How Do I File a Complaint in Small Claims Court?

A Small Claims complaint form and accompanying instructions, is available in any New Jersey Special Civil Part Office and is available on the Internet at njcourts.gov. The summons and complaint can be filed through the mail or in person at the appropriate Special Civil Part Office (See “Where Do I File a Complaint”). When filing a complaint, you, as the plaintiff, must:

• Give your full name, address and telephone number.
• To ensure proper service of the complaint, give the correct name(s) and address(es) of the person(s) or business(es) named as the defendant(s) in the complaint. It is important that the defendant be properly identified as an individual, a sole proprietorship, a partnership or a corporation.
• State the amount of money for which you are suing. 
• State the reason why the defendant(s) owes you money.
• State whether, at the present time, if there is any other case involving both you and the other party(ies) and, if so, the name of the court.
• Do not provide any party’s *“confidential and personal identifiers” in the complaint or in any other submission to the court unless specifically required under law, court order, rule or administrative directive.
• Sign and date the completed form.
• Pay the correct filing and service fees when filing the complaint with the Office of the Special Civil Part.

A “confidential personal identifier” is defined as a social security number, driver’s license number, vehicle plate number, insurance policy number, active financial account number or active credit card number. You can provide the last 4 digits of a party’s active financial account if it is the subject of the lawsuit and cannot otherwise be identified.