Small Claims Court
G.S. 7A-210 — up to $10,000 before a magistrate, and 10 days to appeal
Up to $10,000. In North Carolina, a small claim is a civil action where the amount in controversy does not exceed $10,000, the main relief sought is money, the return of specific personal property or summary ejectment, and the plaintiff has asked for assignment to a magistrate.
The chief district judge may assign a small claim to a magistrate of the county where the defendant lives; with more than one defendant, at least one must be a genuine resident of that county.
After the magistrate decides, the remedy for a party who disagrees is an appeal for a new trial before a district court judge or jury. Notice of appeal can be given out loud in open court when the judgment is announced; otherwise written notice is filed with the clerk of superior court within 10 days after the judgment.
Sources for this section (3)
- G.S. 7A-210 — Small claim action defined
- G.S. 7A-211 — Small claim actions assignable to magistrates
- G.S. 7A-228 — New trial before magistrate; appeal for trial de novo
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed North Carolina attorney.