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Money disputes up to $8,000 are settled in the Monroe County small-claims court, which runs on simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
Here you will find the claim limit that applies in Monroe 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.
Small claims are split between several hub courthouses across Monroe County. The court assigns a case by ZIP code, following the defendant or the events.
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.
The nearest counties to Monroe County are Miami-Dade County and Collier County. 2 courthouses serve Monroe County, Monroe County Clerk of the County Court Small Claims Division among them.
This court takes small-claims filings electronically, so the case can be started from home.
Certain small claims hearings can be attended remotely. Whether yours qualifies depends on the court and the case type.
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.
Small claims cases in Monroe County, Florida are heard in the Florida County Court system, which handles claims up to $8,000. The Monroe County Clerk of the County Court Small Claims Division is located at 88770 Overseas Highway STE 2 in Plantation Key, 33070, and can be reached at (305) 852-7145. That office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM and is closed Saturday and Sunday. A second location, the County Court, sits at 500 Whitehead Street in Key West, 33040, with hours of 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday, closed on weekends, and information is posted at http://www.clerk-of-the-court.com/. The county has a population of 80,908 and includes communities such as Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine Key, Tavernier, and Key West, along with ZIP codes including 33036, 33037, 33042, and 33050. Electronic filing is available. Monroe County lies near Miami-Dade County, Collier County, and Broward County.
More than one location takes small claims here. The court matches a case to a location by address.
These 10 places sit inside Monroe County:
Big Pine Key, Islamorada, Key Colony Beach, Key Largo, Key West, Long Key, Marathon, Marathon Shores, Summerland Key, Tavernier.
ZIP codes:
Monroe County is the 39th most populous of Florida's 67 counties, with about 80,908 residents. Monroe County Clerk of the County Court Small Claims Division in Plantation Key lies around 30 miles from the Miami-Dade County courthouse in Miami and 55 miles from the Collier County courthouse in Naples.
Counties nearest to this one:
Everyday disputes over money belong in the small claims division, where the rules are simplified, and the sum in question has an upper bound.
Maximum claim
Filing is generally possible in the county of the events or the county of the defendant.
One dispute cannot be broken into several cases to slip under the cap.
A small-claims judge generally orders one side to pay money; other kinds of orders belong in higher courts.
Florida allows attorneys at the hearing, but none is required. The procedures are designed for self-representation.
Under-18s are represented by a guardian the court appoints.
This state requires notarized filing documents. Squabble prepares them notarization-ready.
This state expects your supporting evidence to be submitted with the filing, not just brought to the hearing.
Over the limit? You can lower your claim to fit and stay in small claims, or file the full amount in regular civil court. Lowering usually means giving up the excess, so weigh it carefully.
Monroe County is under the same limits as nearby Miami-Dade County and Collier County. They are the same across all 12 Monroe County ZIP codes, from 33001 onward.
This court handles money claims to a ceiling of $8,000. Below are the kinds of case filed most often.
Monroe County has about 80,908 residents. Monroe County takes in Big Pine Key, Islamorada and Key Colony Beach and the rest of the county.
It's built to be navigable without a lawyer. Here's the shape of a case from start to finish.
Fill in the claim, pick the courthouse that covers the dispute, and pay what the court charges.
Papers are delivered to the defendant, who may answer them or settle the matter first.
The hearing itself is short and informal. Some courts allow video. The ruling comes then or later in writing.
This is the route a Monroe County case takes, whether it starts in 33001 or anywhere else among the county ZIP codes. Monroe County Clerk of the County Court Small Claims Division lists (305) 852-7145 as its number.
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 Florida, courts typically use personal delivery by an approved server, email service where the court allows it, the sheriff or constable or delivery arranged by the court.
Depending on the court: the sheriff or constable, a professional process server, the clerk by certified mail, or another adult who isn't part of the case. Methods and costs vary by county.
Every court fixes a minimum number of days between service and the hearing. The clerk will tell you what it is for your case.
A completed proof of service records who delivered the papers and when, and it is filed with the court beforehand.
Service is where many self-filed cases stall. Squabble can coordinate professional Service of Process so it's done correctly and on time.
Addresses in Monroe County include places such as Big Pine Key, Islamorada and Key Colony Beach. Miami-Dade County and Collier County are the counties nearest to Monroe County.
There is a cut-off for bringing a case, counted from when the dispute began. Miss it and the claim can be barred entirely.
| Type of claim | Time limit to file |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 5 years |
| Oral contract | 4 years |
| Property damage | 4 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
The same periods apply in Monroe County as in nearby Miami-Dade County and Collier County, which are in the same state. They do not change from one Monroe County ZIP code to another, 33001 included.
In Florida, prejudgment interest follows a statutory formula rather than a fixed rate (Fla. Stat. §55.03).
Want to estimate what interest adds to your claim? Use the Squabble interest calculator to see the running total before you file.
It is the same rate across all 12 Monroe County ZIP codes. The rate above is the one for Monroe County, population about 80,908.
Confirm the sum sits under the cap and that the time limit for this kind of claim has not run out.
Identify the party precisely, lay out what occurred, and show the arithmetic behind the total.
File at the Monroe County hub courthouse for your dispute's ZIP code, or e-file, and pay the $55–$300 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
With a hearing date in hand, organise service and lodge the completed proof with the court.
Organize documents and exhibits so you can present them clearly at the hearing.
Attend the hearing, in person or by video if that is offered, make your case, and receive the outcome.
Go through the events with Eleanor. The documents are prepared, Triple-Checked™ for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and filed for you.
Start for FREE →Claim form starts the case · Proof of service shows the defendant was notified · Fee waiver if you qualify. Exact form names vary by court; Squabble prepares the right ones for your courthouse.
Monroe County has a population of about 80,908. Monroe County takes in filings from 12 ZIP codes, 33001 first in the list.
Expect a short, informal hearing in which the judge asks the questions. Most people present their own case.
Monroe County has about 80,908 residents. Big Pine Key, Islamorada and Key Colony Beach are among the Monroe County places a hearing can draw parties from.
The decision settles who owes what. Turning it into money is a separate stage, and the tools the court makes available differ by state.
Wage garnishment, where the state permits it, sends part of the debtor's pay toward the judgment.
With a bank levy, the court reaches funds held in the debtor's account directly.
Filing the judgment with the county can attach a lien to land or buildings the debtor owns.
You can also ask the court to order the debtor to appear and disclose income and assets under oath. An unpaid judgment generally keeps accruing interest at the rate state law sets until it's satisfied.
A Monroe County judgment comes from one of its 2 listed courthouses. Miami-Dade County and Collier County are the counties nearest to Monroe County.
Last checked in August 2026. Court fees, limits and procedures move; verify them with the court first.
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 Monroe County case for you.
