The Free Small Claims Starter Kit
A short free checklist: timeline, what you are asking for, proof, and the other side’s name and address.
Before you file, or right after you've been sued, the hardest part is knowing where to start. Our free starter kit gives you a calm, plain-English first step, so you can get organized and know what to look up next.
What's inside
- The basic small claims timeline: the usual stages, from the first problem to judgment and what comes after.
- Checklist: Before you file. Things to consider before you sue.
- Checklist: Just got sued. First steps so nothing gets missed.
- Find your state: links to our free state guides and official court sources.
It's a free 7-page PDF. Enter your name and email below, and we'll send it to your inbox.
Get the free starter kit
A basic timeline, checklists, and links for your state.
Want the full step-by-step plan?
The starter kit gets you organized. The Playbook takes it from there: a filled-in sample of your state's claim form (made-up case, every box explained), your state's Playbook section, and full checklists, a timeline and a hearing-day outline. For Mississippi, Oklahoma and Wyoming it's a sample layout we made, so you'd get the real form from the court clerk. $149 for your first year (introductory offer), then $199 a year. Join now.
Small Claims Coach is built to help you handle your case yourself, without a lawyer — but if your situation is complicated, does not fit our samples, or a deadline is close, you may want to call a lawyer.
Small Claims Coach uses public information to build the Playbook, which coaches you as you organize and present your own case. We are not your lawyer, there is no attorney-client relationship, and we don't want the details of your case.
This information is for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice.