Small Claims Court
Code Civ. Proc. 116.221 — $12,500 for a person, no lawyers, and 30 days to appeal
| Who is suing | The most the small claims court hears |
|---|---|
| Who is suingA natural person | The most the small claims court hears$12,500 |
| Who is suingAnyone else, such as a business | The most the small claims court hears$6,250 |
| Who is suingAgainst a guarantor that charges nothing for its guarantee | The most the small claims court hears$3,125 |
No attorney takes part, with narrow exceptions. Except where the section permits it, no attorney may take part in conducting or defending a small claims action.
The plaintiff has no right to appeal the judgment on the plaintiff's own claim, though a plaintiff who missed the hearing may move to vacate it. The defendant may appeal to the superior court, and so may a plaintiff on a claim the defendant brought. A notice of appeal is filed with the small claims clerk no later than 30 days after the clerk delivered or mailed notice of the judgment; one filed later is ineffective for any purpose.
Other limits and rules of the small claims court are not set out here.
Sources for this section (5)
- Code Civ. Proc. 116.220 — The small claims court's jurisdiction
- Code Civ. Proc. 116.221 — The small claims limit for a natural person
- Code Civ. Proc. 116.530 — Attorneys in small claims court
- Code Civ. Proc. 116.710 — Who may appeal a small claims judgment
- Code Civ. Proc. 116.750 — The time to appeal a small claims judgment
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed California attorney.