This summary is not the rule. The rule text controls.
Small claims court usually skips the long, drawn-out process of gathering evidence that you see in regular civil cases. If you want to use discovery tools like written questions, requests for documents, or depositions, you have to ask the judge first. You cannot just start sending these requests to the other side on your own.
The judge will only allow discovery if you have a good reason for it. You also need to let the other side know you're asking for this. Even if the judge says yes, they can put limits on what you're allowed to do, so you only get what you actually need for your specific case. This keeps small claims cases quick and simple, since they are designed to be faster and less complicated than regular lawsuits.
