Small claims regulated Civil Procedure Law in Chapter 30.3: Articles 250.18 to 250.27 as well as in Chapter 54.1 below: Articles 449.1 to 449.12.

In order for a judge to decide on the initiation of a case, an application for an action shall be submitted to the court, which shall be presented in small claims by completing a form approved by the Cabinet.

There are two types the form requirements for an application for recovery of money and maintenance.

For each application for action to be paid the State fee. In law it is specified which documents must be attached to the form in order to be accepted.

An action against a natural person shall be brought before a court after the place of residence declared. An action against a legal person shall be brought before the court at its registered office. On the basis of the declared place of residence, it is determined at which court the case will also be referred to as jurisdiction of the court.

An action against a defendant whose place of residence is unknown or who does not have his or her habitual residence in Latvia shall be brought after the location of his or her immovable property or after his last known place of residence.

Upon receipt of an application before the court, the judge shall, within seven days, decide the matter regarding the acceptance of the application and the initiation of small claims.

Portal section Legal proceedings unauthorized users, entering a case number or subpoena number, can obtain general data on the course of the case proceedings.

Authorised portal the “My cases” section is available to users, providing access to the data and materials of the course of proceedings (including the files of judgments and audio protocols attached in the case) in cases where the natural person or the legal person to be represented is a party.

In order to follow the judicial data of the legal person to be represented and to access the judgments attached to the case as well as the audio protocol files on the abovementioned portal, it is necessary to enter into a contract with Judicial administration.

In the event that the court fails to examine the case at the hearing, the case shall be examined in writing by notifying the parties in good time of the date on which a copy of the judgment may be obtained at the Registry.

The date on which the true copy of the judgment is available at the court Registry shall be deemed to be the date of drawing up the judgment.

At the written request of a party, a true copy of the judgment may also be sent by post or, if possible, by other means, in accordance with the procedures for the delivery and issuance of court documents specified by law.

If the case has been dealt with at the hearing, the judgment shall be delivered at the hearing, which shall subsequently be issued.

In a complex case, the court can draw up a shortened judgment. In this case, the court shall draw up a full judgment within 14 days.

A true copy of the judgment shall be sent to a party who has not participated in the hearing no later than three days after the date of its delivery, but, if a shortened judgment has been delivered, within three days of the completion of the full judgment.

If the party has taken part in the hearing and the court has declared a shortened judgment, the court shall, at his written request, send a true copy of the full judgment to him within three days of drawing up the judgment.

The Civil Procedure Law also lists cases when the person has been released from payment of the State fee for the filing of an application to the court.

Pleas in law, time limits, content of the appeal, abandonment of the appeal without direction, refusal of appeal, action of the Court of First Instance following an appeal, etc. articles relating to appeals under the Civil Procedure Act 54.1 "Special features of individual categories of proceedings at the appeal instance” (440. Article 1 – Article 440.12).

The Ministry of Justice (MJ)

The National Courts Administration (NCA)

Receipt of child support

Tax relief for a child and dependants 

Free legal aid

Maintenance of residential buildings and premises

Registration and divorce of a marriage