Republic of Korea (national: district courts and 시·군법원) · District Court and 시·군법원 (small claims cases)
District Court and 시·군법원 (small claims cases) — Republic of Korea
Format requirements for this court
| Court and track | District Court and 시·군법원 (small claims cases) |
|---|---|
| Paper | A4 |
| Margins | 2.5 cm · 2.5 cm · 2.5 cm · 2.5 cm |
| Type | 바탕체 (Batang), 12 pt |
| Line spacing | 1.5 |
| Paragraph numbering | {n}. |
Twelve point Batang type, with paragraphs numbered continuously from 1.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
District Court and 시·군법원 (small claims cases)
A complaint (소장) is filed with the district court or the 시·군법원. It identifies the parties, states the claim (청구취지) and the grounds (청구원인), attaches the evidence with an index of attachments, and ends with the author's details and signature. A4 paper, 2.5 cm margins, 12 point type, 1.5 line spacing, paragraphs numbered from 1.
KRW 30,000,000 — Under the Small Claims Act a small claim is a civil case with a value in dispute of 30,000,000 won or less, and it proceeds on the simplified form provided by the court.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
District Court (ordinary civil cases before a single judge)
A complaint meeting the particulars of article 256 of the Civil Procedure Act is filed: the parties, the claim and the grounds. If no answer (답변서) is submitted within the period, judgment may be given without pleading.
KRW 30,000,000 — A case above 30,000,000 won may still be brought before a single judge of the district court, and legal representation is not compulsory there either.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
Filing checklist - what to bring, in how many copies, and why documents get returned.
- One complaint (소장) stating the parties, the claim and the grounds, signed or sealed.
소장(민사소송법 제256조, 소액사건심판규칙 제4조 서식)
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- One copy of the complaint for each defendant plus one for the court file.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- Revenue stamps for the value in dispute are affixed; the amount is confirmed on the court's own guidance.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- The defendant's exact address and postal code are recorded; a wrong address means service fails and the case cannot proceed.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- Documentary evidence is numbered continuously from 1 with an index of attachments.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- A4 paper, 2.5 cm margins, 12 point type, 1.5 line spacing, paragraphs numbered continuously from 1.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- The complaint is written in Korean. Evidence in another language is filed with a translation.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- To file electronically, register with the court e-filing service and submit the complaint and attachments as electronic documents.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- A defendant files an answer (답변서) within 30 days of receiving the copy of the complaint. If no answer is filed, or the claim is admitted, judgment may be given without pleading.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- Keep the receipt and a copy of the filed complaint, and put the case number on every later document.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
Why filings get sent back
- The complaint carries no signature or seal. A correction is demanded at intake and the case is not assigned until it is corrected.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- The parties are not identified by name or address, so service cannot be effected.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- The claim is not clear. If the court cannot read what is claimed, and how much, it orders a correction.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- Filed in a court without jurisdiction. The receiving court must be checked against the defendant's address and the nature of the case.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- The value in dispute is above 30,000,000 won but the case was filed as a small claim, which changes the procedure. Above that figure it proceeds as an ordinary civil case.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- If the defendant files no answer, judgment may be given without pleading. If the list of documentary evidence that goes with the answer is missing, a further correction is needed.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
The language you read here and the language of the documents are set separately.
Document language: 한국어. This is set by the court, not by the language you are reading now.
- 한국어 (Required)
Article 256 of the Civil Procedure Act requires a complaint to identify the parties and legal representatives and to state the claim and its grounds; in practice the complaint is written in Korean, and a document in another language is filed with a translation.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
Disclosure: what this document set is and is not
This document set was assembled by a document preparation tool that organises the facts you supplied and aligns page format with the requirements published by the court named on the cover. It is not legal advice, it does not replace a lawyer, and no lawyer has reviewed your documents or acts for you. No opinion is given on the strength of your account or on which law applies to it. You remain responsible for every document you file, for meeting every deadline, and for checking each format rule and each citation yourself. The source of every format rule is listed in the filing checklist.
I have read this disclosure and I understand that this set is a format and fact-organisation aid, not legal advice, that it does not replace a lawyer, and that no lawyer has reviewed my documents.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
Confirm you understand: citations are not verified
The system does not check whether a citation is real. You are responsible for checking each one in the official database: 국가법령정보센터(law.go.kr) 및 대법원 법원도서관 판례 검색.
국가법령정보센터(law.go.kr) 및 대법원 법원도서관 판례 검색
Check this citation yourself: confirm that the statute, rule or decision exists, that it is still in force, and that no later amendment or decision has changed it.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- 민사소송법 (Civil Procedure Act), 제256조 (내용), 제271조 (답변서), 제257조 (무변론 판결), 제150조 (자백간주)
- 소액사건심판법 (Small Claims Act)
- 소액사건심판규칙 제4조 (서식) and the prescribed small claims forms
- 대법원 (scourt.go.kr): 법원 안내 and 사건 진행 정보
- 대법원 (scourt.go.kr): 소액사건 안내 and self-help pages for people filing in person
- 대법원: 답변서 서식 and guidance on answering a complaint
- 대법원: 민사 서식 모음 (complaint, attachments and answer forms)
- 법원전자소송 (ecfs.scourt.go.kr): electronic filing service
- 국가법령정보센터 (law.go.kr): official statutes database