Figure out which court to file in
Usually, you must file your case in the county where the other side lives or does business. But, there are some cases where you have options.
Examples of when you may have other options:
You can file your case in the county where:
- The other side lives
- The accident or injury happened
If you are suing because someone broke a verbal or written agreement you had, you can file in the county where:
- You made the agreement
- The agreement was broken
- The agreement was to happen
- The other side lived or worked when you made the agreement
You can file in the county where:
- The buyer lives now
- The buyer lived when they bought the item
- The buyer bought the item
- The purchased item is located
If you are suing about something you bought or work someone did (or was supposed to do) for you, you can file in the county where:
- You live now
- You lived when you bought the item or work agreement was purchased
- You bought or paid for the item or work
Find the address of the courthouse
Once you know which county court, you need the courthouse's address to put on the forms you file to start your case. You can find courthouse addresses and contact information on Find My Court.
Sometimes larger counties have multiple courthouses where you can file a small claims case. If there are multiple courthouses where you live, you may need to ask a clerk or check the court's website to make sure you're filing in the right one.
Small claims
What's next?
Once you know where you can file, start filling out your court form that starts your case.