SINCE 1828
small-claims court
nounDefinition of small-claims court
: a special court intended to simplify and expedite the handling of small claims on debts
Examples of small-claims court in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Patrick DeJean, the Marrero justice of the peace charged with pocketing public money, over-garnishing debtors' wages and keeping the excess, now stands accused of obstructing the federal grand jury investigation into his small-claims court. — Drew Broach, NOLA.com, "Marrero justice of the peace hid records from grand jury, new indictment alleges," 27 Apr. 2018 The next steps for a consumer can be small-claims court or, if bankruptcy is filed, bankruptcy court, Albracht said. — Carol Deptolla, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "When a restaurant closes, what happens to those gift certificates?," 1 Mar. 2018 Since there are no federal small-claims courts, the CASE Act would create an organization akin to one, which could adjudicate disputes if both sides approved. — Robert Levine, Billboard, "Rep. Hakeem Jeffries Fights for Creators Rights, Brooklyn Hip-Hop and Recognition for Female Rappers," 20 Mar. 2018 Constables serve papers such as eviction notices and enforce orders of justices of the peace in small-claims court. — Drew Broach, NOLA.com, "This obscure political job pays $120,000, and one third of voters don't know whom to back," 14 Mar. 2018 The bill’s requirement for a judgment against a tenant in order to access the mitigation fund could create an incentive for landlords to sue tenants in small-claims courts. — Agatha Pacheco, The Seattle Times, "Washington Legislature considers banning housing discrimination based on income source," 12 Feb. 2018 Most arbitration clauses allow consumers to use small-claims courts instead, but there, too, the advantages appear tilted in the companies’ favor. — Laurent Belsie, The Christian Science Monitor, "Battle over fine print: Why GOP is risking consumer ire to support banks," 26 Oct. 2017 The idea of a copyright small-claims court, which has been discussed in Washington D.C. for several years, would not have a substantial effect on major labels or publishers. — Robert Levine, Billboard, "Congressmen Introduce CASE Act Bill Aimed at Helping Independent Creators With Copyright Claims," 5 Oct. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'small-claims court.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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