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In Monroe County, money disputes up to $7,000 go to the small-claims court: simplified procedures, and no attorneys at the hearing.
Below is what you need for a small claims case in Monroe 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.
These cases are heard at the single courthouse below. Monroe 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.
The nearest counties to Monroe County are Wayne County and Washtenaw County. Monroe County covers 17 ZIP codes, including the Azalia, Carleton and Dundee areas.
Small claims are filed here on paper, at the counter or through the mail. Squabble prepares the full packet before it goes.
Hearings in small claims are attended 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.
Monroe County, Michigan, has a population of 156,045 and is served by the Monroe County 1st District Court, located at 106 E 1st St. in the city of Monroe, 48161. Cases filed there fall under the Michigan Small Claims Court, which handles claims up to $7,000. The court serves residents throughout the county, including the communities of Carleton, Dundee, Erie, Ida, La Salle, Lambertville, Luna Pier, Maybee, Newport, Ottawa Lake, Petersburg, Samaria, South Rockwood, and Temperance, and covers ZIP codes such as 48117, 48131, 48157, 48162, 48179, and 48182. The county lies near Wayne County, Washtenaw County, and Lenawee County. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM and is closed on Saturday and Sunday. Electronic filing is not available for these cases. The court can be reached by telephone at (734) 240-7090, and additional information is posted at https://www.co.monroe.mi.us/402/1st-District-Court.
Monroe County covers these 16 towns and cities:
Azalia, Carleton, Dundee, Erie, Ida, La Salle, Lambertville, Luna Pier, Maybee, Monroe, Newport, Ottawa Lake, Petersburg, Samaria, South Rockwood, Temperance.
ZIP codes:
Of Michigan's 83 counties, Monroe County is 15th by population at roughly 156,045 people. Monroe County 1st District Court sits about 16 miles from the Wayne County courthouse in Plymouth and 14 miles from the Washtenaw County courthouse in Ann Arbor.
If the other side lives just over the county line, the case may belong next door:
Small claims is the court's track for everyday money disputes: simplified rules, no attorneys at the hearing, and limits on how much you can sue for.
Maximum claim
You can generally file where the dispute happened or where the other party lives.
You can't divide one dispute into several smaller cases to get around the limit.
The remedy here is money. Orders telling someone to do or stop something sit with higher courts.
Neither side is represented by a lawyer at the hearing. You can consult one before or after.
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.
Monroe County 1st District Court is the courthouse listed for Monroe County. They are the same across all 17 Monroe County ZIP codes, from 48110 onward.
If someone owes you money, up to $7,000, small claims is built for it. These are the disputes residents bring most often.
Monroe County has about 156,045 residents. Monroe County takes in Azalia, Carleton and Dundee 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.
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.
Monroe County 1st District Court publishes its counter hours; they are listed on this page. Monroe County 1st District Court lists (734) 240-7076 as its number.
Filing is only half of it. The defendant has to receive formal notice, a step called service of process, and in most cases you cannot hand over the papers yourself. Michigan courts usually take delivery by delivery arranged by the court, email service where the court allows it, personal delivery by an approved server or the sheriff or constable.
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.
Each court sets how far before the hearing the defendant must be served. The clerk confirms your deadline when the hearing date is set.
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.
Wayne County and Washtenaw County are the counties nearest to Monroe County. Addresses in Monroe County include places such as Azalia, Carleton and Dundee.
There is a cut-off for bringing a case, counted from when the dispute began. Miss it and the claim can be barred entirely.
| What the claim is about | Deadline to file |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 6 years |
| Oral contract | 6 years |
| Property damage | 3 years |
| Personal injury | 3 years |
They do not change from one Monroe County ZIP code to another, 48110 included. Monroe County, population about 156,045, is covered by the table above.
In Michigan, prejudgment interest follows a statutory formula rather than a fixed rate (Mich. Comp. Laws §600.6013).
The Squabble interest calculator shows what the accrued figure comes to on top of the principal.
It is the same rate across all 17 Monroe County ZIP codes. Monroe County is under the same state rate as nearby Wayne County and Washtenaw County.
Verify the figure is inside the limit and that you are still within the deadline for this claim type.
Identify the party precisely, lay out what occurred, and show the arithmetic behind the total.
File with the Monroe 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.
Put the evidence in order, with exhibits marked, so the account is easy to follow.
Turn up on the day, in person or remotely where offered, present what happened, and take the decision.
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.
Monroe County has a population of about 156,045. Azalia, Carleton and Dundee are among the places in Monroe County that filings come from.
Small claims hearings are short and informal. There are no lawyers, and the judge will ask questions directly.
Monroe County has about 156,045 residents. Azalia, Carleton and Dundee are among the Monroe 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.
Where state law allows it, a portion of the debtor's earnings can be redirected to pay what the court ordered.
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.
Courts can also summon the debtor to answer questions about income and property under oath. Until the balance is paid, interest usually continues to run at the statutory rate.
Wayne County and Washtenaw County are the counties nearest to Monroe County. Azalia, Carleton and Dundee are among the Monroe 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 Monroe County case for you.
