California Small Claims - Step by Step

1. File Petition
eFile an Small Claims lawsuit. File the petition in the superior court where defendant or plaintiff resides, or on the county where the incident took place.
2. Get Hearing Date
Generally, the court hearing details are mentioned in court stamped document, but if you do not get it in stamped document, call the county clerk's office where the petition was filed to get the hearing details (hearing date, time, location, and court number).
3. Serve the Defendant
Make sure to verify that the defendant has been served.[For more information on serving the defendant, click here .
4. Court hearing
Verify the court date with the clerk and be present in the court at the day of hearing.