SMALL CLAIMS COMPLAINT
Washington State — Small Claims Division
[// GUIDANCE: This template is drafted for use in any Washington State District Court Small Claims Department. Practitioners must confirm local court rules, filing fees, service requirements, and current monetary limits before filing.]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Document Header
- Complaint
2.1 Parties
2.2 Jurisdiction & Venue
2.3 Statement of Claim
2.4 Damages
2.5 Demand for Judgment - Certification of Compliance
- Verification
- Execution Block
1. DOCUMENT HEADER
IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
FOR [COUNTY] COUNTY – SMALL CLAIMS DEPARTMENT
Case No. __[COURT CLERK TO ASSIGN]____
[PLAINTIFF FULL LEGAL NAME],
Plaintiff,
v.
[DEFENDANT FULL LEGAL NAME],
Defendant.
2. COMPLAINT
2.1 Parties
1. Plaintiff [PLAINTIFF NAME] (“Plaintiff”) is an individual [// or “business entity”] residing/located at [PLAINTIFF ADDRESS], within the State of Washington.
2. Defendant [DEFENDANT NAME] (“Defendant”) is an individual [// or “business entity”] whose residence/principal place of business is [DEFENDANT ADDRESS].
2.2 Jurisdiction & Venue
3. This Court has subject-matter jurisdiction under Washington small-claims statutes because the claim seeks monetary relief not exceeding the statutory small-claims limit (currently $10,000 for natural persons and $5,000 for businesses).
4. Venue is proper in this County because [briefly state reason—e.g., “the cause of action arose here,” “Defendant resides here,” or “the contract was executed/performed here”].
2.3 Statement of Claim
5. On or about [DATE], Plaintiff and Defendant entered into [describe transaction/contract/services/goods].
6. Plaintiff fully performed all obligations or was excused from performance.
7. Defendant breached the parties’ agreement and/or was unjustly enriched by [describe conduct—e.g., “failing to pay for goods delivered,” “failing to refund a deposit,” “causing property damage,” etc.].
8. Despite due demand, Defendant has failed and refused to pay the amount owed.
2.4 Damages
9. Plaintiff has suffered direct monetary damages in the amount of $[AMOUNT], which is within the jurisdictional limit of this Court.
10. Plaintiff also seeks statutory court costs and authorized service fees.
2.5 Demand for Judgment
WHEREFORE, Plaintiff respectfully requests that judgment be entered in favor of Plaintiff and against Defendant as follows:
a. Monetary damages in the amount of $[AMOUNT];
b. Statutory court costs and allowable service fees; and
c. Such other and further relief as the Court deems just and equitable.
3. CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE
[// GUIDANCE: Washington small-claims rules require the plaintiff to certify that (i) the claim is for money only, (ii) the amount does not exceed the statutory maximum, and (iii) the plaintiff has no assignment-of-claim issues. Edit as necessary.]
I, [PLAINTIFF NAME], certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Washington that:
1. The claim stated herein is for the recovery of money only and does not exceed the applicable statutory maximum;
2. The claim is not assigned to Plaintiff for collection purposes; and
3. I have complied with all pre-filing requirements imposed by Washington law and local court rules.
DATED this ___ day of _, 20, at ___, Washington.
4. VERIFICATION
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Washington that I am the Plaintiff in the above-entitled action, that I have read the foregoing Small Claims Complaint, and that the facts stated therein are true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Executed on ___ day of _, 20, at ___, Washington.
[PLAINTIFF PRINTED NAME]
Plaintiff, Pro Se
[PLAINTIFF PHONE] | [PLAINTIFF EMAIL]
5. EXECUTION BLOCK
SUBMITTED BY:
Signature of Plaintiff
Printed Name
Mailing Address
City, State, ZIP
Telephone: ____
Email: ________
[// GUIDANCE: Notarization is not required for Washington small-claims pleadings; the verification under penalty of perjury suffices. Confirm any local variations.]
IMPORTANT PRACTICE NOTES
[// GUIDANCE: The following notes are for attorney use and should be deleted prior to filing.]
• Monetary Limits – Verify current limits at time of filing (RCW 12.40).
• Allowable Claims – Only “money-only” claims are permissible; no injunctions, defamation, or possession claims.
• Service – Personal service or certified mail per court rule; the proof of service must be filed before the hearing.
• Appeals – Either party may appeal to Superior Court within 30 days of judgment by filing a Notice of Appeal and posting the statutory bond; the Superior Court hears the matter de novo.
• Corporate Parties – Must appear through a duly authorized non-lawyer agent unless permission for counsel is granted per local rule.
• Settlement Efforts – Document any good-faith attempts to resolve the dispute; some Washington districts require pre-filing demand.
• Hearing Preparation – Bring originals and two copies of all exhibits (contracts, invoices, photos, etc.).
End of Template