Small Claims Court
Self-Help Guide to Instituting Action in the Small Claims Court
This guide is designed to assist you in instituting action in the Small Claims Court. It starts off by explaining what the Small Claims Court is and what types of matters the Small Claims Court can listen to.
The Small Claims Court provides a cheap, simple and fast way to institute minor civil claims.
Different Small Claims Courts open at different times, but they typically open at 16h00 or 17h00 and sit outside of normal office hours. This is to allow people to make use of the court without having to take leave from their day jobs. The Small Claims Court is designed to help people with no legal knowledge or background.
Legal assistants and clerks of the Small Claims Court will assist you free of charge.
There is a prerequisite that you must appear in person; you are not allowed to have a legal representative to represent you, but neither is your opponent (the other party).
The only costs that may be awarded against a party is the limited Sheriff’s fees paid by the other party.