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small-claims court

American

[smawl-kleymz] / ˈsmɔlˈkleɪmz /

noun

a special court established to handle small claims or debts, usually without the services of lawyers.

small claims court British

noun

a local court with jurisdiction to try civil actions involving small claims

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of small-claims court

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

If that fails, file a case in small-claims court with the same documentation.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 26, 2026

A fan suing LeBron James in small-claims court after buying Lakers tickets thinking the NBA icon was retiring drops the case after a sports-betting app intervenes.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 22, 2025

Ashanti had represented his wife in small-claims court in a dispute with her former employer, a nonprofit wholly owned by a city agency — a clear conflict of interest.

From Salon • Dec. 21, 2022

Even though attorneys aren’t allowed in small-claims court, renters can feel outgunned if going up against a landlord or property management company in front of a judge.

From Seattle Times • May 22, 2022

A few years earlier, Dorland filed papers in small-claims court against a Los Angeles writing workshop where she’d taught, accusing the workshop of mishandling a sexual-harassment report she had made against a student.

From New York Times • Oct. 5, 2021

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023