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Go to your county clerk's office and let them know you'd like to file a small claim. The clerk's office will give you paperwork to fill out with basic information for your case: your name (the plaintiff), the name of the person or business you're suing (the defendant) and the amount you're asking for.

There's a $30 filing fee for a case asking for up to $1,500; $50 for a claim over $1,500 and up to $5,000; and $75 for a claim over $5,000. If you file more than 12 cases in a year, subsequent cases will cost $100 to file. Where do I file? Each county has its own Small Claims Court.

You can sue for up to $10,000, if you are an individual or a sole proprietor. Corporations and other entities are limited to $5,000. In addition, a party (individuals or corporations) can file no more than two claims exceeding $2,500 in any court throughout the State of California during a calendar year.

Go to your county clerk's office and let them know you'd like to file a small claim. The clerk's office will give you paperwork to fill out with basic information for your case: your name (the plaintiff), the name of the person or business you're suing (the defendant) and the amount you're asking for.

Can I bring a lawyer to small claims court? In a handful of states, including California, Michigan, and Nebraska, you must appear in small claims court on your own. In many states, however, you can be represented by a lawyer if you like. But even where it's allowed, hiring a lawyer is rarely cost efficient.

Complaint/Filing Fee In California, filing a small claim for $1,500 or less will cost $30. But the costs go up for higher claims. In limited civil cases, you pay $370 for a complaint of amounts over $10,000 and up to $25,000. There are different charges depending on the complaint.

Try to settle the dispute outside of court. ... Contact the county clerk in the small claims court district closest to the residence or business of the person you are suing. ... Fill out a complaint form, otherwise known as a "Statement of Claim" at the clerk's office, and pay the filing fee.

However, sometimes you may need to file a small claims lawsuit against a defendant who lives in another state. Not every jurisdiction will allow you to sue an out-of-state defendant in small claims court. ... Some states do not even allow you to file a small claims suit unless you are a citizen of that state.

A small claims court judgment against you is recorded on your credit report. These civil judgments are automatically sent to all three credit bureaus and often result in significant negatives on your credit report.

Try to settle the dispute outside of court. ... Contact the county clerk in the small claims court district closest to the residence or business of the person you are suing. ... Fill out a complaint form, otherwise known as a "Statement of Claim" at the clerk's office, and pay the filing fee.

How Does Small Claims Court Work? Small claims court claims are brought upon a party by filing a claim at the local courthouse. The filing will require the name of the defendant, a description of the incident, any proof that exists, and other pertinent information demanded by your respective court.

Service by mail is permitted for all papers if the party to be served lives outside California. In these circumstances the mailing must be by Registered or Certified Mail and must have the Return Receipt Requested form attached and filled out.

In the majority of states, you can serve papers by sending them to the defendant via certified mail with a return receipt requested. In some states, service by certified (or registered) mail is one among several ways you may serve papers. ... Normally, the court clerk does the mailing for you and charges a small fee.

It is not illegal to avoid service of process. In most cases, however, service is inevitable. As Mr. Alexander notes, if you avoid service long enough, the plaintiff may still serve you by publication in most cases.

Generally, process servers make at least three attempts to serve somebody. These attempts are normally made at different times of day and on different days to maximize our chance of serving the papers. We say generally because some jurisdictions prefer more than three.