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The small-claims court in Boone County handles money disputes up to $5,000, 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 Boone 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.
Small claims in Boone County are heard at the courthouse below. When you file, the court confirms the right location for your case based on where the defendant lives or where your dispute happened.
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.
About 192,154 people live in Boone County. Small claims filings from Boone County are handled at Boone County Circuit Court in Columbia.
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.
Hearings in small claims are attended in person at the courthouse.
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 Boone County, Missouri, a county of 192,154 people, can file small claims cases through the Missouri Small Claims Court at the Boone County Circuit Court, located at 705 E Walnut St in Columbia, 65201. The court handles claims up to $5,000. Its offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and are closed Saturday and Sunday. The court can be reached by telephone at (573) 886-4006, and information is posted at http://www.courts.mo.gov/hosted/circuit13/. Electronic filing is not available for these cases. The county covers Columbia along with Ashland, Centralia, Hallsville, Harrisburg, Hartsburg, Rocheport, and Sturgeon, and includes ZIP codes such as 65010, 65039, 65202, 65203, 65240, 65255, and 65279. Boone County lies near Callaway County, Howard County, and Moniteau County, so parties travelling from those areas reach the same courthouse in Columbia for small claims matters filed in Boone County.
Boone County covers these 8 towns and cities:
Ashland, Centralia, Columbia, Hallsville, Harrisburg, Hartsburg, Rocheport, Sturgeon.
ZIP codes:
About 192,154 people live in Boone County.
Small claims is the court's track for everyday money disputes: simplified rules, and limits on how much you can sue for.
Maximum claim
The county where it happened and the county where they live are both generally available.
One dispute cannot be broken into several cases to slip under the cap.
A small-claims judge generally orders one side to pay money; other kinds of orders belong in higher courts.
An attorney may appear at the hearing in Missouri, though nobody has to have one. The process assumes you will speak for yourself.
A claim involving a minor is brought by a court-appointed guardian.
Over the limit? Either bring the figure down to the maximum and remain in small claims, or file the whole amount in the regular civil court. The amount given up is usually gone for good.
Boone County is under the same limits as nearby Callaway County and Howard County. These are the limits for Boone County, population about 192,154.
Where money is owed and the sum is no more than $5,000, this is the right court. The following disputes are the common ones.
Boone County has about 192,154 residents. Boone County takes in Ashland, Centralia and Columbia 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.
Prepare the claim form, work out which court covers it, and pay the court's charge.
Service puts the papers in the defendant's hands and starts their time to answer or settle.
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 Boone County, at the Columbia courthouse. This is the route a Boone County case takes, whether it starts in 65010 or anywhere else among the county ZIP codes.
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. Missouri courts usually take delivery by certified mail, the sheriff or constable, delivery arranged by the court or email service where the court allows it.
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.
Each court sets how far before the hearing the defendant must be served. The clerk confirms your deadline when the hearing date is set.
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.
Callaway County and Howard County are the counties nearest to Boone County. A Boone County address carries one of its 18 ZIP codes, 65010, 65039 and 65201 among them.
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 | Filing deadline |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 10 years |
| Oral contract | 5 years |
| Property damage | 5 years |
| Personal injury | 5 years |
The same periods apply in Boone County as in nearby Callaway County and Howard County, which are in the same state. Boone County, population about 192,154, is covered by the table above.
Money owed under a contract in Missouri generally accrues interest at 9% per year before judgment (Mo. Rev. Stat. §408.020).
A running total including interest can be worked out with the Squabble interest calculator.
The rate above is the one for Boone County, population about 192,154. Boone County is under the same state rate as nearby Callaway County and Howard County.
Make sure the claim is under the maximum and that the limitation period has not expired.
Identify the party precisely, lay out what occurred, and show the arithmetic behind the total.
File with the Boone County small-claims court on paper, by mail or at the counter, and pay the $25–$50 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
Service comes after the date is set. File the server's proof once the papers have been delivered.
Gather the paperwork and label your exhibits so each point can be shown quickly.
Come to the hearing in person or remotely where permitted, present the facts, and get the ruling.
Go through the events with Eleanor. The documents are prepared, Triple-Checked™ for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and filed for you.
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.
Ashland, Centralia and Columbia are among the places in Boone County that filings come from. Boone County papers go to Boone County Circuit Court in Columbia.
Small claims hearings are short and informal, and the judge asks questions directly. Most people present their own case.
Ashland, Centralia and Columbia are among the Boone County places a hearing can draw parties from. Boone County has about 192,154 residents.
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.
Some states permit part of the debtor's wages to be diverted to the judgment until it is cleared.
Money in the debtor's bank account can be seized under a levy the court orders.
Filing the judgment with the county can attach a lien to land or buildings 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.
Ashland, Centralia and Columbia are among the Boone County places a judgment debtor may live in. Callaway County and Howard County are the counties nearest to Boone County.
Last checked in August 2026. Court fees, limits and procedures move; verify them with the court first.
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 Boone County case for you.
