How Do I file at Complaint at the Small Claims Court?

If you want to file a complaint against somebody for minor damages or the return of money or property then you can go through the Small Claims Court. You will not need to pay any expensive legal fees or require the services of a lawyer, as this is a fairly straightforward process, but if you do have a very difficult case then you may want to take some professional legal advice before you go ahead with your complaint, and you can also find out more from your local county government website.

Here is a basic guide to how to file a complaint at the Small Claims Court

• You will need to obtain a Small Claims Summons and Complaint form from your local courthouse, and these are also available to print off from the country government's website. If you are the person filing the complaint then you are known as the plaintiff and the person you are filing the complaint against is the defendant, and you will need to fill in the complete name and contact details for both parties at the top of the form.
• You must provide a brief summary of your complaint and include any evidence and documentation that you feel supports your case. For example if you are filing for damages against an illegal eviction then you will need to provide copies of police reports which corroborate any threatening behavior or damage /destruction of your property. You must sign and date this form, and make sure you check first whether this needs to be done in front of a notary public.
• When you file the report you will be provided with details of the time and date of your hearing. You will need to check with the court how the complaint will be served to the defendant, as in some cases you will need to arrange this yourself through the Sheriff's Department's Civil Process Division or another legal process serving method.