What happens after your trial

After your small claims trial, the judge will either make a decision that day while you're in court or a court clerk will mail the judge’s decision to you.

Read the judge's decision

The judge's decision (called the judgment) will be on the Notice of Entry of Judgment (forms SC-130 or SC-200).

The judgment will say if the defendant or the plaintiff owe money and how much. 

Figure out if you have next steps

  • If the judge decided you aren't owed money, your case is finished. You can't appeal that decision.
  • If the judge ordered you to pay the other side and you don't agree you can appeal (challenge the decision). If you don’t want to appeal it, then pay the other side right away.
  • If the judge ordered that the other side owes you money, you have to wait 30 days from the date the judgment was handed or mailed to you to start to collect the money.

You can read more in What to Do After the Court Decides Your Small Claims Case (form SC-200-INFO).

Small claims

What's next?

Your next steps depend if the judge ordered you to pay or ordered the other side to pay you.

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