California Small Claims

Small claims court is California’s legal approach for resolving low-value civil disputes without an attorney. While each state designs its own process, California administers small claims within the Superior Court system. For consumers, renters, contractors, and small businesses, fluency with these rules will enable them to easily recover their debts, deposits, or damages.

What Is a Small Claims Court in California?

California small claims matters are heard in the Small Claims Division of the Superior Court. The court handles cases involving the recovery of unpaid personal loans, security-deposit disputes, disputes over simple contracts, and damage to property or vehicles. Court proceedings are informal, with no jury and no presence of attorneys at the trial.

Small Claims Court Limits in California

Individuals can only claim personal damages for financial disputes up to $12,500. In contrast, under the Code of Civil Procedure, businesses may sue for claims of $6,250 or less. An individual is only allowed to file a maximum of two small claims over $2,500 in a calendar year.

An individual must collect their money personally if they win their case. Special circumstances may allow an individual to sue for damages less than $35,000 in the Small Claims Court. Evictions (unlawful detainer) and requests for injunctions/non-monetary relief are not filed in the small claims division.

How to File a Small Claims Case in California

Individuals must confirm their eligibility and the venue for filing their small claims case. They may file their case in the county where the defendant resides or conducts business, or where the dispute occurred.

The next step is to gather all documents and complete the Plaintiff's Claim and order to Go to Small Claims Court Form. The plaintiff does not have to gather all their evidence together before they start a small claims case. However, they must gather all required documents and evidence in time to bring to their court hearing.

The plaintiff must pay the filing fees or apply for a fee waiver. Once they file papers to start a case, they must have a court date (trial) in about 1-2 months. Individuals who file 12 cases in 12 months must pay $100.

The plaintiff must serve the defendant with a copy of the claim. The service may be accomplished by personal service, substituted service (plus mailing), or, in some courts, through certified mail by the clerk (it attracts a $15 fee). The defendant must respond to the summons within 15 days before the hearing (or 20 days if the defendant is outside the county).

Finally, both parties must prepare to present their side of the story. If the defendant refuses to show up after receiving the forms correctly, the judge will decide the case without their input.

Small Claims Courts in Major California Cities (Examples)

All California counties have local small claims calendars and filing counters. A few illustrative locations and resources are listed below:

• Los Angeles (LA Superior Court): There are multiple court locations where individuals can file small claims cases, including Stanley Mosk Courthouse at 111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. The court has a dedicated small claims page for the public.
• San Francisco (SF Superior Court): The courthouse is located at Civic Center Courthouse, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. The court offers a Self-Help Portal to the public.
• San Diego (San Diego Superior Court): Central Courthouse, 1100 Union St., San Diego, CA 92101; the court lists small claims locations and provides Small Claims Advisor contacts.sdcourt.ca.gov+2sdcourt.ca.gov+2
• San Jose (Santa Clara County Superior Court): Located in Santa Clara County, the court, with multiple locations, has a special small claims division. The court even provides free Small Claims Mediation Services to the public.

What to Expect at a Small Claims Hearing in California

After an individual has filed and served the defendant, courts generally set trials about 1–2 months. Each side may present its statement, exhibits, and witnesses to a judge (or commissioner) in the absence of a jury. Then, the judge reviews and decides the case within a day or shortly after.

In California, plaintiffs cannot appeal a judgment. However, a defendant may appeal a judge’s decision in Superior Court before a different judicial officer. If the plaintiff loses on the defendant’s counterclaim, they may appeal the case.

How to Search for Small Claims Records in California

In California, small claims records are classified as public unless they are sealed by order or restricted by privacy rules. Sensitive details such as social security numbers and account numbers are redacted.

Individuals may find information related to the case number, party names, filing and hearing dates, case type, and judgment/disposition. They may access the records through the specific Superior Court where the case was filed. These include:

• County Online Portals. Records may be located at
  • Orange County offers Small Claims Case Access to assist the public in accessing available case files.
  • Sacramento County provides an online Small Claims Portal (account required) where individuals may search for court records.
  • San Diego allows the public to locate a court file through their Register of Actions online or visit the court location where the case was tried.
• Clerk’s Office In-Person. Individuals may view the register of actions at courthouse terminals or request copies/certified copies at the filing courthouse. They must pay a fee to obtain copies of the records.
• Third-party aggregators. There are companies or websites with tools that are useful for preliminary lookups, but official court portals are still the authoritative record.