Small Claims? Is it true that you lose most of your rights when you go to small claims?

I was in court as a plaintiff. Sued someone I have been chasing around for two years. The magistrate who I feel doesn't know the law at all. Ped judgement of less than 1/3 of my claim. The other 2/3 which was denied I had examples of other cases with the exact same situation. I asked the magistrate to explain her decision and she said in court she did not have to but I coud file a Motion Of Articulation which she didn't have to answer either. The next day i recieve a letter that the complaint was withdrawn. I called the court and 8 months later they still can't tell me who withdrew the complaint. Can the magistrate arbitrarily just withdraw my complaint without my authorization? By the way the motion for articulation which I filed the last time I was in court was also just ignored.