Initiating the Procedure

The claimant starts the European Small Claims Procedure by filling out a claim form and submitting it to the court with jurisdiction. This can be done in person, by mail, fax, email, or any other means accepted by the member state where the procedure is initiated.

The claim form must include evidence supporting the claim, and, if necessary, any relevant supporting documents.

In Latvia, the claimant can submit the claim directly to the competent court or send it by mail.

The European Small Claims Procedure is a written procedure. A court hearing is only arranged in exceptional cases if the court deems it necessary for a fair resolution.

Reminder! Representation by a lawyer or legal representative is not mandatory.


Language

The claim form must be completed in the language of the court where the application is submitted.

Forms are available in all official EU languages on the European e-Justice Portal:
EU Small Claims Forms

For Latvian courts, the claim form must be completed in Latvian.


What Happens Next?

  1. Court Sends the Claim to the Defendant
    Once the court receives the correctly completed claim form, it sends a copy of the claim form and a response form to the defendant within 14 days.
  2. Defendant’s Response
    The defendant has 30 days from the date of receipt to submit a response to the court.
  3. Court Notifies the Claimant
    After receiving the defendant’s response, the court sends a copy of the response and any supporting documents to the claimant within 14 days.
  4. Court Issues a Judgment
    If no further information or evidence is required, the court issues a judgment within 30 days.
    If the defendant does not respond within the deadline, the court issues a judgment.

Important!

  • The defendant has the right to submit a counterclaim or raise objections regarding the claim amount.