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Small claims forms · Alaska

Alaska small claims court forms, filled in for you

Answer a few questions once. Vera fills in the Alaska court's own forms from your answers, walks you through anything left, and gives you one packet to file, with how to file it.

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Sign online where the court accepts it. E-filing: TrueFiling. Keep a signed original. Forms sworn before a notary or the clerk are still signed by hand.

If you were sued: your answer is due 20 days after you were served. Source: Alaska District Court Civil Rule 13(a) and the Summons (SC-2).

To sue (you're the plaintiff)

  • Complaint (SC-1)Sign online

    The court's own form (public.courts.alaska.gov)

    What to know
    • This is the Alaska Court System's form. Small claims is for a claim of up to $10,000, not counting costs, interest and attorney fees (AS 22.15.040(a)); by filing, you give up collecting more than $10,000 in principal (the form). It cannot be used for evictions, title to land, or claims against the State of Alaska or the United States, among others (the Small Claims Information Sheet, SC-95).
    • File at the court nearest the defendant's home or work, where the defendant caused the injury or damage, or where the defendant does or solicits business, and at a place that will not cause the defendant unnecessary expense or inconvenience; mark each box that applies (Dist. Ct. Civ. R. 12(a); the form). On the "AT" line goes the city where the court is (the Small Claims Handbook, SC-100). Vera fills it only when your court's name ends with it ("… at Anchorage").
    • Vera filled you as the plaintiff, the other party as the defendant, and your printed name. From your answers in Court forms it filled the amount, why the defendant owes it, the date it happened, your mailing address, email and phone, "has not" asked in writing if you did not ask the defendant to pay, if you are suing a business that does business in this court's area, the box "where Defendant does or solicits business", if it happened in this court's area and your claim is for an injury or damage to your property, the box "where Defendant caused personal injury to Plaintiff or damage to Plaintiff's property", and a second defendant's name on the second line of "Defendant(s)" if you are suing two (the form). Check each one. Giving your email means "I agree that the court and other parties can send court documents to me at this email address" (the form): erase it if you do not agree.
    • Still yours: whether you are a corporation, where it happened ("at or near ___, Alaska"), "has" if you asked in writing (Vera cannot tell a written request from a spoken one), the other boxes for why you file at this court, and the debt-collection section if it applies (the form). Leave the case number blank: the clerk gives it when you file (the Small Claims Handbook, SC-100). Your printed name also shows on the TrueFiling exemption line on page 2: check and sign that box only if you are exempt (the form). Vera never signs or dates a form.
    • For a residential security deposit: the landlord must mail an itemized notice and the refund within 14 days after the tenancy ends and you give up possession, or 30 days if damages are deducted or notice under AS 34.03.290 was not given; if the landlord wilfully fails to do so, you may recover up to twice the amount withheld (AS 34.03.070(b), (d), (g)). A penalty under a statute must be written into the complaint (the Small Claims Handbook, SC-100).
    • You do not need a lawyer, although you may have one (the Small Claims Information Sheet, SC-95; Dist. Ct. Civ. R. 15(b)). A corporation or other organization may be represented by an officer or employee authorized in writing (Dist. Ct. Civ. R. 15(a)); file the written authorization with the complaint (the Small Claims Handbook, SC-100).
    • File the complaint, with copies of any papers that support your claim, and the Summons (SC-2); you do not file the Answer (SC-3) (the form; the Small Claims Handbook, SC-100). The fee is "$50 if dispute is $2,500 or less; $100 if dispute is more than $2,500" (the court's Court Fees page). To ask for a fee waiver, file the TF-920 (the Court Fees page). If TrueFiling is available for your case type and court location, you must use it unless you are exempt (ak-courts.info/tfcourts; the form).
    • Serve each defendant, within 120 days of filing, with the signed summons, a copy of the complaint and its attachments, and an Answer (SC-3) with only its top filled in: by certified mail, restricted delivery to the addressee only, return receipt requested, or by a process server (Dist. Ct. Civ. R. 11; Civil Rule 4; the Small Claims Handbook, SC-100). Then file an Affidavit of Service (SC-4) with the return receipt or the process server's proof (the Small Claims Handbook, SC-100).
    • The defendant has 20 days after service to answer, or 40 days if served outside the United States (Dist. Ct. Civ. R. 13(a); the Summons, SC-2). If there is no answer, you may ask for a default judgment with the Default Affidavit and Request for Judgment (SC-8) (the Small Claims Handbook, SC-100).

  • Summons (SC-2)

    The court's own form (public.courts.alaska.gov)

    What to know
    • This is the Alaska Court System's form. Fill out a separate summons for each defendant (the Small Claims Handbook, SC-100). Vera's summons is addressed to the first defendant; if you are suing two, Vera listed the second under "Defendant(s)": fill out another copy with the second defendant on the "TO:" line and their address under it.
    • Vera filled the court's location as on the complaint (when your court's name ends with it), you as the plaintiff, the other party as the defendant and on the "TO:" line. From your answers in Court forms, Vera filled the defendant's address under the "TO:" line and your mailing address in item 2. Add the court's mailing address in item 1; check the box and add your email only if you agree to receive papers by email (the form; the Small Claims Handbook, SC-100). Leave the case number blank: the clerk gives it when you file (the Small Claims Handbook, SC-100).
    • Leave the bottom for the court: the clerk completes it, and the summons is "not valid without seal and signature" (the form).
    • Serve it with the complaint and an Answer (SC-3), as the complaint's notes say. It tells the defendant the answer must reach the court within 20 days, or 40 days if served outside the United States (the form).

  • Answer, Counterclaim, and Request for Change of Place of Trial (SC-3), for the defendant

    Served on each defendant with the summons and complaint; you do not file it.

    The court's own form (public.courts.alaska.gov)

    What to know
    • This is the Alaska Court System's form. "A blank answer form shall be served with the summons and complaint" (Dist. Ct. Civ. R. 11(b)). Fill in only its top, as on the complaint, and leave the rest for the defendant (the Small Claims Handbook, SC-100).
    • Vera filled the court's location (when your court's name ends with it), you as the plaintiff and the other party as the defendant, and a second defendant under "Defendant(s)" if you are suing two. Leave the case number blank: the clerk gives it when you file (the Small Claims Handbook, SC-100).

If you were sued (you're the defendant)

  • Answer, Counterclaim, and Request for Change of Place of Trial (SC-3)Sign online

    The court's own form (public.courts.alaska.gov)

    What to know
    • This is the Alaska Court System's form. Use it only if you agree to continue with small claims procedure. If you want the formal rules instead, you must file and send the plaintiff a written request for them and an answer, and you may not use this form for that (the form; the Summons, SC-2).
    • Your answer must reach the court within 20 days after you receive the summons, or 40 days if you were served outside the United States; send or give a copy to the plaintiff at the address on the summons (the Summons, SC-2; Dist. Ct. Civ. R. 13(a)). If you do not answer, the court may enter a judgment against you (the Summons, SC-2).
    • Vera filled the court's location (when your court's name ends with it), the plaintiff, you as the defendant, the case number if your case has one, and your printed name. From your answers in Court forms, Vera marked whether you agree or disagree and typed why, filled "I believe that I owe Plaintiff $" with the amount you agree you owe if you dispute part of the claim, marked the counterclaim and filled its amount and reason if you are suing the plaintiff back, and filled your mailing address, email and phone. Check each one. Giving your email means "I agree that the court and other parties can send court documents to me at this email address" (the form): erase it if you do not agree.
    • Still yours: any request to change the place of trial (the form). Your printed name also shows on the TrueFiling exemption line on page 2: check and sign that box only if you are exempt (the form). Vera never signs or dates a form.
    • A counterclaim may be for up to $10,000 in small claims court, and if you file one the plaintiff may choose the formal rules (the form).
    • You may have a lawyer (Dist. Ct. Civ. R. 15(b)). Serve a copy of the answer and everything attached on every party through TrueFiling or as the Certificate of Service on page 2 says, and fill it in (the form). If TrueFiling is available for your case type and court location, you must use it unless you are exempt (ak-courts.info/tfcourts; the form).

Checked against the court's own forms and rules. Courts change forms; check with the clerk before you file. This page is general information, not legal advice.