Can any kind of case be resolved in small claims court?
No. Small claims courts primarily resolve small monetary disputes. In a few other states, however, small claims courts may also rule on a limited range of other types of legal disputes, such as evictions or requests for the return of an item of property (restitution). You cannot use small claims court to file a divorce, guardianship, name change or bankruptcy, or to ask for emergency relief (such as an injunction to stop someone from doing an illegal act). When it comes to disputes involving money, you can usually file in small claims court based on any legal theory that would be allowed in any other court — for example, breach of contract, personal injury, intentional harm or breach of warranty. A few states do, however, limit or prohibit small claims suits based on libel, slander, false arrest and a few other legal theories. Finally, suits against the federal government or a federal agency, or even against a federal employee for actions relating to his or her employment cannot be br
No. Small claims courts primarily resolve small monetary disputes, and in a few states, evictions and restitution of property. No state allows you to use small claims court to file a divorce, guardianship, name change, or bankruptcy, or to ask for emergency relief (such as an injunction to stop someone from doing an illegal act). A few states also prohibit small claims suits based on libel, slander, false arrest, and a few other legal theories.
