Small claims court is part of the district court division. Cases are heard by a magistrate with no jury and litigants usually represent themselves. Cases include:

• Claims for $10,000 or less
• Recovery of personal property
• Summary ejectment (ejecting a tenant from a landlord’s property)
• Cases to enforce liens filed by mechanics for service and storage of motor vehicles

The chief district court judge may assign any case to trial before a magistrate if it meets the small claims criteria, and in most counties the judge enters a general order that all such cases are to be heard in small claims court. Small claims cases may be appealed for a trial by jury before a judge in district court.