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The small-claims court in Madison County handles money disputes up to $2,500, with simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
This page sets out the ceiling on claims, what the court charges, the courthouse that covers Madison County, how notice reaches the other party, the time limits, and the filing steps. Squabble can prepare and lodge the paperwork when you decide to go ahead.
One courthouse takes small claims for Madison County, shown below. The court checks the location against the defendant's address and the place of the dispute.
Tap a courthouse to see its details in the list below.
Locations change. The court publishes its current small-claims address on its own page; Squabble confirms the courthouse for your case when you file.
The nearest counties to Madison County are Garrard County and Jessamine County. About 99,582 people live in Madison 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.
Copies of the evidence go to the judge and to the other party, and some courts allow it to be sent in electronically beforehand.
Residents of Madison County, Kentucky, which has a population of 99,582 and includes the communities of Berea, Richmond, and Waco, can bring small claims cases through the Kentucky Small Claims Division. The claim limit is $2,500. Cases are handled at the Madison County Court House, located at 101 W Main St in Richmond, 40475. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and it is closed on Saturday and Sunday. The clerk's office can be reached by phone at (859) 624-4703, and further information is posted at http://clerk.madisoncountyky.us/. Electronic filing is not available in this county, so filings are handled in person at the courthouse. The county also covers the ZIP codes 40385, 40403, 40404, and 40476. Madison County lies near Garrard County, Jessamine County, and Clark County, each of which maintains its own courts for matters arising within its boundaries.
These 3 places sit inside Madison County:
Berea, Richmond, Waco.
ZIP codes:
Madison County is the 8th most populous of Kentucky's 120 counties, with about 99,582 residents. Madison County Court House sits about 9 miles from the Jessamine County courthouse in Nicholasville.
Neighbouring counties and the courts that serve them:
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
You can generally file where the dispute happened or where the other party lives.
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 Kentucky hearing but are not needed. The procedure is written for self-representation.
A claim involving a minor is brought by a court-appointed guardian.
Over the limit? Claims over the cap can go two ways: cut to the limit and stay, or move to regular civil court at full value. Cutting it normally waives the excess.
Madison County is under the same limits as nearby Garrard County and Jessamine County. They are the same across all 5 Madison County ZIP codes, from 40385 onward.
Debts up to $2,500 belong in this court. These are the arguments people bring most frequently.
Madison County Court House is the Madison County courthouse listed below. Madison County takes in Berea, Richmond and Waco 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.
The other side is formally served and has the chance to respond, or to settle before the hearing.
A brief, informal hearing, in person or, where the court offers it, by video. The judge rules at the hearing or sends the decision after.
Madison County Court House publishes its counter hours; they are listed on this page. Madison County Court House lists (859) 624-4703 as its number.
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.
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.
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.
Garrard County and Jessamine County are the counties nearest to Madison County. A Madison County address carries one of its 5 ZIP codes, 40385, 40403 and 40404 among them.
Filing is only possible for a set time after the events. Beyond it, the other side can have the claim thrown out.
| Type of claim | Time limit to file |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 10 years |
| Oral contract | 5 years |
| Property damage | 2 years |
| Personal injury | 1 year |
They do not change from one Madison County ZIP code to another, 40385 included. Madison County, population about 99,582, is covered by the table above.
Money owed under a contract in Kentucky generally accrues interest at 8% per year before judgment (Ky. Rev. Stat. §360.010).
A running total including interest can be worked out with the Squabble interest calculator.
It is the same rate across all 5 Madison County ZIP codes. The rate above is the one for Madison County, population about 99,582.
Check that the amount is within the limit and that you're inside the statute of limitations for your claim type.
Use the other side's correct legal name, describe the dispute, and show how the money adds up.
File with the Madison County small-claims court on paper, by mail or at the counter, and pay the $25–$65 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.
Gather the paperwork and label your exhibits so each point can be shown quickly.
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 →Three documents recur: the claim form that begins it, the proof of service confirming delivery, and a fee waiver if eligible. Names vary locally; Squabble selects the correct versions.
Madison County has a population of about 99,582. Madison County papers go to Madison County Court House in Richmond.
Small claims hearings are short and informal, and the judge asks questions directly. Most people present their own case.
Hearings in Madison County cases are listed at Madison County Court House in Richmond. Berea, Richmond and Waco are among the Madison County places a hearing can draw parties from.
A judgment says what is owed. Getting hold of the money is the next stage, and the enforcement options open to you depend on the state.
Where state law allows it, a portion of the debtor's earnings can be redirected to pay what the court ordered.
Funds can be collected directly from the debtor's bank account through a court-ordered levy.
Registering the judgment at county level can fix a lien on real estate the debtor holds.
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.
Garrard County and Jessamine County are the counties nearest to Madison County. The judgment in a Madison County case comes from Madison County Court House in Richmond.
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 Madison County case for you.
