A landlord kept your deposit, a contractor walked off the job, a dry cleaner ruined your coat. In Maryland you can sue for up to $5,000 in the District Court of Maryland (small claims), without hiring a lawyer. Check your case below, then follow six steps.
Answer a few questions. The result updates as you type.
Maryland doesn't require a demand letter before filing small claims, but asking for payment first is wise. A short, dated demand letter is the best proof. Use the generator below and keep a copy.
The District Court in the county where the defendant lives, works or regularly does business. A company with no main office in Maryland can be sued where you live.
Complaint / Application and Affidavit in Support of Judgment. Trials are usually set within about 60 days of filing.
$44 to file. Service is extra: $20 per defendant if the clerk mails it, or $60 per defendant by the sheriff or constable. If you can't afford it, ask for a fee waiver: Request for Waiver of Prepaid Costs (form DC-CV-097).
Choose service by the clerk (certified mail, restricted delivery), the sheriff or constable, or a private process server or any adult who isn't part of the case, who must then file an affidavit of service. After being served, the defendant has 15 days to file a Notice of Intention to Defend.
Bring receipts, photos, texts, the contract and your demand letter, with three copies of each. The court doesn't collect for you. If they don't pay, you can garnish wages or a bank account, or record a lien on real estate.
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. Contracts signed under seal have 12 years. Fraud deadlines run from when you discovered it.
| Type of claim | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Broken written contract (lease, invoice, signed agreement) | 3 years |
| Broken verbal agreement | 3 years |
| Damaged property | 3 years |
| Personal injury | 3 years |
| Fraud | 3 years |
| Libel or slander | 1 year |
| Claims against a government agency | To sue a Maryland county or city, give written notice within 1 year of the injury; claims against the State must first go to the State Treasurer within 1 year. |
You don't need a lawyer, but you may hire one. Free help is available from the Maryland Court Help Center.
Small claims are cases for money only, up to $5,000, not counting interest, costs and attorney fees. Claims from $5,000 to $30,000 also go to District Court but as 'large claims' with more formal rules. If a counterclaim goes over $5,000, the whole case leaves small claims. Otherwise, you can give up the amount above the limit, or file a regular civil case where the rules are stricter.
Either side can file a motion for a new trial within 10 days, or appeal to the Circuit Court within 30 days. The appeal is a brand-new trial before a different judge. The appeal costs $10 plus $165 paid to the Circuit Court.
Maryland courts provide interpreters free of charge; ask the clerk as early as you can.