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HOPE. DIGNITY. JUSTICE.

HOW TO USE THIS INFORMATION

The information on this website is meant to help people know how Small Claims Court works. It includes:

Some important questions about Small Claims Court and its procedures are asked and answered.
A “glossary” gives the meanings of many of the special words and phrases used to describe how Small Claims Court works.
Examples of the main legal forms used in Small Claims Court are collected, so the reader can look them over.

A person can get more details about Small Claims Court from:

The Code of Iowa, especially Chapter 631. Public libraries and Courthouses usually have a copy of the Code of Iowa. Since laws are changed from time to time, make sure that the part you are interested in is up-to-date. (Librarians can help.) On the Internet, you can get updated Code of Iowa information on the Iowa Legislature’s website: http://www.legis.state.ia.us/IowaLaw.html

Lawyers. (Free legal help for qualifying low-income people may be available through Iowa Legal Aid. Ten regional offices serve all counties of the state. Call or write to Iowa Legal Aid. The telephone number and address of the Central Administrative Office are on the back cover.)

The Clerk of Court at your local Courthouse.

IF YOU FIND THE INFORMATION ON THIS WEBSITE HARD TO UNDERSTAND, YOU SHOULD GET SOMEONE TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR SMALL CLAIMS CASE.

READ THIS BEFORE USING ANY PART OF THE IOWA LEGAL AID WEBSITE (ILAW) If you cannot afford a lawyer and have a legal problem in Iowa, you may be able to get free legal help. Call Iowa Legal Aid. To find out which office serves your county, call 1-800-532-1275 or 515-243-2151 in the Des Moines calling area. If you are age 60 or over, you may be able to get free legal advice from The Legal Hotline for Older Iowans at 1-800-992-8161 or 282-8161 in Des Moines. All numbers are Voice and TTY.

This Website Does NOT Give Legal Advice. When you use ILAW, you are just making a request for information. No part of this site or any link found through this site is meant to give you legal advice. Using any part of this site does not make you a client. If you send an e-mail to anyone you reach through this site, it does not make you a client of any lawyer. See a lawyer to get complete, correct, and up-to-date legal advice.

ILAW Only Has a General Summary of the Law. It is not meant to fully explain topics. Do not assume what you read on ILAW applies to your specific case. Also, the law may vary from state to state. What you find on this website may not apply where you live or to court actions filed in other states.

The Law Often Changes. Content on this site was correct when it was written. Check the date on each page. Do not assume what you see here is still correct when you read it.

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The Iowa Legal Aid Website is a project of Iowa Legal Aid, the Volunteer Lawyer Projects of the Iowa State Bar and Polk County Bar Associations, and HELP Legal Assistance

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