How does small claims court actually work, and is it worth it for a small dispute?

Owed a few hundred dollars by someone who won't pay. Is small claims court actually accessible without a lawyer, and worth the hassle?

Small claims court is specifically designed to be usable without a lawyer — the process is simplified, filing fees are usually low (often $30-100 depending on the state and claim amount), and in many states lawyers aren't even allowed to represent either side. You generally file paperwork describing the dispute and amount owed, pay a small fee, and the other party gets formally notified and given a chance to respond before a hearing date. Each state sets its own maximum claim amount (commonly somewhere in the $2,500-$10,000+ range depending on the state), so check that your claim actually qualifies. Whether it's "worth it" depends less on the amount and more on whether the other person actually has money or assets to collect from — winning a judgment doesn't automatically get you paid, and "collecting on a judgment" if someone simply refuses to pay can be its own separate process. For a genuinely owed debt with a person or business that has the means to pay, it's often worth the modest time and filing fee.