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 Virginia, small claims courts are a division of the General District Courts and are designed to resolve disputes involving relatively small amounts of money, typically without the need for an attorney. The jurisdictional limit for small claims in Virginia is $5,000. This means that the maximum amount for which a party can sue or be sued in small claims court is $5,000. Parties in Virginia small claims courts generally represent themselves (pro se), although they are allowed to have legal representation if they choose. The types of cases often heard in small claims courts include minor debt collection issues, landlord-tenant disputes, and other small civil matters. Judges preside over these courts, and the proceedings are intended to be simpler and less formal than those in higher courts, allowing for a quicker resolution of disputes.