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 Nevada, small claims courts are a division of the justice courts and are designed to resolve minor disputes quickly and inexpensively. The jurisdictional limit for small claims in Nevada is $10,000, meaning that the amount in dispute must not exceed this figure. Parties in Nevada small claims courts generally represent themselves, as the process is designed to be simple enough that an attorney is not necessary. However, unlike some states such as California, Nevada does not prohibit attorneys from representing parties in small claims court. Common types of cases handled in Nevada's small claims courts include debt recovery, landlord-tenant disputes, and contract disputes. Judges preside over these courts, and while they may not be specifically called Justices of the Peace in this context, Justices of the Peace do preside over justice courts, of which small claims is a part.