AB 1827 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Small claims court: jurisdiction.

Summary

Existing law establishes a small claims division, known as a small claims court, in each superior court. Existing law provides that the small claims court has jurisdiction over actions seeking certain forms of relief, including money damages in specified amounts and claims brought by natural persons, not exceeding $12,500, except as specified. Existing law prohibits a person from filing more than 2 small claims actions in any calendar year in which the amount demanded exceeds $2,500, except as specified. This bill would increase the small claims court jurisdiction over actions brought by a natural person, except as specified, and other specified actions within the jurisdiction of the small claims court if the amount does not exceed $15,000. The bill would also allow a person to file no more than 3 small claims actions, as specified, in any calendar year.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Assembly Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 11, 2026 Last action Aug 13, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

02/11/26 - Introduced → 03/10/26 - Amended Assembly · 2 edits · Mar 10, 2026

MINOR

The amendment reduces the annual filing limit for small claims actions exceeding $2,500 from 10 to 6 per person per calendar year. The bill's core purpose of raising the small claims jurisdictional limit to $15,000 across all categories remains unchanged between versions. This matters because it narrows how frequently individuals and entities can use small claims court for larger disputes while still significantly expanding the dollar threshold for small claims access.

REQUIREMENT

The maximum number of small claims actions a person may file per calendar year (for claims exceeding $2,500) is reduced from 10 to 6. This applies to both the filing restriction in Section 116.231(a) and the declaration requirement in Section 116.231(b).

TECHNICAL

Amendment markup cleanup: jurisdictional limit changes (raising all thresholds to $15,000) are presented as clean text rather than showing strikethrough of prior amounts. No substantive change to the $15,000 limit itself.

Floor votes · Assembly May 26, 2026

How they voted

76–0

Passed · 3 other

Total votes 79

May 26, 2026

D Democratic59

56 Yea 3

94% Yea

R Republican20

20 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

In committee: Held under submission.

upper

Aug 3, 2026

Committee

In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

upper

Jul 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Jun 3, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on JUD.

upper

May 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0.)

lower

May 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).

lower

Apr 15, 2026

Committee

In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Mar 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 17, 2026

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (March 17).

lower

Mar 11, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on JUD. Read second time and amended.

lower

Feb 23, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on JUD.

lower

Feb 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 14.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors