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 Michigan, small claims courts are a division of the district court system designed to handle disputes involving a limited amount of money, typically without the representation of attorneys. As of the knowledge cutoff in 2023, the jurisdictional limit for small claims in Michigan is $6,500. This means that the court can adjudicate civil cases where the amount in dispute does not exceed this limit. Parties in small claims court generally represent themselves (pro se), and the use of attorneys is not common, although not expressly prohibited by Michigan law. The types of cases often heard in small claims courts include those seeking to recover debts, property disputes, and residential landlord-tenant disputes. In Michigan, the judges presiding over small claims courts are not referred to as Justices of the Peace, but rather as district court judges or magistrates.