Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

SmolClaims ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website and services (collectively, the "Services"). Please read this privacy policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this privacy policy, please do not access the Services.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: SmolClaims is NOT a law firm and does NOT provide legal advice. We provide document preparation services and tools to help users create legal documents. The information you provide is used solely for document generation purposes.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when using our Services, including:

• Name and contact information (email address, phone number, mailing address)
• Account credentials (email and password for account creation)
• Payment information (processed securely through our payment processor, Stripe)
• Case-related information necessary for document preparation (names of parties, incident details, claimed amounts)
• Identity verification information as required for legal document preparation

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you access our Services, we may automatically collect:

• Device information (browser type, operating system, device identifiers)
• Log data (IP address, access times, pages viewed, referring URL)
• Usage data (features used, actions taken, time spent on pages)
• Location data (general geographic location based on IP address)
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies

2.3 Sensitive Information

Due to the nature of legal document preparation, you may provide sensitive information related to your case. We treat all case-related information with the highest level of confidentiality and implement appropriate security measures to protect this data.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Service Delivery: To create, customize, and deliver legal documents based on your case information
• Account Management: To create and manage your user account
• Payment Processing: To process transactions and send related information
• Communication: To send you updates about your cases, service announcements, and respond to inquiries
• Service Improvement: To analyze usage patterns and improve our Services
• Security: To detect, prevent, and address fraud, unauthorized access, and other illegal activities
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes

4. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do NOT sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: With third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf (e.g., payment processing, cloud hosting, analytics) under strict confidentiality agreements
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, subpoena, or other legal process, or to protect our rights, privacy, safety, or property
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, with appropriate notice to you
• With Your Consent: When you have given us explicit permission to share your information

5. Third-Party Services

Our Services integrate with the following third-party services:

• Clerk: For authentication and user management
• Stripe: For secure payment processing
• Supabase: For data storage and management
• Vercel: For hosting and content delivery
• OpenAI: For AI-powered document assistance (data is processed but not stored by OpenAI)

Each of these services has its own privacy policy governing their use of your data. We encourage you to review their policies.

6. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encryption of data in transit (TLS/SSL) and at rest
• Secure data centers with physical and electronic access controls
• Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing
• Access controls limiting data access to authorized personnel only
• Audit logging and monitoring of system access

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide our Services and maintain your account
• Comply with legal obligations (e.g., tax, accounting requirements)
• Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements
• Meet legitimate business purposes

Case-related documents and information are retained for a period of seven (7) years after the last activity on your account, unless you request earlier deletion or longer retention is required by law.

8. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Portability: Request a copy of your data in a portable format
• Opt-Out: Opt out of marketing communications at any time
• Restriction: Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hello@smolclaims.com.

9. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to know what personal information is collected, used, shared, or sold
• Right to delete personal information held by businesses
• Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (Note: We do NOT sell personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your CCPA rights

To make a request under the CCPA, please contact us at hello@smolclaims.com or use the privacy controls in your account settings.

10. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

• Remember your preferences and settings
• Authenticate your identity and maintain your session
• Analyze traffic and usage patterns
• Improve and personalize our Services

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling certain cookies may limit your ability to use some features of our Services.

11. Children's Privacy

Our Services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete such information as quickly as possible. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 18, please contact us immediately.

12. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence, including the United States. These countries may have data protection laws different from those in your country. By using our Services, you consent to the transfer of your information to these countries. We take appropriate safeguards to ensure that your personal information remains protected in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will be indicated by an updated "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the Services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

For material changes, we will provide notice through prominent posting on our website or direct communication to you.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: