Check out this website
http://www.courts.wa.gov/newsinfo/resources/?fa=newsinfo_jury.scc
In WA state, the small claims limit is $5K, so you can get a lawyer if you want, but you will waste all of your money IMO. I know that it is district court here that you have to file the paperwork, might be the same there. Go there and get paperwork from the clerk, they have it all written out. It's going to go about 2 or 3 months before anything really gets going, but the expression you can imagine on his face when you serve him papers...priceless.
Better get all of your documents in order now while everything is fresh. Get EVERYTHING. Hop on it if you want your money. You HAVE to do it in a certain order in certain amounts of time. Usually a "final notice", send registered mail, then a month wait.
Liens don't do much. You have to foreclose on the lien, which is essentially your small claims process. Liens BTW also have a certain order before you can send one. Usually there is an intent to claim first, then a week or month wait, then you are allowed to file the lien.
Do NOT go out of order, it will delay everything. Get the paperwork, which is probably on the WA state website.
His name isn't Jerry is it?