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Money disputes up to $6,500 are settled in the Dubuque County small-claims court, which runs on simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
Read on for the claim ceiling, the fees, the courthouse serving Dubuque County, the way the other side is notified, the cut-off dates, and each filing step. Squabble prepares the paperwork and files it on your behalf.
Dubuque 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.
Check the filing location first. The court's small-claims page lists where papers are taken today, and Squabble confirms it for your case as part of filing.
Small claims filings from Dubuque County are handled at Dubuqe District Court-Small Claims in Dubuque. The nearest counties to Dubuque County are Jackson County and Delaware County.
Electronic filing is accepted for small claims at this court, so the opening papers need not be delivered in person.
Small claims hearings are held in person at the courthouse.
Evidence is copied for the judge and for the opposing side; electronic submission ahead of time is accepted at some courts.
Residents of Dubuque County, Iowa, which has a population of 99,242, can bring small claims cases through the Iowa Small Claims Court. Cases are handled at the Dubuqe District Court-Small Claims, located at 720 Central Ave # 2 in Dubuque, 52001, which can be reached at (563) 589-4419. The claim limit in this court is $6,500. The county covers communities including Dubuque, Cascade, Dyersville, Epworth, Farley, Peosta, Holy Cross, New Vienna, Sherrill, and Worthington, along with smaller places such as Bernard, Durango, Luxemburg, and Worthington. ZIP codes served include 52001, 52002, 52003, 52032, 52040, 52045, 52065, and 52068. Dubuque County lies near Jackson County, Delaware County, and Jones County. Electronic filing is available for small claims matters in this county, in addition to the filing options at the courthouse itself. Information about the court, its location, and its telephone number is listed above for those seeking to contact the clerk regarding a small claims matter.
Dubuque County covers these 13 towns and cities:
Bernard, Cascade, Dubuque, Durango, Dyersville, Epworth, Farley, Holy Cross, Luxemburg, New Vienna, Peosta, Sherrill, Worthington.
ZIP codes:
Dubuque County holds about 99,242 people, 9th of the 99 counties in Iowa. Dubuqe District Court-Small Claims, in Dubuque, is about 15 miles from the Jackson County courthouse in Maquoketa.
Neighbouring counties and the courts that serve them:
The small claims track exists for routine money disputes: fewer formalities, and a cap on what can be claimed.
Maximum claim
The county where it happened and the county where they live are both generally available.
Splitting a single claim across multiple filings to dodge the ceiling is not permitted.
The remedy here is money. Orders telling someone to do or stop something sit with higher courts.
Lawyers are allowed at a Iowa hearing but are not needed. The procedure is written for self-representation.
Where a party is under 18, the court appoints a guardian to act.
This state expects your supporting evidence to be submitted with the filing, not just brought to the hearing.
Over the limit? Either bring the figure down to the maximum and remain in small claims, or file the whole amount in the regular civil court. The amount given up is usually gone for good.
These are the limits for Dubuque County, population about 99,242. They are the same across all 17 Dubuque County ZIP codes, from 52001 onward.
Small claims exists for money owed, up to $6,500. The categories below come up more than any others.
Dubuqe District Court-Small Claims is the Dubuque County courthouse listed below. Dubuque County takes in Bernard, Cascade and Dubuque 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.
Prepare the claim form, work out which court covers it, and pay the court's charge.
The other side is formally served and has the chance to respond, or to settle before the hearing.
The hearing itself is short and informal. Some courts allow video. The ruling comes then or later in writing.
Dubuqe District Court-Small Claims lists (563) 589-4419 as its number. This is the route a Dubuque County case takes, whether it starts in 52001 or anywhere else among the county ZIP codes.
After you file, the other party must be formally notified. This is called service of process. You generally cannot serve the papers yourself.
A sheriff, a constable, a professional server, the court clerk using certified mail, or an uninvolved adult can all serve papers, depending on local rules. Fees and permitted methods vary.
Courts set their own cut-off for how many days before the hearing notice must land. The clerk gives you that date along with the hearing date.
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.
Jackson County and Delaware County are the counties nearest to Dubuque County. Addresses in Dubuque County include places such as Bernard, Cascade and Dubuque.
Claims do not stay open indefinitely. Time runs from the events themselves, and a filing made afterwards may be shut out.
| Type of claim | Filing deadline |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 10 years |
| Oral contract | 5 years |
| Property damage | 5 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
They do not change from one Dubuque County ZIP code to another, 52001 included. Dubuque County, population about 99,242, is covered by the table above.
In Iowa, prejudgment interest follows a statutory formula rather than a fixed rate (Iowa Code §535.2, §668.13).
To see what interest has added so far, the Squabble interest calculator works out the running total.
It is the same rate across all 17 Dubuque County ZIP codes. The rate above is the one for Dubuque County, population about 99,242.
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 Dubuque County small-claims court, or e-file, and pay the $25–$85 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.
Sort the documents and exhibits in advance so they can be handed up in order.
Attend, in the courtroom or by video where the court allows it, put your case, and hear 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.
Dubuque County papers go to Dubuqe District Court-Small Claims in Dubuque. Dubuque County has a population of about 99,242.
Expect a short, informal hearing in which the judge asks the questions. Most people present their own case.
Dubuque County has about 99,242 residents. Dubuqe District Court-Small Claims sits at the 52001 address shown above.
The ruling establishes the debt. Recovery is a further step, supported by enforcement measures that are set by each state.
Some states permit part of the debtor's wages to be diverted to the judgment until it is cleared.
A court-ordered levy allows funds to be taken from the debtor's bank account.
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.
Jackson County and Delaware County are the counties nearest to Dubuque County. The judgment in a Dubuque County case comes from Dubuqe District Court-Small Claims in Dubuque.
Checked August 2026. Because courts revise fees, limits and procedures, confirm the current position 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 Dubuque County case for you.
