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Prepare for Small Claims Court

Small claims is designed for non-lawyers. Preparation matters.

Step by step

  1. Check your court rules.
  2. Organize evidence.
  3. Write a one-page timeline.
  4. Practice your statement.
  5. Arrive early.

What to expect

Expect a timeline, an evidence list and a three-minute statement outline. AI can also play a skeptical judge so you can practice.

Mistakes to avoid

Do not bring a thick pile of unorganized papers. Choose the most important five documents. Avoid arguing emotionally.

A good next step

Visit the court website to learn filing fees, forms and deadlines.

A worked example

A tenant owed a deposit prepares a one-page timeline and five documents. AI helps her practice a three-minute statement. At the hearing she is calm and the judge appreciates the organization.

A prompt you can copy

Type this into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini

Help me outline a three minute statement for small claims court. Facts: [facts]. Keep it short and clear.

Good to know. Rules vary by court. This is general information, not legal advice.

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Common questions

Do I need a lawyer?

Usually not.

What is the limit?

It varies by state.

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