You start your case by filling out an SC-100 Plaintiff's Claim form and filing it with the court clerk. Be sure you name the Defendant correctly or you may not be able to collect your judgment.
Conclusion: Going to small claims court may be worth it for $500, but it will determine how you weigh your costs versus benefits. At a minimum, it is worth it to send a demand letter.
As an individual you can use Small Claims Court if your claim is for $12,500 or less. If you are an individual who owns a business (i.e. sole proprietor) and do business under a fictitious business name, you are considered to be an "individual" in Small Claims Court.
How to file a small claim in California Step 1: Filing the paperwork. Go to your county clerk's office and let them know you'd like to file a small claim. Step 2: Serving the papers. Step 3: Going to court. Step 4: The final judgment. Step 5: Collecting your judgment.
In sum, there is no formal minimum amount required to file a small claims case in the Philippines. The small claims rules are silent on any bottom threshold, focusing instead on a maximum jurisdictional limit of PHP 400,000.
A form called “SC-100” must be completed by you to start a Small Claims case. Once the SC-100 form is filled out, take it to the correct courthouse to file it with the court clerk.