Mecklenburg County Small Claims Court

Important for Mecklenburg County: Presiding Officer: Magistrate (not a District Court judge — magistrates are appointed officials within the District Court Division who specifically handle small claims, summary ejectment, and certain other matters) | Trial Format: Bench trial before magistrate (no jury). Cases typically heard within 30 days of filing. | Case Initiation Form: Magistrate Summons (AOC-CVM-100) and Complaint for Money Owed or other appropriate complaint form | Appeal Rights: Either party may appeal magistrate's judgment to District Court within 10 days for trial de novo (new trial). Appeal triggers different procedural requirements — see entity_representation note. | Service Methods Accepted: Sheriff service (default — fee paid at filing) OR certified mail with return receipt requested. Service by Sheriff is the more common method. | Default Judgment: If properly-served defendant fails to appear, magistrate may issue default judgment for the plaintiff.