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.

It’s hardly worth it for small-claims court.

From MarketWatch

I could pursue small-claims court or file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, but that takes time, and I don’t have detailed phone records — though they do have the purchase order, delivery date and technician’s report.

From MarketWatch

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

From MarketWatch

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

Cochran sued Matthews in small-claims court and won $2,855.

From Los Angeles Times

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