Find a California small claims court here

If you are you looking for a California small claims court you will find it here listed by county. This is a directory of legal resources for attorneys / lawyers and the legal community. Click on one of the listings below in order to find a small claims court in your area.

Please Click On A County Below to Continue Counties Alameda     Alpine     Amador     Butte     Calaveras     Colusa     Contra Costa     Del Norte     El Dorado     Fresno     Glenn     Humboldt     Imperial     Inyo     Kern     Kings     Lake     Lassen     Los Angeles     Madera     Marin     Mariposa     Mendocino     Merced     Modoc     Mono     Monterey     Napa     Nevada     Orange     Placer     Plumas     Riverside     Sacramento     San Benito     San Bernardino     San Diego     San Francisco     San Joaquin     San Luis Obispo     San Mateo     Santa Barbara     Santa Clara     Santa Cruz     Shasta     Sierra     Siskiyou     Solano     Sonoma     Stanislaus     Sutter     Tehama     Trinity     Tulare     Tuolumne     Ventura     Yolo     Yuba     The following information is provided by the California Department Of Consumer Affairs. Resources For Attorneys does not gaurantee or take responsibility for the information contained herein. The small claims court is a special court where consumers can sue an individual or business that owes them money. Small claims court also may be used under certain circumstances by a landlord to regain possession of residential rental property. The maximum amount of money you can seek in this court is $5,000. However, you cannot file more than two small claims court actions for amounts of $2,500-$5,000 anywhere in the state during any calendar year. If your claim is larger, you may need to take your case to a municipal or superior court, or you may choose to sue for the maximum and give up your claim to the balance. You may not divide your claim and file two lawsuits to obtain all of it. If you are suing someone, you are called the plaintiff. The person you are suing is called the defendant. Lawyers cannot represent plaintiffs or defendants in small claims court. When your suit comes before the judge, you must explain why you believe that the defendant owes you money, and you must present any evidence or witnesses that help prove your case. After hearing both sides, the judge will consider the evidence and statements of both sides in making a decision. A plaintiff may not appeal the decision in a small claims court case. In most counties, small claims court advisory services are available free of charge. An advisor can help you prepare your case. The staff of the small claims court can tell you how to contact the advisory service. If you win your case, you are entitled to recover certain costs, including: 1) the filing fee; 2) the costs and fees for notifying the defendant; and 3) the fees for witnesses or for service of subpoenas. Normally lost wages, travel expenses, or other expenses related to the dispute cannot be recovered as costs, but may be awarded as damages. Don't hesitate to file your claim, even if the incident occurred many months ago. However, if the claim is over some personal injury, you must file within one year. Also, if your complaint is against a governmental agency, you may have to file a claim with the agency itself before you can sue in a court. Limitations of other claims are less strict. If there are questions about this, the judge will decide whether the suit was filed too late. It is your right to use the small claims court when you believe that it is necessary. The process is not complicated. The Department of Consumer Affairs produces a publication on how to use the small claims court. It is also available on the Internet at www.dca.ca.gov/legal/small_claims/. If you would like a hard copy version, contact your local court or small claims advisor or send your request to Department of Consumer Affairs, Attn: Publications, 401 S Street, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95814. You can also call (916) 323-7239 or toll free (800) 952-5210.