Marin County Small Claims Court

Court Information

Court name

Marin County Superior Court — Small Claims Division (Hall of Justice)

Address

Civic Center, Hall of Justice, Room 113, San Rafael, CA 94903

Phone

(415) 444-7130

Hours

Mon-Fri 8:00am-12:00pm & 1:00pm-4:00pm (clerk, closed noon-1pm)

Official website

https://www.marin.courts.ca.gov/divisions/small-claims

Typical hearing wait

5 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 in person, by mail, or via the eFiling portal at the Hall of Justice (Civic Center, Room 113, San Rafael). Clerk's office is open Mon-Fri 8:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-4:00pm (closed noon-1pm). Documents received after 3:30pm will be time-stamped and processed the next court business day. Bring the SC-100 and the filing fee (or fee waiver form FW-001).

Serving the Defendant

Serve the defendant at least 15 days before the hearing (20 days if the defendant lives outside Marin County). Service can be made by the Marin County Sheriff for a fee, by a registered process server, or by any adult who is not a party. File proof of service (SC-104) with the court before the hearing.

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

Hearing Tips

The Clerk's office closes for lunch noon-1pm — plan your visit accordingly.
Marin accepts e-filing through the court's eFiling portal, which can save a trip to the courthouse.
The Small Claims Advisor (selfhelp@marin.courts.ca.gov) is available for case preparation assistance.
Bring three copies of every document and arrive at least 15 minutes early.

✓ 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 →

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