What happens after the judge issues a small claims decision

5If your small claim is successful in court, the judge will issue a judgment in your favour.

If your small claim is successful

If your claim is successful, the court registrar will send the respondent a ‘Notice to Pay’.

You will also get a written copy of the small claims decree stating what you are owed by the respondent.

The respondent must comply with the decree within 28 days. If they don’t, you can apply to enforce the small claims decree.

Enforcing a small claims decree

Enforcing a small claims decree is a legal method to recover what a respondent owes you. In Dublin and Cork, this is done through the Sheriff’s Office, which is an office with the authority to enforce a judgment on your behalf, for example by seizing or selling goods or arranging a repayment plan. Elsewhere in Ireland, your county’s court service undertakes the role of a sheriff.

To begin enforcement, you must send a copy of your small claims decree, and an application fee, to the Sheriff’s Office (in Dublin or Cork) or to your local courts service. You can get more information on how to do this from your local courts services office.

The Courts Service website has more information about enforcing a small claim and the related fees.

If your small claim is not successful

If the judge rejects your claim or accepts the respondent’s counterclaim and you do not agree, you may appeal the judgment to the Circuit Court. There is a fee to appeal to the Circuit Court and you must make the appeal within 14 days of the judge’s decision.

Before you appeal, carefully consider if your reasons and evidence for appealing are strong enough. It is common to use a solicitor or barrister for a Circuit Court hearing. If you lose an appeal, you may be ordered to pay both your own and the respondent’s legal costs. You can find out more about appealing a district court decision from the Courts Service website.