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Small claims forms · Arizona

Arizona small claims court forms, filled in for you

Answer a few questions once. Vera fills in the Arizona 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: eFileAZ, not the Maricopa and Pima consolidated justice courts. 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: A.R.S. 22-514 and the small claims Summons (LJSC00002F).

To sue (you're the plaintiff)

  • Complaint (Small Claims) (LJSC00001F)Sign online

    The court's own form (azcourts.sharepoint.com)

    What to know
    • This is the Arizona Supreme Court's Self-Service Center form for the Small Claims Division of a justice court (the Self-Service Center's Small Claims Forms page).
    • File in the justice court for the justice precinct where the defendant lives. Among the exceptions: someone who contracted in writing to perform an obligation in a precinct may be sued there; someone who contracted a debt in one precinct and moved may be sued in either; with several defendants in different precincts, where any of them lives; and if the defendants live outside Arizona or where is unknown, where you live (A.R.S. 22-202(A)).
    • The small claims division hears claims that do not exceed $5,000, exclusive of interest and costs. It does not hear, among others, libel or slander, forcible entry or detainer (eviction), specific performance, injunctions, class actions, or actions against the state or its political subdivisions or their officers or employees in their official capacity (A.R.S. 22-503).
    • "An attorney-at-law shall not appear or take any part in the filing or prosecution or defense of any matter designated as a small claim", unless the parties agree in writing before the hearing. An individual represents himself or herself, either spouse a marital community, a full-time officer or authorized employee a corporation, and an active general partner or authorized full-time employee a partnership (A.R.S. 22-512(B), (D)). If you represent a corporation, partnership, association or other organization, attach a notice of authorization (the form).
    • Vera typed your name after "Person Filing", you as Plaintiff and the other side as Defendant on the first line of each side, and the case number only if your case already has one. From your answers in Court forms it typed your address, phone and email in the Person Filing block at the top. A name or an answer too long for its line is left for you to type, because text that runs past the line pushes the court's lines out of place. Type the justice court's name on the line before "JUSTICE COURTS, ARIZONA", and add each side's address, phone and email under its name in the caption (the form).
    • From your answers in Court forms, Vera typed the amount the defendant owes you and why, after "because:". Vera typed it at the start of the form's lines, and the lines move down to make room: check in Word that nothing you need to sign was pushed apart before you print (the form).
    • The form has one amount, "the total amount owed to me by the defendant", and no separate blank for interest or for what the claim is about. Vera typed the amount you gave in Court forms and did not add interest to it (the form).
    • If you are suing more than one defendant, the form has no separate place for the second: add each defendant's name, address, phone and email under "Defendant(s)" in the caption, in Word or by hand, and ask for a separate Summons for each (the form; the Summons (LJSC00002F)).
    • Mark whether you need an interpreter. Vera marks nothing (the form).
    • Vera never signs or dates a form. You sign and date it as Plaintiff (the form).
    • There are no appeals in small claims cases. To keep the right to appeal, a party may have the case transferred to the justice court by asking at least ten days before the hearing (the form; A.R.S. 22-504(A), 22-519).
    • File it with the Summons (LJSC00002F). You may serve the summons and complaint by registered or certified mail and file the return receipt with the court, in person or by first class mail; the clerk may also serve by certified restricted mail. If the defendant cannot be served by mail, a process server or an authorized officer serves in person, and an affidavit of service is filed with the court (A.R.S. 22-513). The Small Claims Forms page also lists Proof of Service by Registered or Certified Mail (LJSC00003F); Vera does not fill it (the Self-Service Center's Small Claims Forms page).
    • The defendant has twenty days from service to answer. Once the defendant files an answer, the clerk sets a hearing within sixty days and notifies the parties (A.R.S. 22-514, 22-515(A)).
    • If your claim is for the return of a residential security deposit: within fourteen days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, after the tenancy ends, possession is delivered and the tenant makes demand, the landlord must give an itemized list of deductions with the amount due; if not, the tenant may recover it with damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld. A tenant who does not dispute a mailed list within sixty days waives further claims (A.R.S. 33-1321(D), (E)).
    • The pages after the first print "Case Number:" at the top, in the page header; Vera fills only the first page's. Once the clerk assigns the case number, type it there in Word (double-click the top of page 2): it then shows on every later page (the form).

  • Summons (Small Claims) (LJSC00002F)

    The court's own form (azcourts.sharepoint.com)

    What to know
    • This is the Arizona Supreme Court's Self-Service Center form for the Small Claims Division of a justice court (the Self-Service Center's Small Claims Forms page).
    • File it with the Complaint. The clerk dates and signs it. "A separate summons must be issued and served to each defendant named in the complaint" (the form). Vera fills one, for the first defendant; for a second defendant, fill another copy with that defendant's name (the form).
    • Vera typed your name after "Person Filing", you as Plaintiff and the other side as Defendant on the first line of each side, and the case number only if your case already has one. From your answers in Court forms it typed your address, phone and email in the Person Filing block at the top. A name or an answer too long for its line is left for you to type, because text that runs past the line pushes the court's lines out of place. Type the justice court's name on the line before "JUSTICE COURT, ARIZONA", and add each side's address, phone and email under its name in the caption (the form).
    • If the defendant is a business, fill in on page 2 the name, address, phone and email of the statutory agent or corporate officer to be served. Vera does not type the registered agent you gave in Court forms there: each of those lines is a row of underlined tabs in a table, and typed text breaks it in two. Type it in Word or by hand (the form).
    • It tells the defendant to file a written answer within 20 days after service and deliver a copy to you (the form; A.R.S. 22-514).
    • You may serve the summons and complaint by registered or certified mail and file the return receipt with the court, in person or by first class mail; the clerk may also serve by certified restricted mail. If the defendant cannot be served by mail, a process server or an authorized officer serves in person, and an affidavit of service is filed with the court (A.R.S. 22-513). The Small Claims Forms page also lists Proof of Service by Registered or Certified Mail (LJSC00003F); Vera does not fill it (the Self-Service Center's Small Claims Forms page).
    • The pages after the first print "Case Number:" at the top, in the page header; Vera fills only the first page's. Once the clerk assigns the case number, type it there in Word (double-click the top of page 2): it then shows on every later page (the form).

If you were sued (you're the defendant)

  • Answer (Small Claims) (LJSC00004F)Sign online

    The court's own form (azcourts.sharepoint.com)

    What to know
    • This is the Arizona Supreme Court's Self-Service Center form for the Small Claims Division of a justice court (the Self-Service Center's Small Claims Forms page).
    • "You must file with this court a written answer to the complaint within 20 days after service and deliver a copy to the plaintiff. If you do not file an answer, judgment may be entered against you for the full amount of the plaintiff's claim, plus the plaintiff's court costs." There is a fee to file an answer; you may ask for a waiver or deferral (the form; A.R.S. 22-514).
    • The court sets a hearing within 60 days after you file your answer. A party who does not appear at the hearing risks a judgment against them (the form; A.R.S. 22-515).
    • Vera typed your name after "Person Filing", the plaintiff as Plaintiff and you as Defendant on the first line of each side, and the case number only if your case already has one. Check them against the complaint you were served. From your answers in Court forms it typed your address, phone and email in the Person Filing block at the top. A name or an answer too long for its line is left for you to type, because text that runs past the line pushes the court's lines out of place. Type the justice court's name on the line before "JUSTICE COURTS, ARIZONA", and add each side's address, phone and email under its name in the caption (the form).
    • If you told Vera in Court forms that you dispute all or part of the claim, it typed your reasons after "I do not owe the plaintiff because:". Vera typed it at the start of the form's lines, and the lines move down to make room: check in Word that nothing you need to sign was pushed apart before you print (the form). The form has no blank for the part you agree you owe; Vera did not type the amount you gave (the form).
    • Mark whether you answer for yourself, a marital community or other, whether you need an interpreter, and how a copy will be provided to the plaintiff. Vera marks nothing (the form).
    • Vera never signs or dates a form. You sign and date it as Defendant, under your answer and under the statement about the copy (the form).
    • "An attorney-at-law shall not appear or take any part in the filing or prosecution or defense of any matter designated as a small claim", unless the parties agree in writing before the hearing. An individual represents himself or herself, either spouse a marital community, a full-time officer or authorized employee a corporation, and an active general partner or authorized full-time employee a partnership (A.R.S. 22-512(B), (D)). If you represent a corporation, partnership, association or other organization, attach a notice of authorization (the form).
    • There are no appeals in small claims cases. To keep the right to appeal, a party may have the case transferred to the justice court by asking at least ten days before the hearing (the form; A.R.S. 22-504(A), 22-519).
    • The pages after the first print "Case Number:" at the top, in the page header; Vera fills only the first page's. Type it there in Word (double-click the top of page 2): it then shows on every later page (the form).

  • Counterclaim (Small Claims) (LJSC00005F)Sign online

    Only if you have a claim against the plaintiff.

    The court's own form (azcourts.sharepoint.com)

    What to know
    • This is the Arizona Supreme Court's Self-Service Center form for the Small Claims Division of a justice court (the Self-Service Center's Small Claims Forms page).
    • Use it only if you claim money from the plaintiff, and file your Answer (LJSC00004F) too: the form reads "In addition to my answer to the plaintiff's complaint, I counterclaim for the amount listed above" (the form).
    • If the counterclaim exceeds $5,000, the case stops being a small claim and proceeds as another civil action; a counterclaim inflated only to avoid small claims can cost you the plaintiff's costs and attorney fees (A.R.S. 22-503(A), 22-517).
    • Vera typed your name after "Person Filing", the plaintiff as Plaintiff and you as Defendant on the first line of each side, and the case number only if your case already has one. Check them against the complaint you were served. From your answers in Court forms it typed your address, phone and email in the Person Filing block at the top. A name or an answer too long for its line is left for you to type, because text that runs past the line pushes the court's lines out of place. Type the justice court's name on the line before "JUSTICE COURTS, ARIZONA", and add each side's address, phone and email under its name in the caption (the form).
    • From your answers in Court forms, Vera typed the amount of your counterclaim after "$" and your reasons after "for the following reasons:". Vera typed it at the start of the form's lines, and the lines move down to make room: check in Word that nothing you need to sign was pushed apart before you print (the form). The form has no blank for when it happened; Vera did not type the date you gave (the form).
    • Mark how a copy will be provided to the plaintiff. Vera marks nothing (the form).
    • Vera never signs or dates a form. You sign and date it as Defendant, under the counterclaim and under the statement about the copy (the form).
    • The pages after the first print "Case Number:" at the top, in the page header; Vera fills only the first page's. Type it there in Word (double-click the top of page 2): it then shows on every later page (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.