How to Sue a Company Without a Lawyer: Your DIY Legal Guide

So a company screwed you over. Maybe it was a contractor who took your deposit and vanished. A gym that keeps charging your card after you canceled. A mechanic who charged you for repairs that didn't happen. You're owed money, you know you're owed money, and you're wondering: can you actually sue a company without a lawyer and win?

Yes. You can. Small claims court exists precisely for this. No attorney required, no law degree needed, no years of litigation. Just you, your evidence, and a judge who's heard it all before. Here's how it works.

When Can You Sue a Company Without a Lawyer?

Small claims court handles disputes up to a certain dollar amount, which varies by state. If what you're owed falls within that limit, you can file yourself. Most consumer disputes do. The common situations that land in small claims court every day include:

Breach of contract. A contractor took your $3,000 deposit and never showed up. A vendor delivered something completely different from what you ordered. A service provider bailed mid-project.
Defective products. You bought a $900 blender that caught fire. The company ignored your refund request. You have receipts, photos, maybe a burn mark on your counter.
Billing fraud and unauthorized charges. A gym keeps billing you after you canceled in writing. A subscription service ignores your cancellation requests for six months straight.
Bad service you paid for. An auto shop charged you $800 for a brake job that made your car worse. A moving company broke your furniture and denied the claim.
Security deposit theft. A landlord or management company kept your full deposit with no real explanation.

If your dispute falls into any of these categories and the amount is under your state's limit, small claims court is your arena.

Small Claims Court Limits by State

This is the number that determines whether small claims is the right venue for you. Here are the limits in the most populated states as of 2026:

California: $12,500 (individuals; note that you can only file claims over $2,500 twice per year)
Texas: $20,000
Florida: $8,000
New York: $10,000 (NYC Civil Court); $5,000 in some local courts
Illinois: $10,000
Georgia: $15,000
Delaware: $25,000 (one of the highest in the country)
Colorado: $7,500
Arizona: $3,500
Indiana: $10,000

Limits change periodically, so check your state court's official website for the most current number. If what you're owed exceeds the limit, you have two choices: waive the excess to stay in small claims, or file in a higher court (which usually does involve a lawyer).

One more thing worth knowing: in small claims court, lawyers are either prohibited or discouraged from appearing in many states. That's by design. The whole point is a level playing field.

Before You File: Try a Petty Notice First

Here's a stat that catches a lot of people off guard. About 70% of disputes get resolved before anyone sets foot in a courtroom. Why? Because companies don't want the hassle of court any more than you do. When they receive a formal written demand that includes a specific dollar amount, a deadline, and a mention of small claims court, a lot of them suddenly find the money.

A Petty Notice is exactly that. It's a formal demand for payment that puts a company on notice that you're serious. Not a vague complaint email. Not another angry call to their customer service department. A legal document with your claim spelled out, a payment deadline, and the clear implication that court comes next if they ignore it.

Companies have legal departments. Legal departments see demand letters and calculate: is it cheaper to pay this person or fight it? For amounts under $10,000, fighting it almost never makes financial sense. Settling does.

So before you file anything with a court, send one. It costs you almost nothing and might save you the whole court process.

How to Sue a Company Without a Lawyer: Step by Step

Step 1: Find the Company's Registered Agent

You can't sue a company at their storefront address. You need to serve legal papers on their registered agent, the person or entity officially authorized to receive legal documents on the company's behalf.

Every business entity (LLC, corporation, etc.) is required to list a registered agent with their state. Finding this info is free and takes about two minutes. Go to your state's Secretary of State website and search the company name. The registered agent's name and address will be listed there.

Big companies often use registered agent services like CT Corporation or National Registered Agents. That's fine. The address listed in the state database is where you send the paperwork.

Step 2: Gather Your Evidence

This is where cases are won or lost. Before you file a single form, get your documentation together:

Contracts, invoices, receipts
Screenshots of text messages or emails
Photos of defective products or poor workmanship
Bank statements showing unauthorized charges
Any written communication between you and the company
Records of your cancellation requests (especially for gym or subscription disputes)

You don't need a mountain of paperwork. You need a clear, chronological story: here's what was promised, here's what I paid, here's what actually happened, here's the proof.

Step 3: File Your Complaint

Go to your local courthouse's small claims division (most have a self-help desk for exactly this) or check if your state allows online filing. You'll fill out a simple form called a complaint or statement of claim. It asks:

Your name and contact info
The defendant's name and registered agent address
How much you're claiming
A brief explanation of what happened

Keep the explanation factual and concise. Something like: defendant collected a $2,400 deposit on March 5 for a kitchen renovation, work never started, defendant stopped responding in April, plaintiff seeks return of the $2,400 plus filing fees. No emotional details. Just the facts and the number.

Filing fees typically run $30 to $100, depending on the state and claim amount. You can usually request to have the filing fee included in your judgment if you win.

Step 4: Serve the Papers

After you file, the court assigns a hearing date and issues a summons. You have to serve the summons and your complaint on the defendant before that date. Service requirements vary by state but typically include:

Certified mail (simplest option, usually accepted for companies)
Personal service by a process server
Sheriff or marshal service (some states require this)

For companies, certified mail to the registered agent address usually works. Keep your tracking number and the certified mail receipt. You'll need proof of service.

Step 5: Show Up and Present Your Case

Court day. Bring everything organized in chronological order. Dress reasonably. Be polite to the judge. Don't interrupt the other side even when they say things that aren't true.

Present your case like you're telling a story to someone who knows nothing about it. I hired this company on this date, paid this amount, here's the contract, here's what they agreed to do, and here's what actually happened. The judge will ask questions. Answer honestly. If you don't know something, say you don't know.

Small claims judges deal with self-represented people constantly. They're not expecting a lawyer's closing argument. They want the facts.

One important note: many companies don't even show up. A default judgment in your favor is entirely possible if they blow off the hearing date.

Real Scenarios Where Small Claims Court Works

The Gym Membership Scam

You joined a gym, moved away, sent a certified letter canceling your membership, and they kept charging you for eight more months. You're out $480. You have the certified mail receipt and your bank statements. This is a clean case. The paper trail is everything. File for the $480 plus your filing fee.

The Contractor Who Vanished

Common as grass. Contractor takes a deposit, maybe does a little work, then stops showing up and stops answering. You've got the contract, the payment confirmation, and the photos of unfinished work. Send a Petty Notice first. Give them 14 days to refund or finish. If they ignore it, file in small claims.

The Defective Product

You bought a product, it failed in a way it shouldn't have, and the company denied your warranty claim. Keep the product, photograph the failure, save every email from their support team. Your strongest argument: the product did what it wasn't supposed to do, and the company refused to make it right after you gave them the chance.

Auto Repair Fraud

You approved a $300 repair. You got a $950 bill for work you never authorized. Or they fixed something that broke again within a week. Get a second mechanic to document the problem in writing. That's your expert witness, and it doesn't have to cost much. A written estimate from another shop saying the original brake job was never done properly is powerful evidence.

Tips for Actually Winning

Most small claims cases come down to documentation. Here's what separates winners from losers:

Put a specific dollar amount on everything. Saying you want compensation isn't a claim. A precise figure plus filing fee is.
Stick to the facts. Judges don't care how angry you are. They care what the contract said and what actually happened.
Give the company a chance to respond first. Courts look favorably on plaintiffs who made a good-faith effort to resolve the dispute before filing. Send a written demand (a Petty Notice). Give them 14-21 days. If they don't respond, you file. And you mention in court that you gave them the opportunity.
Bring originals and copies. Bring three copies of every document. One for you, one for the judge, one for the defendant.
Keep it short. Most small claims hearings are 15-30 minutes. Know what your three most important points are before you walk in.

When You Probably Don't Need Court at All

Here's the honest truth. A lot of disputes never reach the courthouse. Companies settle when they realize you're serious. The magic ingredients: a formal written demand, a specific dollar amount, a deadline, and evidence that you know what you're doing.

That's the entire mechanism behind PettyLawsuit. We've helped 2,500+ people in exactly this position. Our Petty Notices send instantly, and 70% of cases get resolved without going anywhere near a courtroom. Sometimes the simple act of sending a formal notice through a legal platform is enough to get the check written.

Think about it from the company's side. An angry customer calling is annoying but ignorable. A formal legal demand with a payment deadline and a paper trail? That goes to their legal team. Their legal team does a cost-benefit analysis. And for amounts under $10,000, the math almost always says: pay the person.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sue a large corporation in small claims court?

Yes. The size of the company doesn't matter. What matters is the amount you're claiming and whether you can properly serve them. Large corporations have registered agents in every state. They're actually easier to serve than a fly-by-night contractor.

What if the company has lawyers and I don't?

Many states don't allow attorneys to appear in small claims court. Even in states that do, a well-organized self-represented plaintiff with good documentation often wins. The judge knows the playing field. Your job is to have the facts on your side and prove it.

What if I win but they don't pay?

Winning a judgment and collecting are two different things. If the defendant ignores the judgment, you can use tools like wage garnishment, bank levies, and property liens to collect. This does take additional steps. It's worth knowing going in.

How long does the process take?

Most small claims courts schedule hearings within 30 to 90 days of filing. Some courts are faster. Check your local court's website for typical wait times.

You Have More Power Than You Think

The legal system has an intimidation problem. It looks expensive, complicated, and designed for people with attorneys on retainer. Small claims court is the exception. It was built specifically to give regular people a fast, affordable way to resolve disputes without needing a law degree.

Companies count on you not knowing that. They count on you getting frustrated and giving up. Don't.

If you're owed money and you have the receipts to prove it, you have options. Start with a formal demand and see if the company blinks. Many do. And if they don't, you've already taken the first step toward court anyway.

Don't let it slide.

Note: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state. For guidance specific to your situation, consult an attorney in your area.

How to Sue a Company Without a Lawyer (2026)