Small claims courts are included in each state’s court system and are designed for the resolution of disputes involving a limited dollar amount—and for the parties to the dispute to represent themselves (pro se). Small claims courts are often referred to as the People’s Court, and some states such as California prohibit attorneys from representing parties in small claims court. The limit on the amount of money in dispute (the jurisdictional limit) varies from state to state within a range of $2,500 to $25,000—but is usually between $5,000 and $15,000. The disputes filed in small claims courts are often seeking to recover a debt or involving residential landlord-tenant disputes. Judges in small claims courts in some states are called Justices of the Peace, and the courts are sometimes referred to as JP courts.

In Arizona, small claims courts are a division of the Justice Courts and are designed to handle minor civil disputes quickly and inexpensively. The jurisdictional limit for small claims in Arizona is $3,500. This means that the court can only hear cases in which the amount in dispute is $3,500 or less. Parties in small claims court in Arizona typically represent themselves without an attorney, as the process is designed to be simple enough that legal representation is not necessary. However, unlike some states such as California, Arizona does not prohibit attorneys from representing parties in small claims court. The types of cases often heard in Arizona's small claims courts include disputes over debts, property damage, landlord-tenant issues, and contract disputes. The judges presiding over these cases may be Justices of the Peace or other judicial officers appointed to the Justice Courts.