News About Small Claims

Small claims courts help provide more accessible and affordable legal justice for individuals and small businesses. Unlike higher courts, small claims courts allow most cases to be handled without the need of a lawyer, which can make the process easier and less expensive. Small claims court can open the door for people who don’t have the resources to hire an attorney to still resolve their disputes. 

In Utah, to qualify for small claims, the amount being sought had to be under $15,000. However, starting in January 2025, in order to align with the current economic conditions, Utah will raise this limit to $20,000.

This increase will enhance access to justice and enable more individuals and small businesses to pursue larger claims in an affordable and straightforward manner, and allowing amounts that previously would have required a more complex litigation in higher courts, to be resolved in small claims. This new threshold will particularly benefit small businesses that are facing the challenge of recovering unpaid invoices or contract disputes that fall in the $15,000-$20,000 range. 

Every state has their own threshold for what is allowed in small claims courts, so make sure you check in with your state to see what their threshold is before going through the small claims court process.