Consumer & Miscellaneous Services/Information

490 - Small Claims Court

Small claims is a special court where disputes are resolved quickly and inexpensively. The rules are simple and informal. The person who sues is the plaintiff. The person who is sued is the defendant. In small claims court, you may ask a lawyer for advice before you go to court, but you may not have a lawyer in court. Your claim cannot be for more than $5,000. If you have a claim for more than this amount, you may sue in the civil division of the municipal court, or you may sue in small claims court and give up your right to the amount over $5,000. You cannot, however, file more than two cases in small claims court for more than $2,500 each during a calendar year.

Claims which occur in the City of Santa Monica are adjudicated in the Small Claims Division of the Administratively Unified Court, located at 1725 Main Street, next to City Hall. There is a $20 fee required for the first 12 claims in a calendar year. A fee of $35 is charged for each subsequent claim filed. An application for waiver of court fees and costs is available for those individuals who are unable to pay. Please note that the filing fee is subject to change.

You must be at least 18 years old to file a claim. If you are not yet 18, you may ask the court to appoint a guardian.

For more information concerning small claims court, please call (310) 587-2442 during regular business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.