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In force2024 Revised Edition

Act

Small Claims Tribunals Act

Tribunals for small civil claims, and their procedure

In plain English

Not legal advice

The Small Claims Tribunals Act sets up small claims tribunals with limited civil powers and provides for their procedure and practice. Once a claim is filed with a tribunal, proceedings on it may not be brought in another court. This does not apply to proceedings that began before the claim was filed, or where the tribunal claim is withdrawn or abandoned. A claim may not go to a tribunal if proceedings on it are pending in, or already decided by, another court.

Summary · Drafted with AI, checked against the official text on 30 Sep 2026.

Part

Preliminary

Official textFrom Attorney General's Chambers, unchanged

s 1Citation

This Act may be cited as the Small Claims Tribunals Act.

s 2Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —

“adjudicator” means an adjudicator and includes a deputy adjudicator appointed under section 4;

“claim” means a claim filed with a tribunal under section 15 and includes a proceeding in the tribunal between a claimant and a defendant;

“claimant” means a person who files a claim with a tribunal other than —

(a)

a defendant entering a counterclaim; and

(b)

a person who is being represented in a representative claim;

“defendant” means any person against whom a claim is made by a claimant other than —

(a)

a claimant against whom relief is sought by way of counterclaim; and

(b)

a person who is being represented in a representative claim;

“party” means a claimant or a defendant and any person joined as a third party;

Small Claims Tribunals 8

“prescribed limit” means $10,000 or such other sum as the

Chief Justice may, by order published in the Gazette, substitute therefor;

“Registrar” means the Registrar of the Small Claims Tribunals appointed under section 14 and includes a Deputy Registrar and an Assistant Registrar;

[S 76/2012]

“Registry” means the Registry of Small Claims Tribunals established under section 13;

“representative claim” means a claim brought in the name of one claimant on behalf of himself and one or more other claimants under section 29;

“rules” means the rules made by the Chief Justice pursuant to section 54;

“tribunal” means a tribunal established by section 3;

[S 76/2012]

“work order” means an order to rectify a defect in goods or to make good any deficiency in the performance of services, by doing such work or attending to such matters (including the replacement of goods or parts thereof) as the case may be specified in the order.

Part

Constitution of Tribunal

Part

Jurisdiction

Part

Commencement of Proceedings

Part

Procedure

Part

Review and Appeal

Part

General