SMALL CLAIMS DEPARTMENT OF THE MAGISTRATE DIVISION – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the scope of a claim and attorney’s fees.

Summary

The bill limits the Small Claims Department of each magistrate’s division to cases where the money or personal‑property value is no more than $5,000 (or $15,000 as written) and bars punitive or pain‑and‑suffering damages. It also creates a $25 attorney‑fee award for the prevailing party and a $20 filing fee when a party appeals a small‑claims judgment to a lawyer magistrate. The changes aim to clarify jurisdiction and cost‑recovery for small‑claims litigants.

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