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The small-claims court in Rice County handles money disputes up to $20,000, 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 Rice 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.
Rice County runs several hub courthouses for these cases. Assignment follows the ZIP code of the defendant or of the dispute itself.
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.
Rice County has 2 courthouses listed above; Rice County Courthouse is one of them. The nearest counties to Rice County are Le Sueur County and Steele County.
Small claims can be filed electronically here, which means the case can begin without going to the counter.
Hearings in small claims are attended in person at the courthouse.
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 Rice County, Minnesota, bring small claims cases through the Minnesota Conciliation Court, which handles disputes up to $20,000. Cases are filed at the Rice County Courthouse in Faribault, located at 218 3rd St NW, 55021. The clerk's office is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and Thursday from 8:45 AM to 4:30 PM, with the courthouse closed Saturday and Sunday. The court can be reached at (507) 332-6100, and general county information is posted at http://www.co.rice.mn.us/. Electronic filing is available. Rice County has a population of 69,025 and covers communities including Faribault, Northfield, Lonsdale, Dundas, Morristown, Nerstrand, Warsaw and Webster, along with ZIP codes such as 55021, 55057, 55019, 55046, 55052, 55053, 55087 and 55088. The county lies near Le Sueur County, Steele County and Dakota County. Conciliation Court proceedings in Rice County are conducted at the Faribault courthouse during the posted weekday hours.
More than one location takes small claims here. The court matches a case to a location by address.
These 8 places sit inside Rice County:
Dundas, Faribault, Lonsdale, Morristown, Nerstrand, Northfield, Warsaw, Webster.
ZIP codes:
Of Minnesota's 87 counties, Rice County is 14th by population at roughly 69,025 people. Rice County Courthouse sits about 7 miles from the Steele County courthouse in Owatonna and 21 miles from the Dakota County courthouse in West St Paul.
Counties nearest to this one:
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.
A single argument stays a single case; it cannot be carved up to fit the limit.
A small-claims judge generally orders one side to pay money; other kinds of orders belong in higher courts.
Minnesota conciliation court rules allow a party to be represented by a lawyer admitted to practice in Minnesota, and the judge decides the extent and manner in which the lawyer participates at the trial (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 512(d), as amended effective July 1, 2026). Corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and similar entities may instead appear through an officer, manager, partner, or authorized employee under Minn. Stat. 491A.02, subd. 4.
Minors take part through a guardian appointed by the court.
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.
They are the same across all 8 Rice County ZIP codes, from 55019 onward. Rice County is under the same limits as nearby Le Sueur County and Steele County.
Debts up to $20,000 belong in this court. These are the arguments people bring most frequently.
Rice County has about 69,025 residents. Rice County takes in Dundas, Faribault and Lonsdale 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.
This is the route a Rice County case takes, whether it starts in 55019 or anywhere else among the county ZIP codes. Rice County Courthouse publishes its counter hours; they are listed on this page.
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.
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.
How long before the hearing notice must be given is set by the court. That deadline arrives with your 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.
Le Sueur County and Steele County are the counties nearest to Rice County. Addresses in Rice County include places such as Dundas, Faribault and Lonsdale.
There is a cut-off for bringing a case, counted from when the dispute began. Miss it and the claim can be barred entirely.
| Type of claim | Time limit to file |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 6 years |
| Oral contract | 6 years |
| Property damage | 6 years |
| Personal injury | 6 years |
Rice County, population about 69,025, is covered by the table above. They do not change from one Rice County ZIP code to another, 55019 included.
In Minnesota, prejudgment interest follows a statutory formula rather than a fixed rate (Minn. Stat. §549.09).
Interest can be calculated before filing using the Squabble interest calculator.
The rate above is the one for Rice County, population about 69,025. Rice County is under the same state rate as nearby Le Sueur County and Steele County.
Make sure the claim is under the maximum and that the limitation period has not expired.
State the party's full legal name, explain the events, and set out the calculation.
File at the Rice County hub courthouse for your dispute's ZIP code, or e-file, and pay the $35–$75 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
With a hearing date in hand, organise service and lodge the completed proof with the court.
Organize documents and exhibits so you can present them clearly at the hearing.
Attend, in the courtroom or by video where the court allows it, put your case, and hear the ruling.
Tell Eleanor what happened and Squabble builds the filing, Triple-Checks™ it for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and files it on your behalf.
Start for FREE →A claim form opens the case, a proof of service records that notice was given, and a fee waiver applies where you qualify. Titles differ between courts, and Squabble uses the ones your courthouse expects.
Dundas, Faribault and Lonsdale are among the places in Rice County that filings come from. A Rice County filing goes to one of 2 courthouses, Rice County Courthouse among them.
Hearings are short and plainly run. Questions come from the judge, and most parties appear without help.
Rice County has about 69,025 residents. Dundas, Faribault and Lonsdale are among the Rice County places a hearing can draw parties from.
The decision settles who owes what. Turning it into money is a separate stage, and the tools the court makes available differ by state.
Where state law allows it, a portion of the debtor's earnings can be redirected to pay what the court ordered.
A levy lets the court reach money sitting in the debtor's bank account.
Lodging the judgment with the county can create a lien over property 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.
Le Sueur County and Steele County are the counties nearest to Rice County. Dundas, Faribault and Lonsdale are among the Rice 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 Rice County case for you.
