Civil and Small Claims Lawsuits
Kettering Municipal Court handles Civil and Small Claims lawsuits that concern actions taking place in the cities of Centerville, Kettering and Moraine, or Washington Township, as well as claims against people who live in these areas. Kettering Court accepts Civil Claims seeking monetary damages up to $15,000 and Small Claims for judgments up to $6,000. If your Civil Claim is for more than $15,000, you may file it with the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.
A wide variety of Civil and Small Claims cases are filed in our Clerk’s Office Civil Division. Among them:
- Damage claims for negligence or financial disputes
- Evictions
- Garnishments
- Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) license suspension appeals
- Rent escrow deposits for landlord/tenant disputes
- Certificate of judgments and foreign judgments
- Replevins
- Trusteeships
- Other civil actions
While individuals may choose to represent themselves or be represented by an attorney in Civil and Small Claims cases before this Court, the law requires corporations or LLC’s (Limited Liability Corporations) which file Civil or Small Claims cases to follow specific guidelines regarding representation. Please refer to the Ohio Revised Code Section 1925.17 for more information.
If you need help finding an attorney, you may contact:
Dayton Bar Association
Attorney Referral Service
937-222-7902
www.daybar.org
If you cannot afford an attorney, you may contact:
Legal Aid Line of Western Ohio
1-888-534-1432
www.legalaidline.org
Please see our Links/Resources page for additional information.
Civil and Small Claims Court Schedule
The Civil/Small Claims docket is held every Tuesday. Civil trials are held on Tuesday mornings. The General Civil Docket begins at 2:00 p.m., including evictions and general hearings, and Small Claims Court begins at 2:30 p.m.
Specific case scheduling is available using our online Civil Schedule Query.