Small Claims Plainly

State guide

Alabama

This is general information, not legal advice. Alabama puts smaller civil disputes in a small claims division of district court. The Administrative Office of Courts guide describes a setting where individuals and businesses can sue or defend, where a judge hears the case without a jury, and where people may speak for themselves. The guide states a $6,000 maximum. Its update line reads August 19, 2015, so ask the clerk in the county of filing whether that figure is still the one in use. Clerks cannot give legal advice. File where the person or business you are suing lives or keeps an office.

Checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.

Try a ZIP like 30303, “Travis County” or “Columbus, OH”
Which court hears it
Small claims division of district court
Dollar limit we could verify
The Administrative Office of Courts guide says the maximum is $6,000. That guide's update line reads August 19, 2015.
Statute or court page
Official page →
Filing or self-help page
Official page →

The guide's path starts with a statement of claim filed with the clerk, plus a filing fee the clerk must quote. Service may be by sheriff, process server, or certified mail. The guide's flowchart gives the person served 14 days to answer. Silence can lead to a default judgment. A denial leads to a mailed trial date. If the dispute settles, the plaintiff must tell the court in writing before the hearing. An individual who files or defends generally must be at least 19 or legally emancipated, and mentally competent. Businesses may sue and be sued.

Try a written demand before you file. The guide tells people to ask for the money or property, keep a copy, and use a mailing receipt when they send the letter by post. The letter does not replace a lawsuit and does not stop any time limit the law may impose. It does show the judge that you asked. Bring the contract, photos, estimates, receipts, and any reply. Court staff cannot fill out the forms for you. If you are physically unable to complete them, the guide says another person may help you, while the clerk still cannot give legal advice about what to write.

Winning and collecting are separate steps. The guide says the parties have 14 days to appeal, and that the judgment becomes final 14 days after the judgment date. After that, it lists wage garnishment, bank garnishment, and execution against property as requests a winner may make. Employers often want identifying details before a wage garnishment moves. Those tools have their own papers and service rules. Read the guide's dates against the papers the clerk hands you, because a pamphlet is not a substitute for the notice in your case. A lawyer is appropriate when the claim is close to the line or the other side is a company with counsel.

Official resources in Alabama

Alabama small claims guide

Administrative Office of Courts guide with the $6,000 figure, the 14-day answer note, and the appeal note.

Alabama Administrative Office of Courts

Statewide court site for district-court locations and clerk information.

Alabama Legislature

Official site for the Code of Alabama, including district-court statutes.

Key facts for Alabama

What to do next

  1. Ask the clerk whether the $6,000 figure in the 2015 guide is still the cap in that county.
  2. Keep a copy of any written demand and the mailing receipt with your hearing file.
  3. Use the legal name of a business, and file in the county where it lives or has an office.
  4. After a judgment, ask the clerk which collection form fits wages, a bank account, or property.

Looking for your city or county in Alabama?

We haven't found official court-level pages for Alabama we can verify yet, so we don't show local numbers here rather than guess. Here's what to use instead, in order:

  1. General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across Alabama, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
  2. Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.
    Alabama Administrative Office of Courts
    Website →
    Phone not shown: use the contact page on the official website above.
    Your city or county office: Alabama local governments →
    Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Alabama page on USA.gov can point you to the right office.
  3. Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.

Helpful guides

Small claims planner →

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