702-623-6362 
The Las Vegas Township Justice Court accepts all civil court proceedings within the Las Vegas Township. The Court Clerk’s Civil Customer Service Office is located on the second floor of the Regional Justice Center, 200 Lewis Avenue. Business hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday thru Friday, excluding holidays.
Customers will ONLY be able to obtain customer service tickets from the Court’s Q-Matic Customer Call System through 5:00 pm. Customers wishing to file documents after 5:00 pm; are encouraged to use the Court’s Document Drop Box located in the Courthouse Lobby.
The information number for the Civil Division is (702) 671-3478 for local calls, and (877) 455-1289, option 4 for long distance.
If you are considering filing a small claims case, you may be interested in taking advantage of a FREE time saving alternative, called the NEIGHBORHOOD JUSTICE CENTER. The Center’s personalized no cost mediation service may help you resolve the dispute more quickly than through the court. You will also have more control over the outcome. For information, Click here for a link to the Neighborhood Justice Center Mediation Program, or call at 702-455-3898.
A small claim may be filed in the Las Vegas Justice Court provided:
The party(s) being sued MUST CURRENTLY reside, work, or do business in the Las Vegas Township, and you MUST be able to provide a current address, not a P O Box, for the Defendant. If the party resides, works, or does business in the Cities of Henderson or North Las Vegas, please contact either the Henderson Justice Court, or the North Las Vegas Justice Court.
The claim is for money only and does not exceed $5,000.00. If the claim is more than $5,000.00 you may wish to contact an attorney. You cannot divide a claim and file two separate actions. You may waive any amount over $5,000.00.
You have demanded payment of the amount for which you are suing. A letter sent by certified mail will serve as proof that payment has been demanded. Allow sufficient time for a reply, such as 10 days. If there is no satisfactory reply, bring in the post office receipt or other proof and file the small claim.
You are 18 years old or older.
The Filing Fee depends on the amount of money being sued for in the Civil complaint
For suit amounts from $ .00 to $1,000.00, the fee is: $43.00 For suit amounts from $1,000.01 to $2,500.00, the fee is: $63.00 For suit amounts from $2,500.01 to $5,000.00, the fee is: $83.00
Filing fees are due at time of filing. Payment may be made by cash, VISA©, MASTERCARD®, ATM and Debit cards, personal check, money order, or cashier’s check.
Small Claim Complaint documents can be filed in person at the Justice Court Clerk’s Office located on the 2nd floor of the Clark County Regional Justice Center, 200 Lewis Ave., Las Vegas, Nevada. Business hours are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday thru Friday, excluding holidays.
All documents should be typed or written clearly. The court requires one (1) original, and three (3) copies of all documents be submitted for filing. All customers must prepare their own Small Claim Documents. The Court no longer prepares documents for customers.
The court accepts Small Claim Filings by mail. To receive a Small Claim Filing Packet by mail, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Las Vegas Justice Court, Att: Small Claim Filing Desk, P O Box 552511, Las Vegas Nevada, 89155-2511.
Small Claim Forms are available from this web site.
The Court has provided a Drop Box that is available during the day and after court business hours for customers to leave documents not needing immediate attention. The Drop Box is located in the lobby of the Clark County Regional Justice Center. The amended Rule 5 defines the papers eligible for filing through the Drop Box as all papers and pleadings, including but not limited to, motions, oppositions, replies, affidavits, and points and authorities. This includes filings where the filing fees are paid by check. No cash for Fee payments will be accepted.
The Box includes a file clock to date and time stamp the documents. All documents, including copies, must be “received stamped”, paper clipped, and placed into an envelope or mailbag before being deposited. This will ensure documents are not misplaced or inadvertently attached to other documents.
Documents placed in the drop box shall be deemed filed as of the date and time stamped on the paper or pleading. However, if a document is placed in the drop box without being date and time stamped, that document will not be deemed filed until it is date and time stamped by the clerk’s office. Such documents will be time stamped with the next judicial day’s date. In addition, if a document is placed in the drop box, and the justice court clerk’s office determines that the attempted filing is defective based on the absence of filing fees or based on any other legitimate reason, that document will not be deemed filed until the defect has been cured. All incorrect filings will be returned for correction. Justice Court is NOT responsible for any documents placed in the Drop Box which are lost, stolen misplaced, or destroyed.
The Plaintiff is responsible for proper service of the Small Claim Complaint. The Small Claim Complaint Affidavit should be served on the Defendant IMMEDIATELY. If the Defendant is NOT served, the case will NOT be heard. The Return of Service Proof MUST be returned to Justice Court. It is required that the Proof of Service be completed and returned to the court no less than 10 WORKING DAYS prior to the Small Claim Court date.
Service must be performed by, a private process server, a disinterested Third party, or the Las Vegas Township Constable.
For information regarding the SERVICE of a Small Claim Complaint contact the Las Vegas Township Constable’s Office at (702) 455-4099.
The Justices of the Peace have determined that the Defendant must be personally served; however, if the Defendant resides in a gated community a Judge may allow service by certified/registered mail. Prior approval for service by mail must be obtained from the court.
When a small claim is filed, the court will assign a case number and a tentative court date. This date will be approximately 90 to 120 days in the future. This will allow sufficient time for you to serve the Complaint on the Defendant and return proof to the court.
Proof of Service must be returned to the court a minimum of ten (10) working days prior to the date assigned, or the court date will be vacated.
Your hearing will take place in a courtroom with many people who also have been scheduled for that day. First, the clerk will call the role from the docket to see who is in attendance. Once this is complete, cases where only the Plaintiff appeared will be adjudicated as a “Default Judgment.” Any cases where only the Defendant appears will be “Dismissed.” It is important to not be late, because if you arrive after the role call your case may already be closed!
The judge will then ask that the parties first try to settle or use the mediation service provided by the Neighborhood Justice Center.
Small Claim cases where both parties are present, and the issue cannot be settled or mediated, are heard in Case Number order. As a courtesy, cases where attorneys are involved are heard first.
When your Case number and name is called, you and the other party in your case will move to the front of the courtroom and tell your stories to the judge. Small claims cases usually take no more than 10 or 15 minutes. It is very important, therefore, that you plan ahead of time what you will say. Your story should be well organized and to the point. Do not go off on tangents, include too many details, or be repetitious. Stay calm and polite.
If you are the person suing (the “plaintiff”), you will speak first. Although everyone swears to tell the truth under penalty of perjury, don’t count on the other party admitting fault. It is up to you to PROVE your case.
Your opening statement should summarize the nature of your claim and the damages you have suffered as a result of injury, breach of contract, violation of a right, etc.; why the other person is at fault through intentional or negligent behavior and why you did not contribute substantially to the loss.
You may also bring witnesses, either someone who has firsthand knowledge of the facts (he saw the accident) or is an expert on the subject (the mechanic who examined your car after it was towed). You can also present documents or other evidence for the judge to consider.
After both sides have presented their arguments, the judge may ask questions or allow cross-examination. The judge will then issue a decision, or if the matter is complicated, take the case “under advisement.” This means the decision is pending while the judge considers the facts, or researches questions of law. The decision is issued later in writing.
If the case is heard by a Referee, the Referee will prepare written “Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Recommendations.”
Either party may object to the Referee’s written decision by filing a formal objection within 5 days after receipt of that decision. Because of this rule, two outcomes are possible:
1. A timely objection can be filed, and a Justice of the Peace will review the matter by “trial de novo” before issuing a final judgment.
2. If a timely objection is not filed, the Court will automatically accept the referee’s findings, and the referee’s decision will become a judgment. At that time, copies of the final judgment can be obtained at the Justice Court Clerk’s Office.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE REFEREE’S DECISION DOES NOT BIND THE PARTIES, AND IS NOT ENFORCEABLE IN ANY MANNER, UNTIL THE FORMAL OBJECTION PERIOD HAS EXPIRED.
Parites may search for Small Claims Cases. Look for the case by Case Number, or either Plaintiff or Defendant name. Complete instructions on how to search for calendar dates can be found on the Calendar Inquiry Page.
This is your claim, YOU ARE THE PLAINTIFF. The court will file your claim from the information you provide. The court does not investigate Defendant addresses, employment, bank accounts, or other information. The court does not collect money for you. If the court awards you a Judgment on the claim, YOU are responsible for locating all information needed to collect on that Judgment.
The court cannot give legal advice or act as a legal advisor; we may only explain our procedures. If you have specific questions on small claim matters, consult an attorney or contact the Clark County Law Library. The Law Library’s address is: 309 S. Third St. #400, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89155-7340. The phone number is: (702) 455-4696.
To help individuals understand the Small Claim process a FREE SMALL CLAIMS COURT INFORMATIONAL CLASS is offered by the UNLV Boyd School of Law, Clark County Legal Services, and Nevada Legal Services. The classes are provided in both English and Spanish.
For class information or to register, call 702-386-1070, Ext. 155, or toll free 1-800-522-1070, Ext. 155.
Finally, It is the parties’ responsibility to understand the purpose and role of the small claim process. The court does not accept liability for the actions or decisions made by the parties in small claim proceedings.
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