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 Oregon, small claims courts are a specialized division within the circuit courts designed to handle disputes involving relatively small amounts of money in a more informal setting than regular civil courts. The jurisdictional limit for small claims in Oregon is $10,000, meaning that the amount in dispute must not exceed this figure. Parties in Oregon small claims courts generally represent themselves (pro se), and the use of attorneys is discouraged, although not strictly prohibited. The types of cases typically heard in small claims courts include debt recovery, property damage, and landlord-tenant disputes. Judges preside over these cases, and while they may not be referred to as Justices of the Peace, they serve a similar function in adjudicating disputes in an expedited and simplified manner.