claims court
Small disputes venue
A claims court is a judicial venue for resolving disputes, typically over money owed.
Small claims court handles minor civil matters—unpaid debts, property damage, contract disputes—with simplified procedures and no lawyers required: I'm taking my landlord to small claims court over the security deposit.
The Court of Claims handles suits against the federal government.
- smallLimited in size
- lawsuitCivil court proceeding
- civil disputeNon-criminal legal conflict
- judgeOne who decides
- plaintiffCivil case initiator
defendant · pro se · dispute · settlement · filing · filing fee · damages · tribunal · hearing · verdict · summons · judgment · fee · landlord · tenant · debt · collector · evidence
- courtsmagistrates, tribunals
- Federal Courtsfederal judge, federal bench, chief justice, justices, certiorari
- specialty courts
- Federal Claimsfederal contracts, sovereign immunity
- government tortssovereign immunity, qualified immunity, absolute immunity, civil rights violations, color of law
- courtroomjudge, jury, oath taking, lawyer, bench
claims courtout-of-court settlement
Resolution bypassing formal litigation
arbitration · mediation · ADR · conciliation
claims courtsuperior court
Tribunal with general jurisdiction
high court · circuit court · district court · supreme court · appellate court
claim, claims, claimed, claiming, claimant, claimants, reclaim, reclaims, reclaimed