Plaintiff’s Post-Trial Checklist
Have a question about Small Claims? Chat with us.
Look for a “Questions? Chat Now” button in the right bottom corner of your screen. If you don’t see it, disable any pop-up/ad blockers on your browser.
- Read What to Do After the Court Decides Your Small Claims Case (Form SC-200-INFO).
- If you won the case and the other person (the defendant) owes you money, try to get him or her to pay you. Once the defendant has paid, file a form called Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment (Form SC-290 or Form EJ-100). Read Collect Your Judgment for more information about what you can do to collect your judgment.
- If you lost and owe money pay the court or the other person directly. After you pay, make sure the defendant files a form called Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment (Form SC-290 or Form EJ-100). If the person you owe money to does not file this form, you can ask the court clerk to enter a "satisfaction of judgment" if you can prove you paid the full amount of the judgment with the interest and costs.
- After you request in writing that the defendant file the Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment (Form SC-290 or Form EJ-100), the defendant has 14 days to comply. If the defendant fails or refuses to, you can sue him or her for $50 plus any actual damages you incurred. To read the law, see Code of Civil Procedure section 116.850.
- If you do not pay, you must mail a Judgment Debtor's Statement of Assets (Form SC-133) to the person you owe money to within 30 days of the court's judgment in your case.
- Read Pay the Judgment and Payments in Small Claims Cases (Form SC-220-INFO) for more information.
- As the plaintiff, you CANNOT appeal the judge's decision on your claim. Only the person or business you sued can appeal the decision.
- You CAN appeal if the other person or business sued you back (by filing a Defendant's Claim) and you lost. Learn how to appeal your small claims case.
- Read the Department of Consumer Affairs' website for more information.