Rachel Monroe What to bring to a Washington small claims hearing: documents, photos, receipts, written statements, and witnesses. RCW 12.40.080 keeps the proceeding informal and bars attorneys without the judge’s consent.
Washington small claims is filed in the district court for the county where the defendant lives or, in some cases, where the dispute arose. RCW 3.66.040 sets the rule.
What it costs to file a Washington small claims case: the $35 statutory fee under RCW 12.40.020, county surcharges authorized by RCW 7.75.035, and the General Rule 34 fee waiver process.
How to start a Washington small claims case in district court: the Notice of Small Claim form, the $35 filing fee under RCW 12.40.020, and the service rules in RCW 12.40.040.
Arizona judgments, including small claims awards, last ten years from the date of entry. A creditor renews by filing an affidavit during the 90 days before that ten-year mark, which extends collection rights for another decade.
Two writs do the work of collecting on an unpaid Arizona small claims judgment: garnishment to reach a bank account and execution to seize personal property. Statutory exemptions and a ten-year window shape how either tool is used.
Arizona limits wage garnishment on a small claims judgment to 10% of disposable earnings per workweek. The writ runs as a continuing lien on future paychecks until the judgment is satisfied.
An Arizona small claims judgment is enforced by the prevailing party, not the court. Writs of execution, wage and bank garnishment, recorded judgment liens, and debtor’s examinations are the post-judgment tools justice courts make available, and a ten-year window governs every one of them.
Under Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 22-519, small claims decisions in Arizona are final and binding with no right of appeal. A pre-hearing transfer to justice court under § 22-504 is the only mechanism that preserves appellate review.
Arizona small claims allows only certified mail or personal service under A.R.S. § 22-513. When the defendant cannot be located, the plaintiff’s options include skip tracing through a licensed process server, transferring the case to the regular justice court civil division to unlock service by publication, or dismissing without prejudice and refiling once a current address is known.
Arizona small claims accepts two forms of proof of service: a signed return receipt for certified-mail service, or an affidavit for personal delivery.
Arizona small claims requires the defendant to receive the complaint and summons before the court can proceed. The plaintiff can use certified mail through the clerk or personal service by a constable, sheriff, or registered process server.