SMALL CLAIMS COURT PROCESS - Miami-Dade County

SMALL CLAIMS COURT

PROCESS

DEPARTMENT OF REGULATORY &

ECONOMIC RESOURCES

OFFICE OF

CONSUMER

PROTECTION

Consumer@

consumerprotection

Last Updated 10/2020

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What is Small Claims

Court?

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Simplified court process

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Disputes of $8,000 or less

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Small Claims Rules

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Jurisdictional Amounts

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Small Claims Court

?

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County Court

?

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$8,000.00 or less

$8,000.01 - $30,000.00

Circuit Court

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$30,000.01 and up

In County and Circuit Courts, the rules

of evidence and procedure are applied

more stringently.

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Costs to File

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Small Claims Court

?

?

?

?

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County Civil Court

?

?

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$.01 to 99.99 and less

$100.00 to $500.00

$500.01 to $2,500.00

Over $2,500

$15,000.01 - $30,000.00

Evictions/removal of tenant actions

Circuit Civil Court

?

$30,000.01 and up

$55.00

$80.00

$175.00

$300.00

$400.00

$185.00

$401.00

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When to sue in small claims?

?

Always attempt a resolution first.

Demand Letter

Consider using FREE mediation services such as the Office of Consumer

Protection Mediation Center or DOACS

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Is there a valid legal claim?

Breach of contract

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Landlord/Tenant dispute

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-

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Unpaid wages

Contractor dispute

Is there sufficient evidence to prove the claim in court?

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Car Accident

What¡¯s your proof?

Contracts, emails, text messages, photos are all valuable evidence

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Evaluate the claim:

- Can I get more than $8,000?

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Is it worth my time & money to file?

(CBA ¨C Cost/Benefit Analysis)

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