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 Oklahoma, small claims courts are part of the District Court system and are intended to provide a simplified and less formal procedure for resolving disputes involving small amounts of money. The jurisdictional limit for small claims in Oklahoma is $10,000, meaning that the amount in dispute must not exceed this figure. Parties in Oklahoma small claims courts are encouraged to represent themselves (pro se), but they are not prohibited from having an attorney. Common types of cases handled in small claims courts include debt recovery, property damage, and landlord-tenant disputes. In Oklahoma, the judges presiding over these cases are typically Special Judges or Associate District Judges rather than Justices of the Peace.