District Court

Small Claims

Small claims cases are handled in the District Court when the parties are claiming damages of $5,000 or less based upon a contract, a retail sale, or services rendered. A small claims case is designed to dispense speedy and final justice. The filing fee for a small claims case is $75.75.

Personal injury cases and cases relating to damages incurred in automobile or other accidents are not heard as a small claims case. The District Court has adopted simple procedures for handling small claims cases, as well as specifically designed forms (copies are located under forms to the right) that do not require legal training to understand. Many of the normal rules of the District Court Rules of Civil Procedure are suspended to make the process easier and less expensive for the public. However, rules of law are not suspended, rules of evidence do apply, and cases will be decided based upon the correct and appropriate application of existing law.

The clerks in the District Court are not attorneys and they cannot give legal advice. They can provide information but they cannot fill out forms or advise you as to how to handle a case. For more information on small claims filings, The District Court Rules of Small Claims Procedure can be found on the link in the right column of this page.

If you file a small claims case, you can only receive a judgment for money. The court cannot order a person to do something or to stop a person from doing something. For example, the court cannot order a person to move a fence, to stop making noise, or to keep working on your car until the car is repaired properly.

Small claims cases are heard on the following days in the District Court: