[header] How to collect on a debt in small claims court [title] Decide if small claims court is the best choice. [step] Consider the complexity of the case and the amount of money involved. Small claims court is usually available for claims that are lower than a certain cutoff limit. 
Small claims court also is limited in the amount of discovery that you can do to gather evidence before a hearing or trial. If your case requires complicated discovery or involves a large amount of money, you may want to consider a different court.