Ohio Small Claims Court: The $6,000 Limit, Filing Fees and Magistrates

Ohio’s small claims courts handle disputes over money up to $6,000. The process is quicker and less formal than a regular lawsuit, and you may not need a lawyer [1].

What small claims can and can’t handle

Small claims is for claims of money only, up to $6,000 [1]. Ohio municipal and county courts can also hear regular civil cases up to $15,000 [5].

The Franklin County Municipal Court lists things you can’t sue for in small claims [2]:

• getting property back, or making someone finish a job,
• punitive damages (extra money to punish the other side),
• your costs of gathering evidence or coming to court, like travel, lost wages, babysitting or parking,
• libel, slander, malicious prosecution or abuse of legal process,
• claims against the State of Ohio or the United States.

If you’re owed more than $6,000, talk to a lawyer before cutting your claim down to fit.

How to file

1. Ask for payment in writing first. It may settle things, and it shows the magistrate you tried.
2. Fill out the small claims complaint for the court where you’re filing. Ask the clerk for the right form, or check the court’s website.
3. File with the clerk. In Franklin County, you file the original complaint plus 3 copies with the Clerk’s Civil Division at 375 S. High St. in Columbus, in person or by mail [2].
4. Pay the cost, or ask to have it waived. Costs are due when you file, unless the court waives them based on an affidavit of indigency [3].
5. Have the other side served. Tell the clerk how to serve each defendant, such as certified mail or personal service, and pay that cost [2][3].

The hearing and the magistrate

In Franklin County, small claims trials are run by a magistrate , and the magistrate may send both sides to mediation first [4]. Bring:

• receipts, canceled checks, estimates, contracts and photos,
• witnesses; if someone won’t come on their own, ask for a subpoena at least 7 days before trial,
• an original of each exhibit plus a copy for each party and one for the magistrate [4].

If you filed the case and don’t show up, it will be dismissed. If the person you sued doesn’t show up, the magistrate may enter judgment against them [4].

After the decision

The magistrate files a written decision. You can ask for detailed findings of fact and conclusions of law within 7 days. Either side can file objections within 14 days of the decision; Franklin County charges $20 [3][4]. A judge reviews the decision and signs the judgment [4].

Winning isn’t the same as being paid

A judgment says the other side owes you money; it doesn’t collect it. If they don’t pay, the court has collection tools, such as garnishing wages or bank accounts, each with its own fee [3]. Ask the clerk’s office how collection works in your court.