Any individual may file a small claims suit. Small claims filed by a “natural person” (a human individual) are limited to no more than $10,000. Small claims filed by anyone other than a “natural person” (may be a business, partnership, or corporation in many cases) are limited to no more than $5,000.
Contact your local district court; contact information may be located in your local phone book or at urts.wa. First you will prepare a Notice of Small Claim form that is provided by the clerk. You are required to sign the Notice in the presence of the clerk, unless otherwise instructed by the court.
Summons and Complaint – Two separate documents that go together to start a civil lawsuit.
Small claims basics Generally, you can only sue for up to $12,500 in small claims court (or up to $6,250 if you're a business). You can ask a lawyer for advice before you go to court, but you can't have one with you in court. Starting November 1, 2021, you can sue or be sued for COVID-19 rental debt in small claims.
You don't have to have a minimum amount of monetary damages in order to go to court. Small claims court by definition will have a maximum amount of potential damages, but if you, say, promise a kid 50 cents if he brings you your mail, and he takes off with your two quarters, you can theoretically sue to get it back.
“Alternative dispute resolution” (ADR) offers a variety of ways to resolve disputes in lieu of an official trial. ADR can be conducted in any manner to which the parties agree--it can be as casual as a discussion around a conference table, or as structured and discreet as a private court trial.
Don't say you expect to recover any more than £10,000 - if you do, your case won't be treated as a small claim. If you're making a claim for something your landlord hasn't repaired, the maximum amount you can get in a small claims case is £1,000.