Clients with small claims are often faced with a tough decision: hire an attorney, which may cost you as much or more than the amount you’re seeking, or take your matter to small-claims court, which can cost you days’ worth of time, energy and discomfort.

Stephen Kane, founder of Los Angeles-based ArbiClaims, heard this grievance from clients routinely, and began looking for a way to use technology to help people retrieve small debts.