Local Court - Small Claims

Debts and car accidents are very common legal probl​em​s that many people experience at some stage in their life. 

It is really important to try and resolve your dispute with the other ​party before going to court. Going to court will cost you time, energy and money. If you haven't already tried to resolve your dispute with the other party, see:

• ​​​​​Debt
• Car accidents

If you are not able to resolve your dispute, you and the other party might have to go to court. 

This topic has information about claims and debts of $20,000 or less. These claims are dealt with in the Local Court of NSW Small Claims Division.

If the claim is for more than $20,000 it is dealt with by the Local Court General Claims Division. You should get legal advice. For some information, see Local Court - General Division.

Sometimes, court cases that are started in the Small Claims Division can be transferred to the General Division, and cases can be transferred from the General Division to the Small Claims division.

The information in this topic should not be used if your claim is about a dispute over a consumer contract, tenancy matter or family law matter. If you are unsure, get legal advice about your situation.

Does someone owe you money?

Find out what steps you can take if you are claiming money from someone else:

• ​​Starting your case
  
• ​During your case
• Settling your case

• After court.

For more information, see Does so​meone owe you money?

Is someone chasing you for money?

Find out what steps you can take if someone is chasing you for money:

• Responding to a statement of claim
• During the case
• Settling the case
• After court.

For more information, see Is someone chasing​ you for money?​

Flowcharts

These flowcharts give you a visual overview of the different steps in the Local Court – Small Claims process.

For more information, see Flowcharts.

Who's who in court

To find out what a typical court room looks like, who the different people are, and where you should sit when you go to the Local Court, see Who's ​who in Court.

Forms

This section is a list of the forms, including samples and instruction documents that you will find in this topic.

For more information, see Forms.

Frequently Asked Questions

This section has answers to some commonly asked questions about making a claim, responding to a claim and resolving your dispute in the Small Claims Division of the Local Court for money or the cost of repairs to a vehicle damaged in a car accident.

For more information, see Frequently Asked Questions.

Last updated: October 2021