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Craven County resolves money disputes up to $10,000 in the small-claims court: simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
Below is what you need for a small claims case in Craven 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.
One courthouse takes small claims for Craven 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.
Craven County covers 12 ZIP codes, including the Bridgeton, Cherry Point and Cove City areas. About 104,167 people live in Craven County.
This court takes small-claims filings electronically, so the case can be started from home.
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.
Residents of Craven County, North Carolina, a county of 104,167 people, can bring small claims cases through the North Carolina Small Claims Court, which handles claims up to $10,000. Cases are heard at the Craven County Courthouse in New Bern, located at 302 Broad St, 28560. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and is closed Saturday and Sunday. It can be reached by phone at (252) 639-3000, and information is posted at https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/craven-county/craven-county-courthouse. The court serves communities across the county, including New Bern, Havelock, Vanceboro, Cove City, Dover, Bridgeton, Ernul, and Cherry Point, covering ZIP codes such as 28560, 28562, 28532, 28526, and 28586. Craven County lies near Pamlico County, Jones County, and Beaufort County. Electronic filing is available in this county, in addition to filings made at the courthouse during its posted hours.
A case filed here usually comes from one of these 8 communities:
Bridgeton, Cherry Point, Cove City, Dover, Ernul, Havelock, New Bern, Vanceboro.
ZIP codes:
Craven County is the 28th most populous of North Carolina's 100 counties, with about 104,167 residents. From New Bern, Craven County Courthouse is roughly 8 miles from the Pamlico County courthouse in Bayboro and 9 miles from the Jones County courthouse in Trenton.
If the other side lives just over the county line, the case may belong next door:
Small claims handles money owed between ordinary people and businesses. Procedure is kept light, and claims are capped.
Maximum claim
The other side's home county governs here, regardless of where events took place.
Splitting a single claim across multiple filings to dodge the ceiling is not permitted.
Judgments take the form of money owed; other kinds of relief are heard elsewhere.
Lawyers are allowed at a North Carolina hearing but are not needed. The procedure is written for self-representation.
Where a party is under 18, the court appoints a guardian to act.
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.
Craven County is under the same limits as nearby Pamlico County and Jones County. Craven County Courthouse is the courthouse listed for Craven County.
If someone owes you money, up to $10,000, small claims is built for it. These are the disputes residents bring most often.
Craven County takes in Bridgeton, Cherry Point and Cove City and the rest of the county. Craven County Courthouse is the Craven County courthouse listed below.
It's built to be navigable without a lawyer. Here's the shape of a case from start to finish.
Complete the claim form, choose the right court, and pay the filing fee.
The other side is formally served and has the chance to respond, or to settle before the hearing.
A short hearing, held in the courtroom or remotely where that is offered. A decision follows on the day or shortly afterwards.
Everything below applies to a case filed in Craven County, at the New Bern courthouse. Craven County Courthouse lists (252) 639-3000 as its number.
After you file, the other party must be formally notified. This is called service of process. You generally cannot serve the papers yourself. Courts in North Carolina generally rely on delivery arranged by the court, email service where the court allows it or the sheriff or constable.
A sheriff, a constable, a professional server, the court clerk using certified mail, or an uninvolved adult can all serve papers, depending on local rules. Fees and permitted methods vary.
Every court fixes a minimum number of days between service and the hearing. The clerk will tell you what it is for your case. Service must be completed within 5 days of hearing. NC has close hearing dates.
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.
Addresses in Craven County include places such as Bridgeton, Cherry Point and Cove City. Pamlico County and Jones County are the counties nearest to Craven County.
Every claim carries a filing window that opens when the dispute happens. Once it closes, the court can turn the case away.
| What the claim is about | Time limit to file |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 3 years |
| Oral contract | 3 years |
| Property damage | 3 years |
| Personal injury | 3 years |
Craven County, population about 104,167, is covered by the table above. They do not change from one Craven County ZIP code to another, 28519 included.
Money owed under a contract in North Carolina generally accrues interest at 8% per year before judgment (N.C. Gen. Stat. §24-1, §24-5).
A running total including interest can be worked out with the Squabble interest calculator.
It is the same rate across all 12 Craven County ZIP codes. Craven County is under the same state rate as nearby Pamlico County and Jones County.
Two checks first: the amount must fall within the ceiling, and the claim must still be in time.
Get the defendant's legal name right, set out the events, and break down how the figure is reached.
File with the Craven County small-claims court, or e-file, and pay the $30–$96 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.
Organize documents and exhibits so you can present them clearly at the hearing.
Turn up on the day, in person or remotely where offered, present what happened, and take the decision.
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.
Craven County takes in filings from 12 ZIP codes, 28519 first in the list. Craven County papers go to Craven County Courthouse in New Bern.
Hearings are short and plainly run. Questions come from the judge, and most parties appear without help.
Craven County Courthouse sits at the 28560 address shown above. Bridgeton, Cherry Point and Cove City are among the Craven 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.
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.
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.
Bridgeton, Cherry Point and Cove City are among the Craven County places a judgment debtor may live in. Pamlico County and Jones County are the counties nearest to Craven 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 Craven County case for you.
