Enrichment · Life Skills

Small claims,
well prepared.

Small claims court is built for people without lawyers, and the prepared side usually does well: the right name on the form, a demand letter on file, three copies of every receipt. Track the case here and the page shows what is still missing.

Start a caseWhat you get

Your cases

The worked example is made up: a $1,850 claim against a repair shop with the hearing 50 days out, and a deposit dispute over the court’s limit. Saved on this device only.

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What you get

Enrichment · Life SkillsFree

What you finish with
A record per case: your side, the other party’s legal name, what happened, the amount, your court’s limit, the demand letter and hearing dates, evidence with copies made, and nine filing steps. Compares the claim to the limit and counts evidence and days to the hearing; flags a claim over the limit, no demand letter, items without copies close to the hearing, collecting a judgment and a default for a defendant who does not appear.
Who it is for
Adults and young adults with a dispute over money: a deposit, a repair, a sale, an unpaid invoice; and anyone who has been sued in small claims.
Format
Browser checklist with a saved record per case. Prints a case summary and evidence list for the hearing, every case in a table or a blank sheet; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Life Skills space in Caveat Enrichment.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Write what happened in four sentences.
  2. Look up your court’s limit and filing rules.
  3. Send a demand letter and log the date.
  4. List the evidence and make three copies of each.
  5. Practice the two-minute summary.

Start a case

From letter to collection

Small claims from letter to collection1Demand letterThe amount, why, and a date topay by2FileThe claim form, the fee or afee waiver3ServeThe other side gets the papersas the court allows4PrepareThree copies, witnesses, atwo-minute summary5HearingShort and informal; the judgemay decide that day6CollectPayment, or a garnishment orlien if they do not paySmall claims from letter to collection1Demand letterThe amount, why, and a date to pay by2FileThe claim form, the fee or a fee waiver3ServeThe other side gets the papers as thecourt allows4PrepareThree copies, witnesses, a two-minutesummary5HearingShort and informal; the judge may decidethat day6CollectPayment, or a garnishment or lien ifthey do not pay
Some states do not allow lawyers in small claims; others do. The clerk’s office can explain forms and steps but cannot give legal advice.

The right name

A judgment against the wrong name can be impossible to collect. For a business, look up its registered name with the state’s business registry; for a person, use their full legal name and current address for service.

What to say

Judges hear many cases in a session. Say what happened in order, what it cost and what you want, and hand up the documents as you mention them. Stay calm and let the judge ask questions.

Sources

  1. National Center for State Courts. Small claims court self-help resources (ncsc.org).
  2. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Small claims and debt collection overviews (consumerfinance.gov).
  3. American Bar Association. Small claims court public information (americanbar.org).
  4. Your state court system’s small claims self-help center (each state’s judiciary website).

The worked examples are made up. Limits, fees, time limits, service rules and whether lawyers may appear differ by state and court; check the court’s own instructions. This page organizes a case and is not legal advice. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.