A landlord kept your deposit, a contractor walked off the job, a dry cleaner ruined your coat. In District of Columbia you can sue for up to $10,000 in the Small Claims and Conciliation Branch of the D.C. Superior Court, without hiring a lawyer. Check your case below, then follow six steps.
Answer a few questions. The result updates as you type.
D.C. doesn't require a demand before you file, but a written request for payment is good evidence and may settle the case. A short, dated demand letter is the best proof. Use the generator below and keep a copy.
There is one small claims court for all of D.C., at 510 4th Street NW, Building B. The defendant must live or do business in D.C., or the problem must have happened there.
Small Claims Statement of Claim (with verification and notice). The first hearing is usually 3 to 4 weeks after you file, and it is held online. If you don't settle in mediation that day, a trial date is set.
$5 for claims of $500 or less, $10 up to $2,500, and $45 above that. Certified mail service through the clerk costs extra, and a jury demand costs $75. If you can't afford it, ask for a fee waiver: Fee waiver application; a judge can waive prepayment of costs if you can't afford them.
Any adult who isn't part of the case can deliver the papers, or the clerk can send them by certified mail. You can't serve them yourself. To sue the D.C. government, serve both the Mayor and the Attorney General. Proof of service must reach the clerk at least 7 days before the first court date, and service must be done within 60 days of filing.
Bring receipts, photos, texts, the contract and your demand letter, with three copies of each. The court doesn't collect for you. If they don't pay, you can ask for a writ to garnish wages or a bank account, or have the U.S. Marshal seize property. A judge can also set up installment payments.
Want every detail? The full filing guide walks you through all 7 stages, from finding the defendant's legal name to collecting your money, with a checklist.
Open the filing guideFill in the details, then download the letter as a PDF or Word file, or copy the text. Send it by certified mail or email so you can prove the date.
Miss this date and the court will dismiss your case, however strong it is. Claims for assault, battery or false arrest have only 1 year. Some deadlines start later if the harm was discovered later.
| Type of claim | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Broken written contract (lease, invoice, signed agreement) | 3 years |
| Broken verbal agreement | 3 years |
| Damaged property | 3 years |
| Personal injury | 3 years |
| Fraud | 3 years |
| Libel or slander | 1 year |
| Claims against a government agency | Before suing the D.C. government for injury or property damage, you must give written notice to the Mayor within 6 months. |
Optional for people. A corporation or partnership that files a claim must use a lawyer who is a D.C. Bar member. A business being sued can send an authorized officer or employee.
You can sue for up to $10,000, not counting interest, attorney fees and court costs. The limit has been $10,000 since 2017. A counterclaim for more than $10,000 still stays in small claims. Otherwise, you can give up the amount above the limit, or file a regular civil case where the rules are stricter.
There's no automatic right to appeal. Within 3 days of an Associate Judge's decision, you can ask the D.C. Court of Appeals for permission to appeal ($10 fee). If a magistrate judge decided, first ask an Associate Judge to review it within 10 days. These requests are rarely granted.
Tell the clerk's office before your court date that you need an interpreter, and the court will arrange one.