A landlord kept your deposit, a contractor walked off the job, a dry cleaner ruined your coat. In Oklahoma you can sue for up to $10,000 in the Small Claims Division of the District Court, without hiring a lawyer. Check your case below, then follow six steps.
Answer a few questions. The result updates as you type.
Oklahoma doesn't require a demand before filing a small claim. A short, dated demand letter is the best proof. Use the generator below and keep a copy.
Generally the county where the defendant lives or where the problem happened. The court clerk can help you fill out the forms.
Small Claims Affidavit and Order. The hearing is set 10 to 60 days after you file.
About $58 for claims up to $5,000 and about $210 to $225 for claims from $5,000 to $10,000; the exact amount varies by county. Service costs extra: about $10 by certified mail through the clerk or $50 by the sheriff. If you can't afford it, ask for a fee waiver: Ask the court clerk for a pauper's affidavit (in forma pauperis) if you can't afford the fee..
The court clerk mails the papers to the defendant by certified mail unless you ask for the sheriff or use a private process server. The defendant must be served at least 7 days before the hearing date.
Bring receipts, photos, texts, the contract and your demand letter, with three copies of each. If they don't pay, you can ask for a hearing on assets, garnish wages or a bank account, or have the sheriff seize property.
Want every detail? The full filing guide walks you through all 7 stages, from finding the defendant's legal name to collecting your money, with a checklist.
Open the filing guideFill in the details, then download the letter as a PDF or Word file, or copy the text. Send it by certified mail or email so you can prove the date.
Miss this date and the court will dismiss your case, however strong it is. Fraud deadlines start when the fraud is discovered. Assault and battery claims have a 1-year deadline.
| Type of claim | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Broken written contract (lease, invoice, signed agreement) | 5 years |
| Broken verbal agreement | 3 years |
| Damaged property | 2 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
| Fraud | 2 years |
| Libel or slander | 1 year |
| Claims against a government agency | To sue an Oklahoma state agency, city or county for injury or damage, you usually must give it written notice within 1 year under the Governmental Tort Claims Act. |
Yes. You can bring a lawyer or represent yourself. A business can be represented by an officer or a full-time employee.
You can sue for up to $10,000, not counting attorney fees and court costs. Businesses have the same limit. Collection agencies and people who bought or were assigned a claim can't use small claims. Otherwise, you can give up the amount above the limit, or file a regular civil case where the rules are stricter.
Either side can appeal the same way as in other civil cases, usually within 30 days to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. It isn't a new trial, so a record of the hearing helps.
Ask the court clerk for an interpreter well before your hearing.