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Houston County resolves money disputes up to $6,000 in the small-claims court: simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
Here you will find the claim limit that applies in Houston County, what filing costs, where the case is heard, how the defendant is served, the deadlines, and the order of steps. Squabble can take the preparation and filing off your hands.
Houston County hears small claims at the courthouse listed here, with the venue confirmed at filing from the defendant's address or the location of the dispute.
Tap a courthouse to see its details in the list below.
Confirm the courthouse before you file. The court's own small-claims page carries its current filing location and hours, and Squabble confirms the courthouse for your case when you file.
Houston County Courthouse, in Dothan, is the courthouse listed for Houston County. The nearest counties to Houston County are Dale County and Henry County.
Paper filing is the route at this court, either in person or by post. Squabble puts the documents together in the form the clerk expects.
The small claims list is heard in person, at the courthouse itself.
Two sets of evidence are needed, one for the judge and one for the other side, and some courts also take it electronically in advance.
Residents of Houston County, Alabama, which has a population of 109,366, can bring small claims cases through the Alabama Small Claims Court. Claims filed in this court are limited to $6,000. Cases are handled at the Houston County Courthouse, located at 114 N Oates St in Dothan, 36303, which can be reached by phone at (334) 677-4800 or online at http://www.houstoncounty.org. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM and is closed Saturday and Sunday. Electronic filing is not available, so filings are handled at the courthouse itself. The county covers Dothan along with Ashford, Columbia, Cottonwood, Cowarts, Gordon, Newton, Pansey, and Webb, and includes ZIP codes such as 36301, 36305, 36312, 36320, and 36370. Houston County lies near Dale County, Henry County, and Geneva County, each of which has its own courts for matters arising there.
These 9 places sit inside Houston County:
Ashford, Columbia, Cottonwood, Cowarts, Dothan, Gordon, Newton, Pansey, Webb.
ZIP codes:
Houston County is the 12th most populous of Alabama's 67 counties, with about 109,366 residents. From Dothan, Houston County Courthouse is roughly 11 miles from the Dale County courthouse in Ozark and 15 miles from the Geneva County courthouse in Geneva.
If the other side lives just over the county line, the case may belong next door:
The small claims track exists for routine money disputes: fewer formalities, and a cap on what can be claimed.
Maximum claim
Either the place the dispute arose or the place the other party lives will usually work.
You can't divide one dispute into several smaller cases to get around the limit.
Judgments take the form of money owed; other kinds of relief are heard elsewhere.
Alabama allows attorneys at the hearing, but none is required. The procedures are designed for self-representation.
Minors take part through a guardian appointed by the court.
Over the limit? Two routes exist: reduce the claim to the cap and stay here, or take the full sum to regular civil court. Reducing it normally forfeits the difference.
These are the limits for Houston County, population about 109,366. Houston County Courthouse is the courthouse listed for Houston County.
Small claims exists for money owed, up to $6,000. The categories below come up more than any others.
Houston County takes in Ashford, Columbia and Cottonwood and the rest of the county. Houston County has about 109,366 residents.
It's built to be navigable without a lawyer. Here's the shape of a case from start to finish.
Set out the claim on the court's form, identify the correct courthouse, and pay the fee.
The defendant receives the papers through formal service and can reply or negotiate an end to it.
The hearing itself is short and informal. Some courts allow video. The ruling comes then or later in writing.
This is the route a Houston County case takes, whether it starts in 36301 or anywhere else among the county ZIP codes. Houston County Courthouse publishes its counter hours; they are listed on this page.
A filed case still has to reach the defendant. Formal notice, known as service of process, does that, and delivering it personally is generally not allowed. In Alabama, courts typically use delivery arranged by the court, email service where the court allows it or certified mail.
Courts accept service by a sheriff or constable, a professional server, the clerk via certified mail, or an adult who is not party to the case. Permitted methods and charges change by county.
How long before the hearing notice must be given is set by the court. That deadline arrives with your hearing date. Can serve out-of-state defendants by certified mail. Cannot use private process server (requires special judge request and court stamp). Service at least 15 days before hearing.
Whoever serves the papers completes a proof of service, which is filed with the court before the hearing.
Service is where many self-filed cases stall. Squabble can coordinate professional Service of Process so it's done correctly and on time.
A Houston County address carries one of its 13 ZIP codes, 36301, 36302 and 36303 among them. Dale County and Henry County are the counties nearest to Houston County.
Filing is only possible for a set time after the events. Beyond it, the other side can have the claim thrown out.
| What the claim is about | Deadline to file |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 6 years |
| Oral contract | 6 years |
| Property damage | 6 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
Houston County, population about 109,366, is covered by the table above. The same periods apply in Houston County as in nearby Dale County and Henry County, which are in the same state.
Money owed under a contract in Alabama generally accrues interest at 6% per year before judgment (Ala. Code §8-8-1, §8-8-8).
To see what interest has added so far, the Squabble interest calculator works out the running total.
Houston County is under the same state rate as nearby Dale County and Henry County. The rate above is the one for Houston County, population about 109,366.
Make sure the claim is under the maximum and that the limitation period has not expired.
State the party's full legal name, explain the events, and set out the calculation.
File with the Houston County small-claims court on paper, by mail or at the counter, and pay the $50–$75 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
Arrange service once your hearing date is set and file the proof of service with the court.
Put the evidence in order, with exhibits marked, so the account is easy to follow.
Come to the hearing in person or remotely where permitted, present the facts, and get the ruling.
Describe the dispute to Eleanor. Squabble drafts the paperwork, puts it through a Triple-Check™ for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and lodges it with the court.
Start for FREE →You will meet a claim form, a proof of service, and possibly a fee waiver. What each is called depends on the court, and Squabble matches them to your courthouse.
Houston County papers go to Houston County Courthouse in Dothan. Ashford, Columbia and Cottonwood are among the places in Houston County that filings come from.
The hearing is brief and informal. The judge asks the questions, and most people speak for themselves.
Ashford, Columbia and Cottonwood are among the Houston County places a hearing can draw parties from. Houston County has about 109,366 residents.
The ruling establishes the debt. Recovery is a further step, supported by enforcement measures that are set by each state.
Where the law allows, an employer can be directed to send part of the debtor's pay to the court.
Funds can be collected directly from the debtor's bank account through a court-ordered levy.
Filing the judgment with the county can attach a lien to land or buildings the debtor owns.
Courts can also summon the debtor to answer questions about income and property under oath. Until the balance is paid, interest usually continues to run at the statutory rate.
Ashford, Columbia and Cottonwood are among the Houston County places a judgment debtor may live in. Dale County and Henry County are the counties nearest to Houston County.
Last reviewed August 2026. Court fees, limits, and procedures change. Verify current details with the court before filing.
Talk with Eleanor about what happened. Squabble prepares your demand letter and court-ready documents, Triple-Checks them for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and files your Houston County case for you.
