California Governor Jerry Brown signed HALT-supported legislation (SB 221) to expand consumer access to the state's small claims court.  The new law, sponsored by State Senator Joseph Simitian, went into effect on January 1, 2012 and raised the state's small claims dollar limit from $7,500 to $10,000.  HALT worked closely with Simitian's office to get the legislation passed and identified California, in its 2011 Small Claims Report Card, as a state that could have been ranked first in the nation if only it had a jurisdictional limit of $10,000 or more.  Thanks to the newly increased limit, California has a better chance of placing first in the nation next time HALT evaluates small claims courts.