Procedural guidance for people doing the administrative work themselves.

Small Claims Process Guide focuses narrowly on the mechanics of a small claims case: checking the filing court, preparing papers, service, evidence organization, hearing preparation, judgments, collection, defaults, appeals, and defendant response. It does not tell a reader whether to sue, predict who will win, or give case-specific legal advice.

Who publishes the guides

Grace Halloran is the byline used for this project. Researches public court self-help material, labels state-specific procedure, and edits each guide for source traceability. The site does not claim attorney review unless a page explicitly says so.

We do not use a fictional lawyer biography, invented credential, or fabricated professional review to make the site appear more authoritative than it is. Attorney or expert review is claimed only when a real, identifiable reviewer has actually reviewed that page; otherwise no such review is implied.

Why official sources come first

Small claims systems are administered by state and local courts. For procedural facts, we prioritize judiciary self-help pages, court forms, court rules pages, and other government material. A national explanation is never treated as a substitute for the court that will actually handle a form, deadline, service method, hearing, or enforcement step.

Why state labels matter

Small claims systems are not uniform nationwide. State examples stay labeled as examples, and readers are directed to the relevant court for the final check before acting on a state-specific rule.