Can I appeal a small claims judgment in the US?
It depends on the state and which side you are on. Several states allow either party to appeal and get a new trial (trial de novo) in a higher court, as in Texas and Pennsylvania. California allows only the defendant to appeal. New York and Florida limit appeals to a review of legal error rather than a retrial.
A trial de novo is a completely new trial in a higher court, as if the first trial never happened. Texas justice court and Pennsylvania magisterial district court appeals work this way. In contrast, record-review states only examine whether the first court made a legal error.
How much does a small claims appeal cost?
Costs include the appeal filing fee (ranging from about $20 in New York to over $280 in Florida), any required appeal bond to stay collection, transcript costs in record-review states, and optional attorney fees. Trial de novo appeals may also mean repeating your evidence and witnesses.
Some states require the appealing party (usually a defendant who lost) to post a bond covering the judgment amount to suspend collection during the appeal. Texas, for example, typically requires an appeal bond. This ensures the winner can still collect if the appeal fails.