ABA Family Legal Guide

How the Legal System Works

Mediation and Small-Claims Court

Small-Claims Court

It sounds like it won't take much work to bring my case in small-claims court. Is that true?

Not necessarily. You should only represent yourself in a small-claims procedure if you are willing to put some time and effort into your case. If you act as your own lawyer, you will need to do research, gather documents, and investigate factual matters to prepare and present your case. In some cases, the other side may be represented by a lawyer.