small-claims court
noun
: a special court intended to simplify and expedite the handling of small claims on debts
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Beal and Thompson-Beal in 2013 went on the Judge Mathis TV show to settle a small-claims court lawsuit the mother filed against her daughter, according to Cleveland Municipal Court records. 
Adam Ferrise, cleveland, 19 Apr. 2021 So Joshua Browder, founder of DoNotPay, a service that helps people fight parking tickets and navigate small-claims court, has built an automated way to file. NBC News, 16 Apr. 2020 And contrary to the goal of small-claims court providing a quick legal decision, some cases can go on for years, the consumer advocacy group found. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 20 Feb. 2020 The group also said similar practices may be happening in small-claims courts in other states. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 20 Feb. 2020 But unlike most eviction cases that play out in small-claims court, this one went much higher — and with much wider implications for the rent-to-buy housing market. Crystal Hill, Indianapolis Star, 3 Dec. 2019 Your editorial suggests that arbitration is akin to small-claims court: You, a corporate representative and an arbitrator all work it out. WSJ, 6 May 2019 Patrick DeJean, the Marrero justice of the peace charged with pocketing public money, over-garnishing debtors' wages and keeping the excess, now stands accused of obstructing the federal grand jury investigation into his small-claims court. Drew Broach, NOLA.com, 27 Apr. 2018 The next steps for a consumer can be small-claims court or, if bankruptcy is filed, bankruptcy court, Albracht said. Carol Deptolla, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2018 See More
Adam Ferrise, cleveland, 19 Apr. 2021 So Joshua Browder, founder of DoNotPay, a service that helps people fight parking tickets and navigate small-claims court, has built an automated way to file. NBC News, 16 Apr. 2020 And contrary to the goal of small-claims court providing a quick legal decision, some cases can go on for years, the consumer advocacy group found. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 20 Feb. 2020 The group also said similar practices may be happening in small-claims courts in other states. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 20 Feb. 2020 But unlike most eviction cases that play out in small-claims court, this one went much higher — and with much wider implications for the rent-to-buy housing market. Crystal Hill, Indianapolis Star, 3 Dec. 2019 Your editorial suggests that arbitration is akin to small-claims court: You, a corporate representative and an arbitrator all work it out. WSJ, 6 May 2019 Patrick DeJean, the Marrero justice of the peace charged with pocketing public money, over-garnishing debtors' wages and keeping the excess, now stands accused of obstructing the federal grand jury investigation into his small-claims court. Drew Broach, NOLA.com, 27 Apr. 2018 The next steps for a consumer can be small-claims court or, if bankruptcy is filed, bankruptcy court, Albracht said. Carol Deptolla, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2018 See More Word History
First Known Use
1915, in the meaning defined above
Legal Definition
small claims court
noun
: a special court intended to simplify and expedite the resolution of minor disputes involving small claims