Small Claims Court
RCW 12.40.010 — $10,000 for a person, and no lawyers without the judge's consent
| Who is suing | The most small claims hears |
|---|---|
| Who is suingA natural person | The most small claims hearsTen thousand dollars |
| Who is suingAnyone else | The most small claims hearsFive thousand dollars |
No attorney appears without the judge's consent. No attorney, legal paraprofessional or anyone other than the plaintiff and defendant takes part without the consent of the judicial officer. Witnesses do not have to be summoned, and the judge may consult witnesses informally and make the orders the judge finds just.
No appeal is allowed where the amount claimed was less than two hundred fifty dollars, and none by the party who brought the claim where that party claimed less than one thousand dollars.
Sources for this section (3)
- RCW 12.40.010 — Small claims department; jurisdictional amount
- RCW 12.40.080 — Small claims hearing
- RCW 12.40.120 — Small claims appeals
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Washington attorney.