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 Colorado, small claims courts are a division of the county courts and are designed to handle disputes involving limited dollar amounts without the need for attorneys. The jurisdictional limit for small claims in Colorado is $7,500, meaning that the amount in dispute cannot exceed this figure. Parties in Colorado small claims courts generally represent themselves (pro se), and the process is designed to be simpler and more accessible than other court proceedings. The types of cases typically heard in small claims courts include debt recovery, property damage, and landlord-tenant disputes. While attorneys are not prohibited from representing parties in Colorado small claims courts, the informal nature and the intent for self-representation mean that attorney involvement is relatively rare and often unnecessary for the types of cases heard in these courts.