Start/Respond to a Case
General Start/Respond to a Case Articles
Small Claims Court is a division of the District Court of Maryland that handles disputes involving no more than $5,000.
Many, but not all, court forms are available through the Maryland Judiciary website. Below are the links to some of the most commonly used forms from Maryland's District and Circuit Courts, Maryland's Office of Register of Wills, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, and selected other sources. Local public law libraries can provide additional resources, including sample forms when there is not an official form for the legal action.
Things to consider before filing a lawsuit.
Learn the steps to starting a lawsuit.
Learn the steps to respond to a lawsuit.
Understanding these important differences will help you prepare and present your case in the District Court.
If you have just been served with (given a copy of) a Summons and a Complaint to appear in Small Claims Court, you are now the defendant in a lawsuit. Small Claims Court is part of the District Court of Maryland.
Damages refers to the money that you are seeking in order to compensate you for some legal wrong that was committed by the other party. The person who claims damages must prove the amount of damages.
"Service of Process" is making sure the other side gets a copy of the papers you are filing (for example, a complaint).
Service is the act of providing documents to the required people (usually, the other parties or their lawyers) involved in a legal matter. The general purpose of service is fairness.