The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.California AB 1827 increases small claims court jurisdiction to $15,000 and raises annual filing limits
Record date · August 13, 2026
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What This Bill Would Do
This bill increases the maximum amount a can sue for in from $12,500 to $15,000 and raises the annual limit for filing claims over $2,500 from two to three actions per calendar year.
Residents seeking to resolve civil disputes without an attorney will have access to a higher recovery limit and increased flexibility in the number of larger claims they can file annually.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Natural persons
Individuals filing lawsuits in small claims court will have higher claim limits and increased filing frequency for larger claims.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can I sue for in small claims court if this bill passes?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently filed. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Committee.
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of Small Claims Access
The bill represents a clear policy shift toward increasing the financial threshold for self-represented litigants in California.
Connected Entities
Sources
openstates.org
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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