Del Norte County Small Claims Court

Court Information

Court name

Superior Court of California, County of Del Norte -- Small Claims Division

Address

450 H Street, Room 209, Crescent City, CA 95531

Phone

(707) 464-8115

Hours

Mon-Fri 8:00am-4:30pm

Official website

https://www.delnorte.courts.ca.gov/divisions/civil-division

Typical hearing wait

8 weeks

Filing Fees

Max claim: $12,500 · Required forms: SC-100, SC-104

Claim amount	Filing fee
$1 – $1,500	$30
$1,501 – $5,000	$50
$5,001 – $12,500	$75

Fee waiver available if you qualify (form FW-001).

How to File

File your small claims case using Form SC-100 at the Del Norte County Superior Court, Civil Division, 450 H Street, Room 209, Crescent City, CA 95531; the filing counter is open Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and there is also an external drop box (8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.) for after-hours filing. The court does not list a dedicated e-filing portal for small claims. Bring your completed SC-100 and the filing fee, or ask the clerk for a fee-waiver application (Form FW-001) if you cannot afford it; forms may be purchased at the clerk's office or downloaded from the Judicial Council website.

Serving the Defendant

After filing, you must have the defendant served with your claim at least 15 days before the hearing (20 days if they live outside Del Norte County), using personal service, substituted service, or certified mail -- you cannot serve the papers yourself. Once service is complete, file a Proof of Service (Form SC-104) with the Del Norte County Superior Court before your hearing date.

Allowed methods: Personal service, Substituted service, Certified mail
Deadline: Serve at least 15 days before the hearing date.

Hearing Tips

The Del Norte Self-Help Center (450 H Street, in the Law Library) offers free help with small claims forms Tuesday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., by phone, email, or in person.
California courts provide a free interpreter for your hearing if you request one in advance -- contact the clerk's office or see the California Courts Self-Help Center for how to request one.
Remote appearance by phone or video is available through CourtCall but requires the court's prior approval -- contact CourtCall in advance to arrange it.
Unlike most other civil hearings under one hour, small claims hearings are not recorded by a free court reporter.
Bring your evidence, receipts, photos, and any witnesses to your hearing -- forms can be purchased at the clerk's office or downloaded online before you go.

✓ Interpreters available ✓ Phone appearance allowed

Know Your Rights Under California Law

California Civil Code § 1950.5 requires landlords to return your deposit or provide an itemized statement within 21 days of move-out. If they fail to do so, you may be entitled to your deposit back plus up to 2× the deposit amount in statutory damages.

Read the full California Security Deposit Law guide →

Let us handle the legal work for you

Accessible Justice files your claim, prepares your documents, and guides you through the process — no upfront cost.

Start my security deposit case →