small claims track

small claims track The track to which a civil case is allocated when the claim is for an amount of no more than £5000 (see allocation). Before the introduction of the Civil Procedure Rules in 1999, small claims were automatically referred to arbitration. However, a small claims hearing retains most of the aspects of the former procedure: the hearing is informal and in public, is based on a paper adjudication with the parties' consent, and there are generally no experts and no costs.

Despite the limit of £5000, with the approval of the court parties may consent to use the small claims track even if their claim value exceeds £5000.