ANNAPOLIS, MD (September 30, 2003)—District Court of Maryland Chief Judge James N. Vaughan announced today a simplified process for filing a case in small claims court. Beginning October 1, the form necessary to file in small claims court will be available on the court’s website at www.courts.state.md.us/district/. The form can be downloaded or filled out electronically and printed. By logging onto www.courts.state.md.us/district/ citizens can view or download a comprehensive instructional booklet. This informative brochure provides step-by-step directions for filing in small claims court—from the initial filing of the claim, through the court procedures, to collecting a judgment.

“The District Court of Maryland has made the process of filing a small claim in District Court simpler and easier,” said Chief Judge Vaughan. “For many litigants, the process can begin in the convenience of their home or place of business.” 

The simplified process coincides with a new law that will increase from $2500 to $5000 the amount of a civil action that qualifies as a “small claim”. The District Court anticipates a substantial increase in its caseload once the new law goes into effect on October 1, said Chief Judge Vaughan. The District Court processed more than 220,000 contract and tort small claim cases in a 12-month period between July 2002 and June 2003.

“With more people filing their cases in District Court, we needed to meet the increased demands for our services,” said Patti Platt, Chief Clerk of the District Court. “Our challenge is to meet the new demands on the District Court while working within the budget constraints of the state.” 

A small claim is a civil action that resolves disputes involving relatively small amounts of money, under relaxed rules of evidence, making it easier for litigants to represent themselves without hiring an attorney, if they choose. The small claims process begins with the filing of a civil complaint with a clerk in one of the 34 District Court locations statewide. Formerly, this meant traveling to a courthouse to obtain the form to process the claim. Under the new process, the form and the instructional brochure can both be acquired by simply visiting the Judiciary’s website. Changes in the small claims procedure is another example of how the District Court is examining processes and making changes to benefit citizens while saving money.