Small Claims Complaint

IMPORTANT: THIS IS A PREPARATION GUIDE — NOT THE OFFICIAL COURT FORM

Mississippi requires the use of the official Affidavit of Complaint form available from your local
Justice Court Clerk for small claims complaints. This template provides the substantive legal content to help you prepare —
but you must transfer your content to the official form before filing. Contact your county
Justice Court Clerk or visit https://courts.ms.gov/trialcourts/justicecourt/justicecourt.php.
Do not file this document directly with the court.

Complaint for Money Damages (Small Claims)

(Justice Court of [COUNTY] County, Mississippi)

I. DOCUMENT HEADER

                IN THE JUSTICE COURT OF [COUNTY] COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI

[PLAINTIFF NAME],                               )
    Plaintiff,                                  )
                                                )
v.                                              )      Civil Action No. _________
                                                )
[DEFENDANT NAME],                               )
    Defendant.                                  )

COMPLAINT FOR MONEY DAMAGES
(SMALL CLAIMS—MISS. JUSTICE COURT)

Effective Date of Filing: [DATE]

Forum: Small Claims Division, Justice Court of [COUNTY] County, Mississippi

II. PARTIES

1. Plaintiff. [PLAINTIFF NAME] (“Plaintiff”) is a resident of [STREET ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP] and is competent to bring this action.
2. Defendant. [DEFENDANT NAME] (“Defendant”) is a resident of [STREET ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP] and may be served with process at said address or any other address authorized by Rule 4 of the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure (“MRCP”).

III. JURISDICTION & VENUE

3. Amount in Controversy. Plaintiff seeks monetary damages not exceeding $3,500.00, exclusive of court costs, prejudgment interest, and post-judgment interest, thereby placing this matter within the monetary jurisdiction of the Mississippi Justice Court system.
4. Subject-Matter Jurisdiction. This Court has subject-matter jurisdiction pursuant to applicable Mississippi statutes establishing small-claims jurisdiction for money-damage actions.
5. Venue. Venue is proper in this Court because Defendant resides in [COUNTY] County and the events giving rise to this claim occurred within said county.

IV. STATEMENT OF FACTS

6. On or about [DATE], Plaintiff and Defendant entered into the following transaction/relationship:
   a. [BRIEF DESCRIPTION—e.g., “sale of a used vehicle,” “agreement to perform home repairs,” “personal loan,” etc.].

7. Plaintiff performed all obligations required of Plaintiff under the parties’ agreement, or such performance was excused.

8. Despite due demand, Defendant has failed and refused to pay the sum of $[AMOUNT] owed to Plaintiff.
9. As a direct and proximate result of Defendant’s breach and/or wrongful conduct, Plaintiff has suffered monetary damages in the principal amount of $[AMOUNT] plus applicable interest.

V. DAMAGES SOUGHT

10. Principal Amount........................................ $[AMOUNT]
11. Pre-Judgment Interest (if applicable)............... $[AMOUNT OR “NONE”]
12. Court Costs (estimated)................................ $[AMOUNT]
13. TOTAL (Not to Exceed $3,500.00)........... $[TOTAL]

VI. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

14. All conditions precedent to Defendant’s duty to pay the sums described herein have occurred, have been performed, or have been waived.

VII. PRAYER FOR RELIEF

WHEREFORE, PREMISES CONSIDERED, Plaintiff respectfully requests that this Court enter judgment in favor of Plaintiff and against Defendant as follows:

a. Monetary damages in the amount of $[AMOUNT], together with prejudgment interest as allowed by law;
b. Court costs incurred herein;
c. Post-judgment interest at the statutory rate from the date of judgment until paid in full; and
d. Such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper.

VIII. CERTIFICATION OF SMALL-CLAIMS ELIGIBILITY

15. Pursuant to Mississippi Justice Court practice, Plaintiff hereby certifies that:
    a. The amount claimed does not exceed $3,500.00 exclusive of court costs and interest;
    b. The relief sought is limited to money damages; and
    c. The claim is otherwise an “allowable claim” within the meaning of Mississippi small-claims procedures.

IX. NOTICE OF APPEAL RIGHTS

X. REQUEST FOR SERVICE OF PROCESS

16. Plaintiff requests that the Clerk of Court issue process for Defendant to be served as follows:

• Personal service by the [COUNTY] County Sheriff’s Department at [DEFENDANT ADDRESS]; or
• Such alternative method of service as authorized by MRCP 4 and ordered by the Court.

XI. VERIFICATION

I, [PLAINTIFF NAME], being first duly sworn, state under oath that I am the Plaintiff in the above-styled action, that I have read the foregoing Complaint, and that the facts stated therein are true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief.

___________________________________
[PLAINTIFF NAME]

STATE OF MISSISSIPPI     )
                         )  SS
COUNTY OF ____________   )

Subscribed and sworn to before me on this ___ day of __________, 20___.


___________________________________
Notary Public for the State of Mississippi
My Commission Expires: _____________

XII. SIGNATURE BLOCK

Respectfully submitted this ___ day of __________, 20___.

___________________________________
[PLAINTIFF NAME], Pro Se
[STREET ADDRESS]
[CITY, STATE ZIP]
[PHONE NUMBER]
[EMAIL ADDRESS (optional)]

XIII. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I certify that I have this day served a true and correct copy of the foregoing Complaint upon the Defendant by:

☐ Hand-delivery
☐ U.S. Mail, first-class postage prepaid
☐ Certified Mail, return receipt requested
☐ Other: _______________________________

to the following address:

[DEFENDANT NAME]
[DEFENDANT ADDRESS]

Date: _____________, 20___

___________________________________
[PLAINTIFF NAME]

OPTIONAL EXHIBITS

• Exhibit A: Copy of Contract / Invoice / Promissory Note
• Exhibit B: Demand Letter dated [DATE]

END OF DOCUMENT