Before suing a business in Small Claims court make sure to name it properly.  You should consider calling City Hall, Business License Division in the city where the business is located, as most cities require a business license.

Ask for the name of the business as it is listed on the business license.  Usually it is proper to name the business as listed on the business license.  You should consider naming the business on paragraph 2 of the claim form similar to the samples below:

2. Jom Jones, or

2. Jim Jones individually and d.b.a. Quick Clean Pools, or

2. Jim Jones individually and as a partner, Jones and Smith, partnership, or

2. Quality Investments, Inc., or

2. Quality Investments, Inc. d.b.a. Quality Mortgages.
  
 
City Websites for Businesses Licenses

City/Link Phone Business Lookup
Aliso Viejo (949) 425-2505 no
Anaheim (714) 765-5100 yes
Brea (714) 834-2889 no
Buena Park (714) 562-3538
Costa Mesa (714) 754-5225 no
Cypress (714) 229-6700 no
Dana Point (949) 248-3500 no
Fountain Valley (714) 593-4400
Fullerton (714) 738-6884 no
Garden Grove (714) 751-5000 yes
Huntington Beach (714) 536-5227 no
Irvine (949) 724-6310 yes
La Habra (562) 905-9701 no
La Palma (714) 690-3300
Laguna Beach (949) 497-3311
Laguna Hills (949) 707-2600 no
Laguna Niguel (949) 362-4300 no
Laguna Woods (949) 639-0500 no
Lake Forest (949) 461-3420 no
Los Alamitos (562) 431-3538 no
Mission Viejo (949) 470-3000 no
Newport Beach (949) 644-3138 no
Orange (714) 744-2270 no
Placentia (714) 993-8231
Rancho Santa Margarita (949) 635-1800
San Clemente (949) 361-6100
San Juan Capistrano (949) 443-6304
Santa Ana (714) 647-5400 no
Seal Beach (562) 431-2527 no
Stanton (714) 379-9222 no
Tustin (714) 573-3025 no
Villa Park (714) 998-1500 no
Westminster (714) 898-3311 no
Yorba Linda (714) 961-7150 no