Only claims for monetary damages not exceeding $5,000.00 (i.e., claims for the price of goods sold, money lent, rent in arrears, etc.) may be filed in small claims court.
You can sue for up to $5,000.00 in small claims court. If you think someone owes you more than $5,000.00, you can sue in superior court, but the procedure in superior court is more complicated, time-consuming and expensive (you will probably need a lawyer). If your claim is for more than $5,000.00, but you decide to sue in small claims court anyway, you will give up your claim to any amount in excess of $5,000.00 (exclusive of court costs). Even so, it may well be worth your while to choose small claims court because it is less expensive and less complex than superior court.
A claim in excess of the $5,000.00 statutory limit may not be split into two or more claims.
The amount you sue for should include both the actual damage done to you or your property plus any additional money lost as a result of the actions of the party you are suing. For example, if someone ran into your car and did $200.00 worth of damage, and you had to rent a car for $40.00 while yours was being repaired, you should sue for $240.00. At the hearing, you must be able to prove all damages and expenses claimed in order to recover this total amount from the other party.