What Kinds of Cases can You Bring Before Magistrate Court?

The Magistrate Court is authorized to hear a variety of civil cases, as long as the claim does not exceed the $15,000.00 limit, including suits on accounts or contracts where a debtor has failed to pay a debt, damages or personal injury claims involving accidents or wrongful conduct, failure to perform on written contracts, personal property foreclosures, garnishments, levies on property to satisfy a judgment and abandoned motor vehicle. Landlord-tenant cases, referred to as dispossessory actions and in some cases distress warrants, are filed against individuals or corporations who remain on a property without the right to do so. These landlord-tenant actions are usually filed for non-payment of rent. Dispossessory actions represent an exception in Magistrate Court where the jurisdictional limit of $15,000.00 does not apply.