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Money disputes up to $7,000 are settled in the Clinton County small-claims court, which runs on simplified procedures, and no attorneys at the hearing.
This page sets out the ceiling on claims, what the court charges, the courthouse that covers Clinton 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 Clinton 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.
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.
The nearest counties to Clinton County are Shiawassee County and Ionia County. About 80,050 people live in Clinton County.
This court works from paper filings, delivered in person or posted in. Squabble builds the packet so nothing is missing.
The small claims list is heard in person, at the courthouse itself.
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.
Residents of Clinton County, Michigan, a county of about 80,050 people, can bring small claims cases through the Michigan Small Claims Court at the Clinton County District Court, located at 100 E State St #3400 in St Johns, 48879. The claim limit in this court is $7,000. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:45 PM and is closed Saturday and Sunday, and the court can be reached at (989) 224-5150 or online at http://www.clinton-county.org/. Electronic filing is not available, so filings are handled at the courthouse. The county covers communities including Bath, Dewitt, Eagle, Elsie, Eureka, Fowler, Maple Rapids, Ovid, Saint Johns, and Westphalia, with ZIP codes such as 48808, 48820, 48822, 48831, 48833, 48835, 48853, 48866, 48879, and 48894. Clinton County lies near Shiawassee County, Ionia County, and Gratiot County, each of which has its own court for matters arising there.
These 10 places sit inside Clinton County:
Bath, Dewitt, Eagle, Elsie, Eureka, Fowler, Maple Rapids, Ovid, Saint Johns, Westphalia.
ZIP codes:
With about 80,050 residents, Clinton County ranks 25th by population among the 83 counties of Michigan. Clinton County District Court in St Johns lies around 11 miles from the Shiawassee County courthouse in Corunna.
Neighbouring counties and the courts that serve them:
Small claims handles money owed between ordinary people and businesses. Procedure is kept light, no attorneys at the hearing, and claims are capped.
Maximum claim
The county where it happened and the county where they live are both generally available.
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.
The hearing proceeds with neither side represented. Legal advice before or after the hearing is unaffected.
Under-18s are represented by a guardian the court appoints.
Over the limit? A claim above the ceiling can be trimmed to fit, or filed in full in the ordinary civil court. Trimming generally means writing off the remainder.
Clinton County District Court is the courthouse listed for Clinton County. Clinton County is under the same limits as nearby Shiawassee County and Ionia County.
Small claims exists for money owed, up to $7,000. The categories below come up more than any others.
Clinton County takes in Bath, Dewitt and Eagle and the rest of the county. Clinton County District Court is the Clinton County courthouse listed below.
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.
Formal notice reaches the other party, who then has a window to respond or resolve it.
The hearing is informal and quick, sometimes by video, and the judge decides on the spot or sends the outcome later.
Everything below applies to a case filed in Clinton County, at the St Johns courthouse. This is the route a Clinton County case takes, whether it starts in 48808 or anywhere else among the county ZIP codes.
Once the case is on file, the law requires the other side to be told about it formally. That step is service of process, and the papers cannot normally come from your own hand. Courts in Michigan generally rely on delivery arranged by the court, email service where the court allows it, personal delivery by an approved server or the sheriff or constable.
The options usually include a sheriff or constable, a licensed process server, certified mail sent by the clerk, or any adult with no stake in the case. What is allowed, and what it costs, differs from county to county.
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.
The person who delivered the papers signs a proof of service. That document goes to the court ahead of 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.
Shiawassee County and Ionia County are the counties nearest to Clinton County. A Clinton County address carries one of its 10 ZIP codes, 48808, 48820 and 48822 among them.
The right to bring a claim expires. The period is measured from the moment the dispute arose, and once it has run the court can refuse the case.
| What the claim is about | Deadline to file |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 6 years |
| Oral contract | 6 years |
| Property damage | 3 years |
| Personal injury | 3 years |
The same periods apply in Clinton County as in nearby Shiawassee County and Ionia County, which are in the same state. They do not change from one Clinton County ZIP code to another, 48808 included.
In Michigan, prejudgment interest follows a statutory formula rather than a fixed rate (Mich. Comp. Laws §600.6013).
To see what interest has added so far, the Squabble interest calculator works out the running total.
Clinton County is under the same state rate as nearby Shiawassee County and Ionia County. The rate above is the one for Clinton County, population about 80,050.
Verify the figure is inside the limit and that you are still within the deadline for this claim type.
Get the defendant's legal name right, set out the events, and break down how the figure is reached.
File with the Clinton County small-claims court on paper, by mail or at the counter, and pay the $30–$70 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.
Arrange your evidence and number the exhibits so nothing has to be searched for on the day.
Attend the hearing, in person or by video if that is offered, make your case, and receive the outcome.
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.
Clinton County takes in filings from 10 ZIP codes, 48808 first in the list. Clinton County papers go to Clinton County District Court in St Johns.
Hearings run short and plainly. Lawyers do not appear, and questions come from the judge.
Clinton County has about 80,050 residents. Bath, Dewitt and Eagle are among the Clinton County places a hearing can draw parties from.
A judgment is the court's decision. Collecting it is a separate step, with court-backed tools if the other side doesn't pay. Which tools are available depends on state law.
Part of the debtor's earnings may be redirected toward the judgment where state law provides for it.
A court-ordered levy allows funds to be taken from the debtor's bank account.
Lodging the judgment with the county can create a lien over property the debtor owns.
The court can additionally require the debtor to appear and answer under oath about what they earn and own. An unsatisfied judgment usually carries statutory interest until it is paid.
Bath, Dewitt and Eagle are among the Clinton County places a judgment debtor may live in. Shiawassee County and Ionia County are the counties nearest to Clinton County.
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 Clinton County case for you.
