• Small claims courts tend to handle matters quicker than traditional trial courts.Justice image by MVit from Fotolia.com
  
  Each state has a judicial procedure in place to handle "small" claims. Typically, these types of claims do not involve heavy issues of fact and the amount in controversy is relatively minor. In Arizona, people can resolve disputes involving less than $2,500 in an Arizona small claims court. The small claims court in Yuma, Arizona, is located at the Yuma County Justice Court.
  
  

Write a Complaint

• The first step in any lawsuit involves drafting the complaint. Here, the plaintiff (the person initiating the lawsuit) sets forth the facts and circumstances of the case showing that a defendant (the person being sued) someone injured the plaintiff. To file a small claims action in Yuma, typically the defendant must live in Yuma; other possibilities exist (such as when a significant amount of the injury occurred in Yuma). Plaintiffs can ask for small claims compliant forms.
  
  

File the Complaint with the Yuma County Justice Court

• Once the complaint is finished, the plaintiff must mail or hand deliver the complaint to the clerk located at the Plaintiffs must pay a filing fee; fees are subject to change and are often around one hundred dollars. After the plaintiff files the complain with the Yuma County Justice Court clerk, the clerk will issue a "summons" for the defendant. The summons explains to the defendant that he or she is being sued and explains what to do next.
  
  Yuma County Justice Court
  
  250 West 2nd Street
  
  Yuma
  
  Arizona 85364
  
  928-817-4100
  
  

Deliver a Legal Documents to the Defendant

• Armed with the summons, the plaintiff must now "serve" the defendant. A defendant is "served" when he or she receives the legal documents in the case (here, a complaint and summons). Plaintiffs may send a copy of the complaint and summons to the defendant via registered or certified mail, return receipt requested. Plaintiffs may request service to be made by the Yuma County Justice Court; additional fees (subject to change) are associated with this method of service. Plaintiffs must inquire as to current fees.
  
  

Attend the Hearings and Obey Court Orders

• Once the defendant is served, the court will schedule a hearing. The plaintiff and defendant must appear and argue the case. In small claims court, the judge is both the fact finder and decision maker; there is no jury. Ultimately the judge will make a ruling on the case based on the evidence presented by the parties.