Start here
The free tool below runs entirely in this browser — no account, nothing stored or transmitted. Redact anything you would not want kept before you type it.
Open the companion tool →Why the record is the case
Small claims is built for people without lawyers, but it still runs on proof: you must show what happened, that the other party caused the loss, and the amount. A judge cannot fix what you cannot document.
The prep is an evidence checklist: the transaction record, the authorization or lack of it, the communications, and the dollar figure with a basis. Assembling those in advance is most of the case.
The protocol
- Enter the loss: what happened, who, and the amount.
- Read the readiness basis: the elements you must show and the evidence for each.
- Gather the documents and put them in one folder, in order.
- Check your local small-claims limit and filing rules before you file.
What the tool does
Enter the loss and get a small-claims readiness read with the elements and evidence to gather. It runs in this browser; nothing is sent or stored.
Limit first: This is a preparation aid, not legal advice and not a guarantee of any outcome. Check your local court's rules and limits, and consider free or low-cost legal help.
Open the companion tool →One human next step
Gather the documents, check your local small-claims limit, and file within the time limit. Free or low-cost legal help is available in most states.
Research log and safety checks
AI-assist path: not applicable — the checklist is an evidence organizer over the reader's own records; a model layer adds no verification. §6.10: not a frontier-pace topic.
§0.5 protection result: category is rights-recourse; crisis-adjacent: no; fear/urgency/scarcity toolkit used: no. The protective function is free and the paid feature is convenience only.