You are owed money
Plaintiff’s Claim, Form 7A
- The claim names every defendant and the amount, with the contract, invoice or receipt it rests on attached (Rule 7.01(2)).
- Judgment is a separate step from collecting it; enforcement follows Rule 20.
Small Claims Court claims up to 50,000 dollars
Unpaid invoices, loans, deposits, damaged property and broken agreements worth up to 50,000 dollars go to Ontario’s Small Claims Court. Angelina Shuster, a paralegal licensed by the Law Society of Ontario, represents plaintiffs and defendants there.
20 daysto defend once served2 yearsto start a claimEN / RUEnglish and Russian
Free assessment
Tell us who owes whom, how much, and the date the problem started or the claim was served.
50,000dollars, the most one claim may ask for
O. Reg. 626/00, s.1, raised from 35,000 on October 1, 2025 by O. Reg. 42/25.
What the limit counts, and what it does not
CountsThe money claimed, or the value of personal property you want returned (Courts of Justice Act, s.23(1)).
Outside itInterest and costs are added on top and do not use up the 50,000.
No splittingOne claim cannot be cut into two actions to fit under the limit (Rule 6.02).
AppealsA final order for more than 5,000 can be appealed to the Divisional Court (s.31; O. Reg. 626/00, s.2).
The clocks in a Small Claims action
Set by the Limitations Act, 2002 and the Rules of the Small Claims Court, O. Reg. 258/98.
| Step | Time allowed | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Start the claim | 2 yearsfrom the day the loss was discovered | Limitations Act, ss.4–5 |
| Serve the issued claim | 6 monthsfrom the date the clerk issues it | Rule 8.01(2) |
| File a defence | 20 daysfrom being served with the claim | Rule 9.01 |
| Settlement conference | 90 daysafter the first defence is filed | Rule 13.01(3) |
| Disclose documents | 14 daysbefore the settlement conference | Rule 13.03(2) |
Owed money, or served with a claim
The same court, two different starting points.
You were served
Defence, Form 9A
- The defence states why you dispute the claim, within 20 days of service.
- A default can be set aside only with a meritorious defence and a reasonable explanation, moved for promptly (Rule 11.06).
What to bring to the free assessment
These show the amount, the dates and who is responsible.
- The agreement: contract, quote, invoice or loan note, even an email exchange.
- Proof of payment or non-payment: bank records, cheques, e-transfers, statements.
- The timeline: when the work was done, the money was due, and the problem was noticed.
- Photos and estimates for damaged property.
- Any court papers served on you, with the date you received them.
From claim to trial
The order of events under O. Reg. 258/98.
- Claim issuedThe clerk issues the claim, and it is served on each defendant.
- DefenceThe defendant files a defence, or admits the claim and proposes payment terms.
- Settlement conferenceA judge helps the parties narrow the issues; many actions settle here.
- TrialIf nothing settles, a judge hears the witnesses and decides.
Who represents you in Small Claims Court
LSO By-Law 4 allows a licensed paralegal to represent a party in the Small Claims Court.
- Angelina ShusterParalegal licensed by the Law Society of Ontario, who has worked on immigration and criminal matters for over 25 years.
- One representativeThe person who reviews your papers prepares the claim or defence and attends the conference.
- English and RussianMeetings and preparation in either language.
- Richmond Hill office10211 Yonge Street, Suite 205, serving the whole GTA.
Questions about Small Claims Court
Can a paralegal represent me in Small Claims Court?
Yes. Law Society of Ontario By-Law 4 allows a licensed paralegal to represent a plaintiff or a defendant in the Small Claims Court.
Does interest count toward the 50,000 limit?
No. Section 23 of the Courts of Justice Act measures the limit exclusive of interest and costs, so those are added to the amount claimed.
What happens if a defence is not filed within 20 days?
The clerk may note the defendant in default under Rule 11.01. For a debt, the plaintiff can then ask the clerk to sign default judgment.
What if more than two years have passed?
Under sections 4 and 5 of the Limitations Act, the two years run from the day the claim was discovered, which is not always the day the money became due.
This page is general information about Small Claims Court in Ontario and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create a paralegal-client relationship.
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