Civil & Small Claims

Fees

Filing and service fees apply.

Civil Filing

The forms required for civil filing are available on the Washington State Court Forms website

The District Court shall have jurisdiction and cognizance of civil actions and proceedings if the value of the claim or the amount at issue does not exceed $100,000, exclusive of interest, costs, and attorneys’ fees.

Information on civil actions is available on the Washington Courts, Revised Code of Washington (RCW), and Civil Rules for Courts of Limited Jurisdiction websites.

Small Claims Filing

The forms required for small claims filing are available at the District Court Clerk’s Office.

The small claims department has jurisdiction, although not exclusively, over civil actions seeking the recovery of money only if the amount claimed does not exceed $10,000 for a personal claim or $5,000 for a business claim. A plaintiff, who allegedly has suffered damages in excess of these amounts, nonetheless may file in small claims court, but by doing so, he or she waives the right to recover anything in excess of the small claims department’s jurisdiction. Lawyers are not involved in small claims cases.

See RCW 12.40 and Washington Courts Resources, Publications, and Reports for additional information.

Service

The plaintiff is responsible for ensuring respondent(s)/defendant(s) is/are served notice of civil/small claims filings, hearing dates, and any subsequent case-related documents.