Small claims court is built for people without a lawyer — the forms are simpler and the process moves fast, but a few steps really can make or break your case (who you sue, when you sue, and how you serve them). This walks you through it from "should I file" to "how do I actually get paid." Rules and dollar limits vary by state and even by county, so treat this as the shape of the process and double-check the specifics with your local court clerk's self-help center.
All 10 sources are re-checked weekly. When one changes a fact this
checklist asserts, the step is edited and the change is logged — the revision history is public.
Different situation? — it only selects from the steps above; nothing new is written.
Goes straight to whoever looks after this checklist. No account needed.
Essential isn’t a shorter checklist — it’s the same one with the optional steps tucked away.
Everything’s still a click away, and the essential marks stay put in anything you make from
this, right down to the .json.
A helpful starting point, not professional advice — here’s why.