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In Des Moines County, money disputes up to $6,500 go to the small-claims court: simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
Below is what you need for a small claims case in Des Moines County: the limit, filing fees, which courthouse to use, how to serve the other side, your deadlines, and how to file. When you're ready, Squabble prepares everything and files it for you.
Small claims in Des Moines County are heard at the courthouse below. When you file, the court confirms the right location for your case based on where the defendant lives or where your dispute happened.
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 Des Moines County are Henry County and Lee County. Small claims filings from Des Moines County are handled at Des Moines County Small Claims Court in Burlington.
Small claims can be filed electronically here, which means the case can begin without going to the counter.
Small claims hearings are held in person at the courthouse.
Have copies of your evidence for the bench and for the other party. Some courts take documents electronically before the hearing as well.
Residents of Des Moines County, Iowa, a county with a population of 38,411, can file small claims cases through the Iowa Small Claims Court at the Des Moines County Small Claims Court in Burlington, located at 513 North Main Street P.O. Box 158, 52601. The court handles claims up to $6,500. It serves communities across the county, including Burlington, Danville, Mediapolis, Middletown, Sperry, West Burlington, and Yarmouth, covering ZIP codes such as 52601, 52623, 52637, 52638, 52650, 52655, and 52660. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM and is closed Saturday and Sunday. Electronic filing is available. The court can be reached by telephone at (319) 753-8262, and information is posted at https://www.iowacourts.gov/iowa-courts/district-court/judicial-district-8/district/8/county/des-moines. Des Moines County lies near Henry County, Lee County, and Louisa County, each of which has its own court locations for matters arising there.
A case filed here usually comes from one of these 7 communities:
Burlington, Danville, Mediapolis, Middletown, Sperry, West Burlington, Yarmouth.
ZIP codes:
With about 38,411 residents, Des Moines County ranks 16th by population among the 99 counties of Iowa. Des Moines County Small Claims Court in Burlington lies around 13 miles from the Henry County courthouse in Mt. Pleasant.
If the other side lives just over the county line, the case may belong next door:
This is the part of the court built for ordinary money arguments. The procedure is stripped back, and there is a ceiling on the amount at stake.
Maximum claim
Filing is generally possible in the county of the events or the county of the defendant.
Courts do not allow one dispute to be filed as several in order to beat the maximum.
What this court awards is a sum of money, not an instruction to act or to hand something back.
Lawyers are allowed at a Iowa hearing but are not needed. The procedure is written for self-representation.
Under-18s are represented by a guardian the court appoints.
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.
They are the same across all 7 Des Moines County ZIP codes, from 52601 onward. These are the limits for Des Moines County, population about 38,411.
Where money is owed and the sum is no more than $6,500, this is the right court. The following disputes are the common ones.
Des Moines County takes in Burlington, Danville and Mediapolis and the rest of the county. Des Moines County Small Claims Court is the Des Moines County courthouse listed below.
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.
Formal notice reaches the other party, who then has a window to respond or resolve it.
Expect a brief session rather than a trial, in person or by video where available, with a decision at the end or soon after.
Everything below applies to a case filed in Des Moines County, at the Burlington courthouse. This is the route a Des Moines County case takes, whether it starts in 52601 or anywhere else among the county ZIP codes.
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.
Who may serve depends on the court: law enforcement, a paid process server, the clerk by certified mail, or a disinterested adult. Costs and rules are local.
There is a deadline, counted backwards from the hearing, by which the defendant must have the papers. Ask the clerk for it when the date is assigned.
After delivery, the server fills out a proof of service, and that goes on the court file 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 Des Moines County address carries one of its 7 ZIP codes, 52601, 52623 and 52637 among them. Henry County and Lee County are the counties nearest to Des Moines 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.
| Claim type | Filing deadline |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 10 years |
| Oral contract | 5 years |
| Property damage | 5 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
The same periods apply in Des Moines County as in nearby Henry County and Lee County, which are in the same state. They do not change from one Des Moines County ZIP code to another, 52601 included.
In Iowa, prejudgment interest follows a statutory formula rather than a fixed rate (Iowa Code §535.2, §668.13).
Want to estimate what interest adds to your claim? Use the Squabble interest calculator to see the running total before you file.
The rate above is the one for Des Moines County, population about 38,411. Des Moines County is under the same state rate as nearby Henry County and Lee County.
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 with the Des Moines County small-claims court, or e-file, and pay the $25–$85 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
Service comes after the date is set. File the server's proof once the papers have been delivered.
Sort the documents and exhibits in advance so they can be handed up in order.
Attend the hearing, in person or by video if that is offered, make your case, and receive the outcome.
Talk with Eleanor about what happened. Squabble prepares the documents, runs a Triple-Check™ for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and files your case 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.
Des Moines County has a population of about 38,411. Burlington, Danville and Mediapolis are among the places in Des Moines County that filings come from.
Hearings are short and plainly run. Questions come from the judge, and most parties appear without help.
Des Moines County Small Claims Court sits at the 52601 address shown above. Des Moines County has about 38,411 residents.
Winning and being paid are two different things. The judgment records what is owed; collecting it is its own process, backed by court remedies that vary from state to state.
Wage garnishment, where the state permits it, sends part of the debtor's pay toward the judgment.
Funds can be collected directly from the debtor's bank account through a court-ordered levy.
Recording the judgment locally can place a lien against real property in the debtor's name.
There is also an examination procedure: the debtor is ordered to attend and give sworn answers about earnings and assets. Interest normally accrues at the statutory rate until payment.
Henry County and Lee County are the counties nearest to Des Moines County. Burlington, Danville and Mediapolis are among the Des Moines County places a judgment debtor may live in.
Information reviewed August 2026. Courts change fees, limits and procedures, so check the current details 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 Des Moines County case for you.
