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In Madison County, money disputes up to $10,000 go to the small-claims court: simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
Read on for the claim ceiling, the fees, the courthouse serving Madison 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.
These cases are heard at the single courthouse below. Madison County confirms the venue from the defendant's address or where the events 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.
About 263,017 people live in Madison County. The nearest counties to Madison County are Bond County and St. Clair County.
Small claims can be filed electronically here, which means the case can begin without going to the counter.
Small claims are heard at the courthouse, in person.
Bring copies of your evidence for the judge and the other side; some courts also accept electronic submission ahead of the hearing.
Residents of Madison County, Illinois, which has a population of 263,017, can file small claims cases through the Illinois Small Claims Court, which handles claims of up to $10,000. Cases are heard at the Madison County Courthouse, located at 155 N. Main Street in Edwardsville, 62025. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM and is closed on Saturday and Sunday. The court serves communities across the county, including Alton, Collinsville, Granite City, Highland, Troy, Glen Carbon, and Godfrey, along with ZIP codes such as 62002, 62034, 62040, and 62234. Madison County lies near Bond County, St. Clair County, and Macoupin County. Electronic filing is available for cases in this county. The courthouse can be reached by telephone at (618) 296-4470, and further information is posted at http://www.co.madison.il.us/.
A case filed here usually comes from one of these 27 communities:
Alhambra, Alton, Bethalto, Collinsville, Cottage Hills, Dorsey, East Alton, Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Godfrey, Granite City, Hamel, Hartford, Highland, Livingston, Madison, Marine, Maryville, Moro, New Douglas, Roxana, Saint Jacob, South Roxana, Troy, Venice, Wood River, Worden.
With about 263,017 residents, Madison County ranks 8th by population among the 102 counties of Illinois. Madison County Courthouse, in Edwardsville, is about 10 miles from the St. Clair County courthouse in Belleville and 16 miles from the Macoupin County courthouse in Carlinville.
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
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.
Lawyers are allowed at a Illinois hearing but are not needed. The procedure is written for self-representation.
Under-18s are represented by a guardian the court appoints.
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.
These are the limits for Madison County, population about 263,017. Madison County Courthouse is the courthouse listed for Madison County.
Where money is owed and the sum is no more than $10,000, this is the right court. The following disputes are the common ones.
Madison County takes in Alhambra, Alton and Bethalto and the rest of the county. Madison County has about 263,017 residents.
It's built to be navigable without a lawyer. Here's the shape of a case from start to finish.
Complete the claim form, choose the right court, and pay the filing fee.
Papers are delivered to the defendant, who may answer them or settle the matter first.
Expect a brief session rather than a trial, in person or by video where available, with a decision at the end or soon after.
This is the route a Madison County case takes, whether it starts in 62001 or anywhere else among the county ZIP codes. Madison County Courthouse publishes its counter hours; they are listed on this page.
The defendant must be given formal notice after filing. This is service of process, and as a rule you are not permitted to serve the papers yourself. The usual route in Illinois is personal delivery by an approved server, email service where the court allows it, delivery arranged by the court, the sheriff or constable 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.
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. Certified mail requires green return receipt and signature card, must be completed by plaintiff directly.
Service is proved on paper. The server completes and signs a form, and it is filed before the matter is heard.
Service is where many self-filed cases stall. Squabble can coordinate professional Service of Process so it's done correctly and on time.
Bond County and St. Clair County are the counties nearest to Madison County. A Madison County address carries one of its 28 ZIP codes, 62001, 62002 and 62010 among them.
Claims do not stay open indefinitely. Time runs from the events themselves, and a filing made afterwards may be shut out.
| Type of claim | How long you have |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 10 years |
| Oral contract | 5 years |
| Property damage | 5 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
Madison County, population about 263,017, is covered by the table above. They do not change from one Madison County ZIP code to another, 62001 included.
Money owed under a contract in Illinois generally accrues interest at 5% per year before judgment (815 ILCS 205/2).
Want to estimate what interest adds to your claim? Use the Squabble interest calculator to see the running total before you file.
Madison County is under the same state rate as nearby Bond County and St. Clair County. It is the same rate across all 28 Madison County ZIP codes.
Two checks first: the amount must fall within the ceiling, and the claim must still be in time.
Name the correct party, describe what happened, and show how the amount is calculated.
File with the Madison County small-claims court, or e-file, and pay the $89–$264 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
Once the court fixes a date, have the papers served and return the proof of service to the file.
Organize documents and exhibits so you can present them clearly at the hearing.
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 →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.
Madison County has a population of about 263,017. Alhambra, Alton and Bethalto are among the places in Madison County that filings come from.
Expect a short, informal hearing in which the judge asks the questions. Most people present their own case.
Madison County Courthouse sits at the 62025 address shown above. Alhambra, Alton and Bethalto are among the Madison County places a hearing can draw parties from.
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.
Part of the debtor's earnings may be redirected toward the judgment where state law provides for it.
With a bank levy, the court reaches funds held in the debtor's account directly.
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.
Alhambra, Alton and Bethalto are among the Madison County places a judgment debtor may live in. Bond County and St. Clair County are the counties nearest to Madison County.
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 Madison County case for you.
