Small Claims Court Checklist: Filing and Hearing Prep
Before going to small claims court, send a written demand, confirm your claim is under your state's limit, and file in the correct court with the defendant's exact legal name. Serve the defendant properly, then organize contracts, receipts, photos, messages and witness statements in date order. At the hearing, explain your case briefly. If you win, you may still need to take steps to collect.
Small claims court is designed for people without lawyers, but preparation still wins cases. Use this list from demand letter to collection.
Download the printable checklist (PDF): free, one or two pages, made to print and fill in by hand.
Before filing
- ☐ Send a written demand letter with a deadline and keep a copy
- ☐ Calculate exactly how much you are claiming and why
- ☐ Check your state's small claims limit
- ☐ Check the deadline to sue for your type of claim
- ☐ Find the defendant's exact legal name and address (for a business, its registered name)
Filing and service
- ☐ File in the correct court: usually where the defendant lives or does business, or where the problem happened
- ☐ Pay the filing fee or ask for a fee waiver
- ☐ Have the defendant served the way your court requires
- ☐ File proof of service before the hearing
Evidence
- ☐ Contracts, invoices, receipts and estimates
- ☐ Photos and videos
- ☐ Emails, texts and letters, printed in date order
- ☐ Witnesses, or written statements if allowed
- ☐ Enough copies for the judge and the other side
At the hearing
- ☐ Arrive early and check in
- ☐ Give a short, organized explanation: what happened, what it cost, what you want
- ☐ Answer the judge's questions directly
- ☐ Stay calm and respectful
After a judgment
- ☐ Ask the defendant to pay voluntarily
- ☐ Learn your court's collection tools, such as wage garnishment or bank levy
- ☐ Track deadlines to appeal or to renew the judgment
Tips
- Many cases settle after a demand letter or on the day of the hearing; get any settlement in writing.
- If the defendant does not show up, you may win by default.
This checklist is general information, not legal advice, and it is not a legal form. Rules and deadlines vary by state; a licensed attorney can tell you what applies to your situation. Find a lawyer near you.
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This article is general legal information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws differ by state and change over time; talk to a licensed attorney in your state about your situation.