Roommate's friend's kid scratched the hell out of my tank. Must vent before I scream.

[Dearth]

Having gone through small claims court to recoup losses before it is not as clear cut or as easy as it seems (it might of changed since I was in it 15 years ago)

You first require proof of incident
You must prove that xx person(s) were there or involved
You must give damages cost
There is no guarantee the courts will help
It can take up to a year for your case to be heard in small claims court
Lawyers are a must unless your knowledgable in legalese

Hate to say it it's much easier to settle out of court and move on with life