A landlord kept your deposit, a contractor walked off the job, a dry cleaner ruined your coat. In Alabama you can sue for up to $6,000 in the District Court (Small Claims Docket), without hiring a lawyer. Check your case below, then follow six steps.
Answer a few questions. The result updates as you type.
Alabama doesn't require a demand letter before you file, but asking for payment in writing first is a good idea. A short, dated demand letter is the best proof. Use the generator below and keep a copy.
File with the District Court clerk in the county where the defendant lives or, for a business, where it does business or where the problem happened. Use the defendant's exact legal name.
Statement of Claim. The trial is usually set about 6 to 8 weeks after the defendant's answer comes in.
Fees depend on the amount and differ a little by county. In Jefferson County it's $66 up to $1,500, $140 up to $3,000 and $229 up to $6,000; other counties charge roughly $50 to $255. Extra defendants and sheriff or certified-mail service cost more. If you can't afford it, ask for a fee waiver: Affidavit of Substantial Hardship (asks the judge to let you pay later).
The clerk sends the claim to the sheriff to deliver, or mails it by certified mail (used for P.O. boxes and out-of-state addresses). You pay the service cost when you file. After being served, the defendant has 14 days to file an answer.
Bring receipts, photos, texts, the contract and your demand letter, with three copies of each. The court doesn't collect for you. After the judgment, you can ask for a garnishment of wages or a bank account, or a writ of execution on property. A judgment lasts 10 years and can be recorded in the probate office as a lien.
Want every detail? The full filing guide walks you through all 7 stages, from finding the defendant's legal name to collecting your money, with a checklist.
Open the filing guideFill in the details, then download the letter as a PDF or Word file, or copy the text. Send it by certified mail or email so you can prove the date.
Miss this date and the court will dismiss your case, however strong it is. Property damage caused by carelessness (not on purpose) usually has a 2-year deadline, and open accounts have 3 years. The fraud clock starts when the fraud was discovered.
| Type of claim | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Broken written contract (lease, invoice, signed agreement) | 6 years |
| Broken verbal agreement | 6 years |
| Damaged property | 6 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
| Fraud | 2 years |
| Libel or slander | 2 years |
| Claims against a government agency | Claims against a county usually must be presented to the county within 12 months, and against a city within 6 months. The State itself can't be sued in court; claims go to the State Board of Adjustment. |
Yes. You can bring a lawyer or handle it yourself. A corporation without a lawyer must send an officer or full-time employee; a partnership sends a partner or employee.
You can sue for up to $6,000. People and businesses have the same limit. You must be 19 or older to file on your own. Bigger claims go to the regular District Court or Circuit Court. Otherwise, you can give up the amount above the limit, or file a regular civil case where the rules are stricter.
Either side can appeal within 14 days of the judgment by filing a Notice of Appeal with the small claims clerk. The case is heard again in Circuit Court, which has its own fee (about $240 to $350) and doesn't use the simpler small claims rules.
Ask the clerk as early as possible if you or a witness needs an interpreter.