r/Smallclaims

Forsyth County, NC

I took a case to small claims court where the defendant didn’t show up. I gave the evidence to the bailiff to give to the judge which included the defendant admitting in writing that she took the property, bills, attempts at settlement, and an uncashed check she wrote to cover a part of the debt she owes. It took me about a minute to present my case. The judge then told me he needed to “check case law.”

The next business day I got a form with a check box saying I didn’t prove my case and that it would be dismissed with prejudice.

Any insight into what I did wrong here (besides not hiring a lawyer)?

Bought a watch at a small shop in a mall. I asked what the material on the watch was before buying and the guy said stainless steel and CZ. Wore it home and an hour later I took it off and my skin had turned green. He had a sign posted that said no returns or refunds which in hindsight should've been a red flag. What can I do? I feel like just going back isn't going to do anything because of the sign. Location: Texas

I unfortunately bumped into a ladies car while stopped at a red light. The light turned green and carelessly I pressed on the gas before I realized the car in front of me never moved. I braked immediately and swerved and slightly chipped their back bumper.

We both stopped and I got out the car to ask if she was okay, she asked me to call 911. I did and explained to the police what happened. The police questioned her and couldn’t even see where I impacted her, she also denied an ambulance. I was declared at fault and she drove away.

It was then I learned my parents hadn’t renewed me on the insurance, however the car was insured but wouldn’t cover the accident. We payed damages to a collector that came for me directly.

Now, almost 2 years later, I received a summons as I’m being personally sued for medical and personal injury for up to 50K.

I thought this nightmare was over, can this minor accident lead to this amount? I just graduated college and am trying to pay my loans. I don’t own any assets. Am I screwed, I was uninsured at the time and haven’t ever been in any other accidents. I feel like even if a lawyer would want to take my case I’m gonna be financially ruined forever.

Location: Florida

Edited

UPDATE: I finally spoke to the finance manager. The guy who did my paperwork. He added a service plan after I told him no. He also wondered why he didn’t give me the paperwork. Yes, I walked away to take a child to the restroom. I was given papers and proceeded to move things from my old car to the new. I should have checked.

So, I’m at fault. I get it… what can I do, if anything.

I bought a car. Signed the sheet saying my payment would be X. I was the last person there. I’m fairly certain the finance guy was drinking. Regardless. He kept messing up the paperwork. I signed a lot of things. When I left, with my 5yr old in tow I thought I had everything. I didn’t! He never gave me my finance paperwork. I finally went and picked it up today. Almost a week since I purchased said car.
The payment is wrong. It’s more… like a $100 more.

I called and got “you need to speak to John. I’ll have him call you.”

Guess who never called today.

Location: Virginia, USA

So, I feel I have a pretty straight forward small claims case, but I thought I'd ask before filing

Through a series of unfortunate events I briefly moved in with an ex. He was having a manic ptsd episode (9/11 survivor) and I packed a lot of my stuff and went to stay for a couple weeks. After 4/5 days, he gave me a hand written letter saying I had to leave in a matter of days, but that he would keep things (I don't have the physical letter but pictures of it on my phone)

I left a couple days later and did not contact him for 4 days, when I then reached out to ask to get everything back. He never answered and 2 days later, he left my belongings in trash bags on the side of the road at (to him) my last known address without telling me he was going to or that it had been done. I found out when someone in the house saw everything on the curb and no one knows how long they'd been there.

I immediately reached out to him and his father who never answered. When I finally got what he'd left back things were missing and rain damaged

Through several emails back and forth he has admitted to doing that, to still having some of my stuff and to donating others without asking. He's also accused me of being on drugs and I can easily prove that wrong. Although I should say that I am currently in a treatment program for substance abuse, but I've only ever drank alcohol.

So with all of his emails, proof of purchase of most things and pictures and eyewitnesses of everything on the curb in the rain, do you think I have a case??

Thanks in advance, and sorry for the lengthy post!!

In 2024 England I engaged with an accountant to setup my trading activity into 2 companies and then do ongoing tax filings for a monthly fee.

However, after 2 months, he stopped doing work and immediately resigned out of no where (in the 3rd month).

The issue with this, is that he still kept his address, email and also phone number as the official details so all correspondence was sent to him.

I immediately asked for everything to be handed over in my control, but he refused. Every time I requested a HMRC code change from HMRC, address change or to submit tax/sign up for payroll - it sent the details to one of his details. Companies House sent the code to his address. HMRC sent a 2FA code to his phone number. I couldn’t pass security checks for my own companies!

This was really obstructing as you can imagine while trying to run 2 companies. I easily spent 30-50 hours probably 200+ over the past 2 years trying to figure out how to get control back and to be able to pass it to another accountant. I couldn’t easily instruct another accountant because they also need the codes and access that my accountant was keeping.

I sent around 5-10 emails over the last few years and each time it just was ignored, and once saying he had destroyed all details, from the very email that was registered to my company! He also tried to charge an extra £400 to put it right. Also, the work he did do, was wrong (submitting fake expense) and the incorporation documents contained careless typos!

The initial plan was to sell the business last year, but in part due to his delays I am only in a position to sell now, as I have only finally been able to get full control back and appoint a new accountant this week!

Im just wondering what I can claim for. I should think a refund of the first 2 months at the very least, but what about lost time and business profit?

I need to sue an employer a client for unpaid wages invoices for work already completed. Im unfortunately classed as an independant contractor so small claims is my only real option.

My question is in regards to choosing the correct venue (location) to file the suit in.

I live in alameda county, the company im suing is incorporated in Dallas, texas, and the work im owed for took place over about a year and was spread out over 3 California counties. The majority of it took place in San Francisco (SF County), but I also did work in San jose (Santa clara county) and Berkeley (Alameda county)

From what i understand the correct venue to sue from would be where the work im owed for took place. Do i really have to file 3 separate small claims cases? One for each county i worked in? Or can I combine them all into one case. While the work did take place at different locations in 3 counties, the counties are all fairly close to eachother (Alameda county shares a border with Santa clara county, and is also just across the bay bridge from SF county.)

I know there are rules about how many times a person can sue in small claims court in a year, and there are even more limits if the amount being sued for is over $2500. It would make this all a lot easier if there was a way to combine them all into one small claims case.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

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Location: Texas
I own a small business and hired a consultant in March to submit 5 applications on my behalf (insurance network applications for my practice). We signed a written agreement.
Key facts:
The invoice was $1,000 total, $200 per application.
The signed agreement says 50% is due before work starts and the remaining 50% is due "when all documentation and contracts have been submitted."
The consultant confirmed by email that all applications would be submitted that night or the next day. I paid the first half that day, received an invoice reminder for the second half a week later, and paid it. I have receipts for both payments.
Months later, a second professional checked for me, and 3 of the 5 applications have no record of ever being submitted.
Communication has been very limited since spring. When I recently asked about a partial refund, the response was that it's "not how that works."
The agreement has no refund clause. It allows either party to terminate immediately for material breach.
Payment was by Zelle, so I don't think a bank dispute is realistic.
I plan to send a written request for $600 (the 3 unsubmitted applications) with a deadline, and to terminate the agreement.
My questions:
The agreement says that before any lawsuit, disputes go to "mandatory mediation or binding arbitration at the Consultant's option," with mediation completed before filing any legal action. If I invoke this in writing and the consultant never elects either option, can I file in Justice Court?
If the consultant does choose arbitration, the contract doesn't say who pays fees or which provider is used. For a $600 claim, how does that usually play out?
Is requesting $600 reasonable here, or would I be entitled to more or less?
I'm also planning a low-cost consult through a lawyer referral service, but wanted to understand my options first. Thanks for any insight.

Location: California, USA

Basically my tire fell off my car while my mechanic was driving my car to figure out the weird noise, this was a few month after getting my tire replaced. My mechanic sent me videos and pictures and stated that when a separate tire shop replaced my tire they must have overtightened the lug nuts leading to it stripping. He advised me to speak to the tire shop. The tire shop stated it had been too many miles since the tire replacement, so then my mechanic advised I speak to the California bureau of automotive repair. I contacted them and even tho they did not go and see the car they stated there was not a 100% certainty that the tire shop at fault. But I have only ever gotten my tires replaced at that tire shop, and they were the only ones who touched my tires. When dropping the car off at the mechanic, he hopped in the car to hear the noise, then almost immediately I got a call that the tire came off while driving. (I’ve been going to this mechanic shop for a long time, This mechanic shop does not do auto body repair, and replaced the stud free of charge so I know they are not scamming me). So now I am taking the large tire shop owned by a large corporation to small claims court in a couple weeks for the cost of fixing my car. Any advice, also would their lawyer attempt to contact me for a settlement outside of court, and if they do how and when should I be expecting them to contact me.

TLDR, I am taking a large corporate tire shop to small claims court for my tire coming off while driving, and want advice on what angle I should approach this in court

LOCATION: NY STATE - I have a payment judgement to collect a debt owed (unpaid rent from a past tenant). I have found out this person is now working at convenience store on reserve lands. This person is not native, just a regular civilian.

Google says that businesses on native reserves do not have to abide by wage garnishment. Is this correct?

Summary:

Moved out of a rental in Las Vegas, NV in late summer. Total deposits paid were just under $5,000 (security + cleaning + key deposit, per the lease).

On move-out day, when we handed over the keys in person, the landlord verbally told us he'd send the full deposit back via Zelle. About a month went by with no communication at all — I had to reach out and push him for an update. When I followed up again, I reminded him that he was already past the 30-day window and that Nevada law requires landlords to return the deposit (or provide an itemized accounting) within 30 days of move-out.

That's when he sent an itemized deposit statement showing several thousand dollars in deductions. The biggest single item — roughly $1,800–2,000 — is listed as an "HOA Violation" related to yard maintenance, with zero supporting documentation (no HOA letter, no invoice, nothing — just a line on his spreadsheet). Also when I pushed him more on the deposit, he started bringing up irrigation work that he never charged us for.

Key context:

• Rarely communicated with us. Whenever an issue happened at the property, I would ask him to come fix it, but he would either not show up at all or say he is showing up and then not show up.
• All HOA mail is addressed to the landlord's name, not mine — I never opened it (not my mail to open).
• HOA letters were sent to his property that I was renting instead of the house he currently lives in.
• I texted him over a year before I moved out letting him know there was HOA mail sitting at the house. He never responded about it, never mentioned a violation, and never brought it up even when he stopped by in person once during the lease. The HOA mail is about a dead bush in the yard so I pull out immediately.
• The first time I hear "HOA violation" is in this itemized statement — well over a year after I flagged the mail to him, and only after I had to push him past the legal deadline for the deposit.
• He's offered to pay the undisputed portion (a little over $2,000) right away; I've asked for the actual HOA invoice/notice for the larger charge and haven't received it yet.
• There's also a smaller discrepancy (a couple hundred dollars) between what the lease says I deposited and what his statement lists as my starting total.

Questions:

1. How strong is my case given the documented year-plus gap in communication, plus the fact that he initially promised full repayment in person and only itemized deductions after I pushed past the legal deadline?
2. Should I accept the partial payment now (with a written note reserving my right to dispute the rest), or hold off entirely?
3. At what point should I continue to negotiate with him vs just suing him in small claims court and serving him.

I had someone sign this contract on June 1st of this year stating:
The Debtor agrees to pay the Creditor the sum of Seven Hundred Twenty-Five Dollars ($725.00) per month for four
(4) consecutive months (June 2026, July 2026, August 2026, & September 2026).
Payments shall be due on the 1st day of each month.
Total repayment amount: Two Thousand Nine Hundred Dollars ($2,900.00).

I've gotten payment for June (on the 30th), August 1st, and September 1st (missing July's payment)
Can I take this to small claims court and easily win? Or are there any weird loopholes I need to know about.

The contract wasn't notarized for extra info and the receipts are coming from Venmo transactions. I added in clauses for late payments and default, collection costs, no waiver, entire agreement, voluntary agreement, governing law, and supporting documentation

Location: Knoxville TN

My ex roommate admitted over text to owing 2K in rent she did not pay but after moving out she has blocked me on all social media and is ignoring my texts asking to discuss a payment plan. I do not know her new address. I am quite angry. What do I do? If I take her to small claims court I’d need her address which I don’t have.

We were both on the lease, she admitted fault over text, I am going to file a police report and see if they can help me.

Thanks for any advice! Also if this will waste so much money tell me and I’ll try to let it go. I think I am angrier over being screwed than the money itself.