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 South Carolina, small claims courts are part of the Magistrate Court system and are designed to handle minor civil disputes involving limited dollar amounts, allowing individuals to represent themselves without an attorney. The jurisdictional limit for small claims in South Carolina is $7,500. This means that the court can hear cases where the amount in dispute does not exceed this limit. Common types of cases heard in small claims courts include those related to debt recovery, property damage, and landlord-tenant disputes. While parties are allowed to have legal representation, the process is streamlined to make it accessible for individuals to proceed pro se, or without an attorney. The judges presiding over these cases are known as Magistrates, not Justices of the Peace, and the courts are referred to as Magistrate Courts rather than JP courts.