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 Vermont, small claims courts are a division of the Vermont Superior Court where individuals can resolve monetary disputes involving amounts up to $5,000, which is the jurisdictional limit for small claims in the state. This court is designed for parties to represent themselves without an attorney, known as 'pro se' representation, although parties are not prohibited from having legal representation if they choose. The types of cases typically heard in Vermont's small claims courts include those seeking to recover debts, property damage, or involving landlord-tenant disputes. The process is intended to be simpler and more informal than in other court proceedings, and the presiding officer is a judge rather than a Justice of the Peace. The goal of small claims court is to provide a speedy, informal, and inexpensive resolution to these types of disputes.