Lawsuits to collect debts are usually filed in state courts—and may be filed in small claims courts, depending on the amount of the debt and the small claims court’s jurisdictional limits (the maximum amount of a claim that can be filed in the court).
In Illinois, lawsuits to collect debts are typically filed in state courts, and the venue depends on the amount of the debt. For smaller debts, creditors may file a lawsuit in small claims court, which is a division of the Circuit Court. The jurisdictional limit for small claims court in Illinois is $10,000, meaning that any debt claim exceeding this amount must be filed in a different division of the Circuit Court. If the debt amount is within the small claims limit, the process is designed to be quicker and less formal, allowing parties to represent themselves without an attorney if they choose. However, for claims over $10,000, the case would proceed in a formal civil court setting, where the rules of evidence and procedure are more complex, and the representation by an attorney is common.