Could anyone provide some legal advice? [View All]

[BlackVelvetElvis]

This regards money lent to someone who refuses to pay me back. The amount is $1,000. This will be filed in small claims court.
I have no proof other than a copy of the canceled check and my bank statement.
Basically, it's my word against hers.
But here's the good part. After I loaned her money, I found out that she has a criminal record (class H felony - forgery). She is on probation. Then I dig a little deeper and found out she wrote a worthless check for $25,000 and was charged with a classes H and I felonies - writing a bad check and obtaining property under false pretenses (I don't know the outcome of that case, I saw it on a court calendar).
Digging yet deeper, I found out that she wrote a bad check to another business for nearly $1,000 and swindled some ladies at a church for $2,000 - she told them she had a brain tumor (found this out through a detective).
Can her criminal history be brought up in small-claims court to reinforce my claim?
Yeah, I feel real stupid.