Small claims court procedures are said to be simple and inexpensive, and you do not need a lawyer to file your claim. You may read that in a lot of small claims related guides and handbooks, but don’t take it at face value.
If you choose not to be represented by an attorney, the judge will still require that you strictly follow the procedures and the rules, even though you are not a lawyer. You could lose a case simply because you haven’t kept up with the deadlines for filing papers or you have missed your court hearing.
Avoid the courtroom – watch this guide to steer clear of moving company fraud.
You should check with the clerk to confirm that you are allowed to have a lawyer to represent you during the trial. Generally, in the state of California, attorneys and non-attorney representatives (such as an insurance company) are not allowed to represent either one of the parties in small claims cases. You may consult an attorney privately, but you won’t be able to recover the attorney’s fees if you win the case.

Basic considerations to have in mind when you file your lawsuit
- Statute of limitations
In layman’s terms, the “statute of limitations” means that there are limits on how long you can wait to file a lawsuit. Most claims must be filed within a specific period of time. The time limit differs depending on which jurisdiction you sue movers in and what type of claim you file, but, usually, you must file your lawsuit within two years from the time of the dispute. File your case as soon as reasonably possible to prevent the matter from growing stale or to lose your right to recover your monetary damages. Unless your plea for extending the time is based on good legal grounds, your claim will most probably be dismissed.
- Jurisdiction
Next, you need to make sure that you file your case in the appropriate jurisdiction, otherwise your case may be dismissed. Generally speaking, you must sue the defendant in the county (and the area of court location) where the defendant resides. And since you are suing a business, you need to file the case in the county where the business is located. If you have moved locally (within the state), then jurisdiction is no problem for you. However, if you have moved to another state, then jurisdiction may be a significant factor in your case, especially if your contract includes the “choice of law” clause. You must state on your claim why the court in which you have filed your claim is the proper court.
According to Christian Denmon at Denmon & Denmon Trial Lawyers in Florida:
“The rule is that the defendant must have “minimum contacts” with new state in order to be haled into court in a foreign jurisdiction. And, if the moving company routinely does business in your new state, jurisdiction is no-brainer.”
- Amount you can recover

Usually, small claims court can award only money. In California, small claims courts can order a defendant to do something, as long as a claim for money is also part of the lawsuit.
Also, in small claims courts, there is a maximum amount you are allowed to request. In New York, DC and Florida, the maximum amount you can recover is $5000, in Massachusetts – $7000, in California – $7500, in Texas – $10 000. You should check the local rules.
- the Carmack Amendment
John Bisney at the American Moving and Storage Association explains that prior to Carmack, the rule of carrier liability was determined on a state-by-state basis under the general common law, public policy, state statutes and local ordinances. As such, there was little, if any uniformity. Some states allowed carriers to exempt themselves from liability, in whole, or in part, by rule, regulation or contract – others did not. In some states, carriers were subject to different standards within the same state according to locality. The diversity of these varying provisions was so great that it was practically impossible for a consumer to know what the carrier’s actual responsibility should be when it came to obtaining a settlement from a loss or damage claim.
Generally, the Carmack Amendment limits the type of lawsuit you can file against an interstate moving company. You are limited to recovering for actual and foreseeable damages, and not “special” damages. The preemptive effect applies to claims of damage or loss relating to storage or other services provided by interstate movers. You cannot file a lawsuit against interstate movers for negligence, breach of contract, conversion, negligent misrepresentation and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
- Determining the proper party
You will need the correct, legal name and street address of the defendant. You may not realize it, but that is of great importance. You may start the case using the d/b/a name of the company, but if you win the case, you won’t be able to enforce the judgment. Even a single misspelled word can cost you the case. You may be able to give to the judge the correct name and address during the trial, but do not rely on that option.
To find out how to name the defendant (your mover) properly, you can contact the clerk’s office for assistance, or you can contact the Secretary of State’s office. You should be able to find the exact name online by searching in the business records database.
Thanks for the tips on how to file a lawsuit in small claims court. I appreciate that you said that when filing your statement of claim you should follow the instructions meticulously. I think that it would be smart to hire a small claims paralegal to help you with the process to help make sure that everything was going to be done correctly.
It’s good to know that you need to use enforcement if the people you successfully sue don’t make payments on their own. My sister has been telling me about how she wants to sue a company she used for some work a little while ago. I’ll share this information with her so that she can look into her options for lawyers who can help her with this.
Perfect work you have done, this website is really cool with wonderful info .
I plan to file small claims too. The rogue mover (Suburban Relocation Systems) hold my belongings hostage.
The issue is which state to file the lawsuit. The cause of action is my state, but the Bill of Lading says I should file lawsuit in mover’s state. The unfair term in Bill of Lading was added after the agreement was sighed and after my goods were loaded.
Your advice? Thank you in advance.
The moving company is ignoring the judgement thru both’s courts Texas and NJ I’ve faxed, email, mailed and process server no response who can help with collecting my money?