landlord and tenant and the possession of land', meaning evictions, run through the SAME Magistrates Court with NO dollar limit at all (§ 22-3-10(10)). Magistrates cannot hear cases where the State is a party (except a penalty action under $100) or where title to real property is actually in question (§ 22-3-20) |
| South Dakota verified 2026-07-09 | S.D. Codified Laws (SDCL) ch. 15-39, §§ 15-39-45 to 15-39-79 |
$12,000, not including allowable costs or attorney fees (SDCL § 15-39-45.1), set by a 2011 amendment (SL 2011, ch. 106, § 1) |
Same $12,000 limit as an individual; a corporate or LLC defendant must be sued in a county where it has a place of business, rather than the individual-defendant venue rule (SDCL § 15-39-69) |
Small claims is a simplified procedure within the circuit court and magistrate court system, not a separate court (SDCL § 15-39-45); if filed with a magistrate, the magistrate performs the clerk's duties (§ 15-39-51) |
No bar: the chapter defines 'attorney' broadly to include a partner or joint plaintiff acting for all, a corporate officer or manager, an LLC member or manager, and an assignee of a claim (including a collection agency) so long as the assignment is bona fide for valuable consideration: an assignment made purely for collection purposes counts as bona fide (SDCL § 15-39-47); this broadened non-lawyer representation ends if the case is removed to the regular civil docket |
None found in Chapter 15-39 |
None: no party may appeal a small claims judgment (SDCL § 15-39-57); a defendant's only way to avoid the small-claims track is a pre-hearing petition, filed at least 5 days before the answer date, to remove the case to the regular civil docket of circuit or magistrate court, with a $35 entry fee, a $250 security deposit, and an affidavit showing a meritorious defense; after judgment, either party's only recourse is a motion asking the court to vacate the judgment for lack of notice, error, or other sufficient cause (§ 15-39-75) |
Money judgments only, for claims 'in the nature of contract or tort, other than slander and libel' (SDCL § 15-39-45); punitive or exemplary damages are barred except for narrow statutory carve-outs (wage claims and a few others); the court can award up to $500 in costs or attorney fees against a party who raises a frivolous or vexatious claim or defense (§ 15-39-73) |
| Tennessee verified 2026-07-09 | Tenn. Code Ann. (T.C.A.) § 16-15-501(d)(1) (general sessions jurisdiction and dollar limit); § 27-5-108 (appeal to circuit court); § 16-15-729 (trial de novo on appeal); § 23-1-109 (self-representation) |
$25,000, in both law and equity (T.C.A. § 16-15-501(d)(1)): the same figure for every plaintiff type, with no separate lower or higher tier tied to whether the plaintiff is an individual or a business. When testing a judgment against the $25,000 cap, attorney fees, court costs, and discretionary costs are NOT counted (§ 16-15-501(d)(2)), so a final judgment can exceed $25,000 once those are added on top of the damages. Two categories are carved out of the dollar limit entirely: forcible entry and detainer (eviction) actions and actions to recover personal property (including an alternative money judgment) both get UNLIMITED original jurisdiction regardless of value |
Same $25,000 dollar figure as an individual, no lower or higher number. But a genuinely different procedural rule applies: a corporation, LLC, or partnership cannot appear pro se at all. T.C.A. § 23-1-109's self-representation right ('Any person may conduct and manage the person's own case') has been read by the Tennessee Supreme Court, in Old Hickory Eng'g & Mach. Co. v. Henry, 937 S.W.2d 782, 785 (Tenn. 1996), not to extend to a business entity acting through a non-lawyer officer or employee, because 'a corporation is an entity separate and distinct from its officers and shareholders.' A 2026 Tennessee Court of Appeals decision, Southern Auto Source Finance, LLC v. Airways Towing & Recovery, LLC (No. W2025-01053-COA-R10-CV, filed 2026-06-22), confirms this bars even a one-page notice of appeal filed by a non-attorney LLC member, the court reversed the trial court and ordered the appeal dismissed as a nullity |
The General Sessions Court: not a separately named small claims court, but the same limited-jurisdiction court that handles all lower-value civil (and misdemeanor criminal) matters in the county. T.C.A. § 16-15-501(a): the court 'is vested with all of the jurisdiction and shall exercise the authority formerly conferred by law upon justices of the peace,' and its power 'shall be coextensive with the county' |
An individual may represent themselves under T.C.A. § 23-1-109 ('Any person may conduct and manage the person's own case in any court of this state'). A business entity may NOT proceed pro se through a non-lawyer officer or employee: it must be represented by a licensed attorney, confirmed by Old Hickory Eng'g & Mach. Co. v. Henry, 937 S.W.2d 782 (Tenn. 1996), and reaffirmed for general sessions specifically by Southern Auto Source Finance, LLC v. Airways Towing & Recovery, LLC (Tenn. Ct. App. 2026) |
None found in T.C.A. Title 16, ch. 15, Parts 5 and 7 (read in full): no limit on how many claims a single plaintiff may file in a given period |
Symmetric: either side may appeal. T.C.A. § 27-5-108(a)(1): 'Any party may appeal from a decision of the general sessions court to the circuit court of the county within a period of ten (10) days.' The appeal is a genuine do-over, not a record review: § 27-5-108(c) and § 16-15-729 both provide the appeal 'shall be heard de novo,' including damages, and the higher court may not dismiss for informality but must try the case on its merits |
Money damages, 'both law and equity' (T.C.A. § 16-15-501(d)(1)), so equitable relief is available within the general sessions court's jurisdiction, not just legal damages. Two categories get unlimited jurisdiction regardless of dollar value: forcible entry and detainer (eviction) actions, and actions to recover personal property, including 'jurisdiction to award an alternative money judgment' in the latter |
| Texas verified 2026-07-09 | Tex. Gov't Code § 27.031(a)(1) (Justice Court jurisdiction); Tex. R. Civ. P. 500.1(a) (small claims case defined) |
$20,000, excluding statutory interest and court costs but including attorney fees (Gov't Code § 27.031(a)(1); TRCP 500.1(a)) |
Same $20,000 limit applies to every plaintiff type; no lower tier for a business or entity |
Justice Court: Texas has no separately named small claims court; a small claims case is one of several simplified tracks the Justice Court hears |
Not required (Gov't Code § 27.031(d)) and not barred; nothing in TRCP Part V prohibits an attorney from appearing |
None found in Gov't Code ch. 27 or TRCP Part V (Rules 500-510) |
Either party may appeal, for a full trial de novo in county court, by filing a bond, cash deposit, or inability-to-pay statement within 21 days (TRCP 506.1, 506.3) |
Mainly money damages, civil penalties, or personal property; the same Justice Court separately handles eviction and personal-property lien/mortgage enforcement under its own tracks (Gov't Code § 27.031(a)(2)-(3); TRCP 500.1(d)) |
| Utah verified 2026-07-09 | Utah Code §§ 78A-8-101 through 78A-8-109 (Chapter 8, "Small Claims Courts"); § 78A-8-102 sets the definition, jurisdiction, and dollar-limit escalator; the Utah Rules of Small Claims Procedure, adopted by the Supreme Court under § 78A-8-102(8), govern day-to-day procedure |
$20,000 (including attorney fees, but exclusive of court costs and interest), effective January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2029: one of three tiers written directly into the current text of § 78A-8-102(1)(a)(i): $15,000 (May 4, 2022-Dec 31, 2024, now expired), $20,000 (current), and $25,000 (Jan 1, 2030 onward) |
Same limit as an individual: no separate lower or higher figure for a business or other entity |
Small Claims Court, described in § 78A-8-101 as "a limited jurisdiction division of the district and justice courts": filed in the justice court with jurisdiction over where the defendant resides or the debt was incurred, or in district court if the area has no justice court |
Not required: "With or without counsel, persons or corporations may litigate actions on behalf of themselves" (§ 78A-8-102(6)(a)), and a corporation may appear through an authorized employee instead of an attorney. A non-employee, non-attorney representative is allowed only to the extent the Utah Rules of Small Claims Procedure separately permit (§ 78A-8-102(6)(b)) |
No hard numeric cap, but a docket-management mechanism exists instead: if a party other than a government entity files multiple small claims in the same court, the clerk or judge may remove all but the first claim from the calendar to clear the docket for other litigants, rescheduling the rest as the court's calendar allows (§ 78A-8-102(7)) |
Symmetric and a full trial de novo: "Either party may appeal the judgment in a small claims action to the district court of the county" by filing notice within 28 days of judgment (§ 78A-8-106(1)); the appeal is tried again from scratch under small claims procedures (§ 78A-8-106(2)). The Utah Supreme Court has held the state constitution guarantees a right to a jury in that trial de novo: even though the original small claims trial itself has no jury. The district court's de novo decision generally cannot be appealed further, except where the court rules on the constitutionality of a statute or ordinance |
Money only, plus interpleader actions under Utah R. Civ. P. 22 (§ 78A-8-102(1)): no equitable relief. A claim may not be filed or prosecuted by an assignee of the claim (§ 78A-8-103). A motor-vehicle property-damage claim may be brought in small claims without giving up a separate personal-injury claim over the same accident (§ 78A-8-102(5)) |
| Vermont verified 2026-07-09 | 12 V.S.A. §§ 5531-5541 (Chapter 187, Small Claims Procedure) |
$10,000, raised from $5,000 by 2023 Act No. 46 § 9, effective June 5, 2023 (12 V.S.A. § 5531(a)); a plaintiff can't split a claim over $10,000 into multiple small-claims cases to get around the cap |
Same $10,000 limit as an individual: Vermont does not lower the dollar cap for a corporate or other entity plaintiff. A narrower, claim-type-specific cap applies regardless of plaintiff type: the small claims court has no jurisdiction over a debt-collection claim over $5,000 arising from a consumer credit transaction or medical debt (12 V.S.A. § 5531(e)) |
Vermont has no separately named small claims court: small claims is a simplified procedural track within the Civil Division of the Superior Court, heard in the county where the plaintiff or defendant lives or the defendant does business (12 V.S.A. §§ 5531(a), 5532, 5541) |
Not required for anyone: 'Any person, corporation, or other legal entity shall be entitled but not required to be represented by an attorney in small claims court' (12 V.S.A. § 5536): a genuine, explicit no-bar rule that also covers corporate and other entity plaintiffs, unlike many states that require entities to appear only through counsel |
None found in 12 V.S.A. §§ 5531-5541 |
Symmetric but limited: either party may appeal a small claims judgment to the Superior Court within 30 days of entry of judgment (Vermont Judiciary's official small claims guide; 12 V.S.A. § 5538). The appeal is decided by a different Superior judge based on the existing record, not a new trial: no new evidence is presented. There is no appeal of right beyond that to the Vermont Supreme Court; a party must ask the Supreme Court's permission to go further |
Money damages only: parties may not request relief other than money damages under this chapter (12 V.S.A. § 5531(b)), so small claims can't order someone to do or stop doing something (no injunctions), return specific property, or decide title to real estate. A plaintiff can still recover a security-deposit-withholding penalty or similar statutory money remedy, since that's still a money judgment, just not an order to act |
| Virginia verified 2026-07-09 | Va. Code § 16.1-122.1 (small claims court designated as a division of the general district court); § 16.1-122.2 (jurisdiction, $5,000 figure); § 16.1-122.3 (commencement, counterclaim cap); § 16.1-122.4 (representation and removal); § 16.1-122.7 and § 16.1-106 (appeals) |
$5,000, exclusive of interest (§ 16.1-122.2): unchanged since a 2006 amendment, even as the surrounding General District Court's OWN general civil jurisdiction was doubled from $25,000 to $50,000 effective July 1, 2025 (2025 amendments to § 16.1-77); small claims remains a flat, separate $5,000 carve-out concurrent with the GDC, not a percentage or fraction of the GDC's own (now much higher) ceiling |
No separate dollar figure: a corporation, partnership, LLC, or other entity is capped at the same $5,000 as an individual. What differs is representation, not amount: see 'Can you bring a lawyer?' below |
The 'small claims court,' a division of the General District Court that every GDC was required to establish by July 1, 1999 (§ 16.1-122.1): not a separately constituted court, and it holds jurisdiction CONCURRENT with the general district court itself over the same $5,000-and-under claims |
Barred outright, with two narrow exceptions. Section 16.1-122.4(A) requires 'all parties shall be represented by themselves,' except: (1) a business entity may be represented by an owner, general partner, officer, member, or employee with 'all the rights and privileges given an individual' to represent, plead, and try the case: an attorney may fill that role only if appearing pro se for their own claim, never 'in a representative capacity'; and (2) a party the judge finds unable to understand or participate may be represented by a non-attorney friend or relative. Separately, a DEFENDANT (only) may remove the case to the general district court proper at any point before the judge's decision, and may be represented by an attorney once removed (§ 16.1-122.4(B)) |
None currently in force. A pending bill (see pending_legislation) would add Virginia's first such cap, two small claims filings per plaintiff per calendar year statewide, but it has not been enacted |
Symmetric and a genuine do-over. Appeals from the small claims court 'shall be as in other cases from the general district court' (§ 16.1-122.7), which means the general appeal-of-right rule at § 16.1-106: either party may appeal to the circuit court within 10 days of judgment, and the appeal 'shall be heard de novo': a full new trial, not a record review |
Money only, via a 'warrant in debt,' or recovery of specific personal property wrongfully withheld, via a 'warrant in detinue': no equitable relief category exists in small claims court at all, and a defendant's counterclaim is capped at $5,000 too (§ 16.1-122.3(F)). Eviction (unlawful detainer) is not part of small claims; the small claims court also has no jurisdiction over suits against the Commonwealth under the Virginia Tort Claims Act or against a state officer or employee for official-duty claims (§ 16.1-122.1) |
| Washington verified 2026-07-09 | RCW 12.40.010 (the small claims department's jurisdiction and the natural-person/entity dollar split); RCW 12.40.080 (attorney bar and hearing procedure); RCW 12.40.027 (no ordinary right of removal); RCW 12.40.120 (appeal restrictions) |
$10,000 for a natural person (RCW 12.40.010(1)(a)): a human being, as RCW 12.40.010(2) expressly defines the term. The lower $5,000 figure for every other kind of plaintiff belongs under the business/entity dimension below, to avoid duplicating it here |
A genuine, statute-defined split, not just a lower ceiling in practice: RCW 12.40.010(1)(b) caps 'all other cases', meaning any plaintiff that isn't a human being, including a corporation, LLC, partnership, or government body, at $5,000, exactly half the $10,000 figure available to a natural person |
The 'small claims department of the district court': a division every district court is required to create (RCW 12.40.010(1)), not a separate court, with jurisdiction that is 'not exclusive' (concurrent with the regular district court civil docket) |
Barred outright, for anyone, unless the judge consents. RCW 12.40.080(1): 'No attorney-at-law, legal paraprofessional, nor any person other than the plaintiff and defendant, shall appear or participate ... without the consent of the judicial officer hearing the case.' The same subsection separately bars a corporation from being represented by an attorney or legal paraprofessional too, except for a narrow grandfather-clause carve-out in RCW 12.40.025 (a case a DEFENDANT transfers INTO small claims from the regular docket keeps its pre-existing attorney of record). Outside that narrow exception, a business must send a non-lawyer representative, and no party gets a lawyer without asking the judge first |
None found in chapter 12.40 RCW: no limit on how many small claims a single plaintiff may file in a given period |
Narrow and asymmetric, tied to who chose the forum and how much they claimed, not a flat rule. RCW 12.40.120: no appeal is permitted at all if the amount claimed was under $250; separately, a party who requested small claims jurisdiction in the first place cannot appeal if the amount THAT PARTY claimed was less than $1,000. That second bar doesn't apply to the other side: e.g., a defendant who didn't choose the forum can still appeal a judgment of $250 or more even if the plaintiff's own claim was under $1,000. There is no unilateral removal-to-superior-court right in the meantime: RCW 12.40.027 blocks the ordinary civil removal statute from applying to small claims, so a defendant facing a claim beyond small-claims jurisdiction (via an excess counterclaim) must maintain a separate superior court action instead of removing the whole case |
Money only (RCW 12.40.010(1): 'jurisdiction ... in cases for the recovery of money only'). No equitable relief, no order compelling someone to do something, no claim to title of real property. Provisional remedies are limited too: RCW 12.40.090 bars attachment, garnishment, or execution issuing from the small claims department except as this chapter itself separately provides |
| West Virginia verified 2026-07-09 | West Virginia Magistrate Courts Act, W. Va. Code §§ 50-2-1 (jurisdiction), 50-4-4a (appearances), 50-5-12 (appeals) |
$20,000, exclusive of interest and costs, effective July 7, 2025 (W. Va. Code § 50-2-1, amended by 2025 HB 2761), up from $10,000 |
Same $20,000 limit as an individual: West Virginia does not lower the dollar cap for a business plaintiff |
Magistrate Court: West Virginia has no separately named small claims court; Magistrate Court's general civil-jurisdiction docket is the forum for claims up to $20,000 (§ 50-2-1) |
Not barred: any party may appear in person, by agent, or by attorney, with the same effect as if the party appeared personally (§ 50-4-4a); a corporation may appear through an attorney or through a bona fide officer or full-time employee, but a non-attorney 'agent' generally cannot represent someone else's claim (e.g., a collection agency manager appearing for a third-party creditor), per Magistrate Court Administrative Rule 10 and State ex rel. Frieson v. Isner, 285 S.E.2d 641 (W. Va. 1981) |
None found in the governing statutes; a commercial creditor's filed statement must instead include added itemized detail (original obligation, principal/interest breakdown, payment history, and any repossession-sale credit) under § 50-4-1 |
Either party may appeal to circuit court as a matter of right within 20 days of judgment (extendable to 90 days for good cause), by posting a bond; a case tried without a jury gets a full trial de novo in circuit court, while a case tried before a jury only gets a hearing on the record (§ 50-5-12(a)-(b)) |
Money judgments up to $20,000, plus unlawful entry/detainer (eviction) and wrongful occupation of residential rental property regardless of dollar amount as long as title isn't disputed; Magistrate Court cannot hear equity actions, eminent domain, real-estate title disputes, lien-satisfaction sales, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, libel/slander, or Chapter 53 extraordinary remedies like mandamus or habeas corpus (§ 50-2-1) |
| Wisconsin verified 2026-07-09 | Wis. Stat. ch. 799 (Procedure in Small Claims Actions), especially § 799.01(1) (which actions qualify and at what dollar amount), § 799.03 (small claims is a circuit court procedure, not a separate court), § 799.06(2) (representation), and § 799.30 (appeal) |
Currently (through 2026-12-31): $10,000 for general civil actions seeking money judgments, garnishment, or enforcement of a lien on personal property (§ 799.01(1)(d)), but only $5,000 for third-party complaints, personal injury claims, and actions based in tort (§ 799.01(1)(cr)), a genuinely lower tier for tort-type claims, not a uniform figure. Enacted and taking effect January 1, 2027: 2025 Wisconsin Act 105 (signed 2026-03-20) raises the $10,000 general-civil-action figure to $15,000; it does NOT touch the $5,000 tort/personal-injury/third-party figure, a companion bill that would have raised that figure too (SB 790/AB 760) failed in the same legislative session. Until 2027-01-01, the $10,000/$5,000 split remains the operative law |
No split by plaintiff type: the same dollar figures (currently $10,000 general / $5,000 tort, rising to $15,000 general on 2027-01-01) apply whether the plaintiff is an individual or a business. The Wisconsin Court System's own small claims guide states plainly: 'Any individual and any corporation doing business in Wisconsin can sue or be sued in small claims court' |
There is no institutionally separate small claims court: Chapter 799 is simply a simplified PROCEDURE used inside the circuit court. § 799.03 defines the term directly: 'In this chapter unless otherwise designated, "court" means circuit court and "court" does not mean circuit court commissioner.' A case is filed in the circuit court of the appropriate county and follows Chapter 799's streamlined rules (oral pleadings allowed except the initial complaint, no notarization required) rather than the full civil procedure used in a large claim |
Not required for anyone, and allowed on both sides. § 799.06(2): 'A person may commence and prosecute or defend an action or proceeding under this chapter and may appear in his, her, or its own proper person or by an attorney regularly authorized to practice in the courts of this state.' The same subsection treats a business as acting in its own 'proper person', i.e., not needing a lawyer, when represented by 'a member ... agent, or authorized employee of the person,' no separate unauthorized-practice carve-out required. One narrower limit: an assignee of a claim (someone who bought or was assigned the debt, as opposed to the original party) may not appear through a full-time authorized employee unless that employee is a licensed attorney, aimed at debt-collection operations |
None found. Chapter 799's applicability, counterclaim, and procedural sections (§§ 799.01 through 799.06, all read this session) contain no limit on how many small claims a single plaintiff may file in a year, unlike states with a dedicated anti-abuse filing-frequency rule |
Symmetric in theory (either party may appeal a judgment or order), but the appeal path itself is distinctive: § 799.30 sends it straight to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, 'An appeal of a judgment or order under this chapter shall be to the court of appeals', rather than to a circuit court for a new trial, because a small claims case is already a circuit court case. This is a record-based appeal (review of what happened at the small claims hearing), not a trial de novo. The general appeal-timing statute, § 808.04(1), gives 45 days from entry of judgment to initiate an appeal if written notice of entry was given within 21 days, or 90 days if it wasn't |
Broader than money only. Chapter 799's simplified procedure covers: money judgments, garnishment, and lien enforcement up to the dollar limit (§ 799.01(1)(d)); eviction actions with NO dollar limit at all regardless of rent claimed (§ 799.01(1)(a)); replevin, recovery of specific personal property, up to a separate dollar threshold (§ 799.01(1)(c)); return of earnest money on a real estate purchase, regardless of amount (§ 799.01(1)(am)); and confirmation or correction of certain real-estate-purchase arbitration awards, regardless of amount (§ 799.01(1)(cm)). Tort/personal injury claims are capped at the lower $5,000 figure regardless of which of these categories they'd otherwise fit |
| Wyoming verified 2026-07-09 | W.S. §§ 1-21-201 through 1-21-205 (Code of Civil Procedure, small claims procedure); § 5-9-128(a)(iv) (circuit court's small claims jurisdiction); Wyoming Rules and Forms Governing Small Claims Cases (Wyoming Supreme Court rule) |
$6,000, exclusive of costs (W.S. § 1-21-201) |
Same $6,000 limit for everyone: the statute names the same procedure and cap for 'the state, any governmental entity, any natural person, corporation, partnership, association or other organization' (W.S. § 1-21-202(a)); no lower tier or bar for a business or entity plaintiff |
No separately named small claims court: small claims is a simplified procedural track heard 'before any circuit court' (W.S. § 1-21-201), the same trial court of limited jurisdiction that hears other circuit-court civil matters |
Not required for anyone, and comes with a fairness safeguard: a party may litigate 'in person or through authorized employees, with or without an attorney,' but 'if an attorney appears, the opposing party is entitled to a continuance for the purpose of obtaining an attorney of its own' (W.S. § 1-21-202(b)) |
None found in W.S. §§ 1-21-201 through 1-21-205 |
Symmetric, but limited to legal error: either party may appeal to district court, processed under the Wyoming Rules of Appellate Procedure, 'only on questions of law and not for a review of the sufficiency of evidence' (Wyoming Rules and Forms Governing Small Claims Cases, Rule 7, citing Johnson v. Statewide Collections, Inc., 778 P.2d 93 (Wyo. 1989)). The notice of appeal is due within 30 days of entry of judgment (W.R.A.P. 2.01(a)) |
Money damages only, up to $6,000: the small claims procedure itself (§§ 1-21-201 to -205) doesn't authorize non-money relief. A separate circuit-court track exists for recovering specific personal property worth up to $50,000 under a different statute and procedure (W.S. §§ 1-15-301 to -306, referenced by § 5-9-128(a)(ii)), distinct from the small claims process |
All 51 jurisdictions verified. Each state page shows the statute text and verification date behind its row.
Have a specific situation?
A 50-state comparison shows the landscape. Ezel answers your exact question under your state's law, applied to your facts, with citations.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer cites the authority it relies on.