Glossary
Small claims court
A court that handles civil disputes below a certain dollar amount (usually $5,000-$25,000 depending on the state). Designed to be accessible without a lawyer: simpler procedures, faster timelines, lower filing fees.
Small claims court is where most pro se litigants spend time. The dollar limit, exact procedure, and even the name vary by state: California's small claims maxes out at $12,500 for individuals, Tennessee uses general sessions courts for small civil matters, etc.
The trade-off for the simpler process: limited remedies. You can't ask for an injunction in small claims, you usually can't sue for more than the dollar limit, and in many states you can't bring a lawyer (or, if you can, the other side gets one too). Appeals from small claims often go to a higher court for a fresh trial: the small claims judgment isn't reviewed for errors, it's redone from scratch.