Small claims court is a special court where disputes are resolved quickly and inexpensively. Small claims court handles civil cases where the amount in controversy is $5,000 or less.

Small claims court is intended for people without attorneys although attorneys are not prohibited from representing clients in small claims courts. The purpose of small claims court is to provide an informal, uncomplicated proceeding to resolve small disputes which do not involve enough money to warrant the expense of formal litigation, therefore, the rules that apply to small claims court are generally easier to follow and the filing fee is lower than in general civil cases.

Click Here to see how small claims cases proceed through the court. To learn how to effectively represent yourself, you can sign up for free Small Claims Court classes offered by the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada and UNLV Boyd School of Law.

The following information has been designed to provide you with a basic understanding of the Small Claims Court and to prepare documents for filing in a Justice Court:

• Overview of the Small Claims Process
• How to File a Small Claims Action
• How to Respond To A Small Claims Action
• Appealing A Small Claims Decision/Judgment
• Collecting Your Judgment
• Contesting The Collection Of A Judgment
• Frequently Asked Questions About Small Claims
• Laws, Rules and Resources on Small Claims
• Forms

PLEASE NOTE that winning your small claims case does not necessarily mean that you will automatically get your money. You are responsible for collecting your judgment from the losing party. The Court does not collect the payment for you. Collecting a judgment can be difficult and may involve additional out-of-pocket expenses for filing fees and other costs. For more information, go to How Do I Collect a Judgment.