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Money disputes up to $10,000 are settled in the Duplin County small-claims court, which runs on simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
Below is what you need for a small claims case in Duplin 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. Duplin 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.
Duplin County covers 12 ZIP codes, including the Albertson, Beulaville and Calypso areas. The nearest counties to Duplin County are Lenoir County and Sampson County.
You can open a small claims case here online, without travelling to the courthouse to hand the papers in.
Small claims are heard at the courthouse, in person.
Evidence is copied for the judge and for the opposing side; electronic submission ahead of time is accepted at some courts.
Residents of Duplin County, North Carolina, a county of about 50,539 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 Duplin County Courthouse, located at 112 Duplin St in Kenansville, 28349. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM and is closed Saturday and Sunday. It can be reached by phone at (910) 275-7000, and further information is posted at https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/duplin-county/duplin-county-courthouse. The court serves communities across the county, including Beulaville, Wallace, Warsaw, Rose Hill, Faison, Magnolia, Calypso, Teachey, Chinquapin, Albertson, Pink Hill, and Kenansville, covering ZIP codes such as 28466, 28458, 28398, and 28453. Duplin County lies near Lenoir County, Sampson County, and Wayne County. Electronic filing is available in this county, in addition to filings made at the courthouse during its regular business hours.
Duplin County covers these 12 towns and cities:
Albertson, Beulaville, Calypso, Chinquapin, Faison, Kenansville, Magnolia, Pink Hill, Rose Hill, Teachey, Wallace, Warsaw.
ZIP codes:
Duplin County is the 51st most populous of North Carolina's 100 counties, with about 50,539 residents. From Kenansville, Duplin County Courthouse is roughly 15 miles from the Lenoir County courthouse in Kinston and 10 miles from the Sampson County courthouse in Clinton.
If the other side lives just over the county line, the case may belong next door:
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
Where the dispute arose does not set venue in this state; where they live does.
Courts do not allow one dispute to be filed as several in order to beat the maximum.
The court decides who pays whom and how much. Anything beyond money goes to a higher court.
North Carolina permits lawyers at the hearing without requiring them. Everything is built around people presenting their own case.
A claim involving a minor is brought by a court-appointed guardian.
Over the limit? Claims over the cap can go two ways: cut to the limit and stay, or move to regular civil court at full value. Cutting it normally waives the excess.
Duplin County is under the same limits as nearby Lenoir County and Sampson County. These are the limits for Duplin County, population about 50,539.
Where money is owed and the sum is no more than $10,000, this is the right court. The following disputes are the common ones.
Duplin County takes in Albertson, Beulaville and Calypso and the rest of the county. Duplin County has about 50,539 residents.
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.
A short hearing, held in the courtroom or remotely where that is offered. A decision follows on the day or shortly afterwards.
Duplin County Courthouse publishes its counter hours; they are listed on this page. This is the route a Duplin County case takes, whether it starts in 28325 or anywhere else among the county ZIP codes.
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. North Carolina courts usually take delivery by delivery arranged by the court, email service where the court allows it 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. Service must be completed within 5 days of hearing. NC has close hearing dates.
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.
A Duplin County address carries one of its 12 ZIP codes, 28325, 28341 and 28349 among them. Addresses in Duplin County include places such as Albertson, Beulaville and Calypso.
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.
| Type of claim | Filing deadline |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 3 years |
| Oral contract | 3 years |
| Property damage | 3 years |
| Personal injury | 3 years |
The same periods apply in Duplin County as in nearby Lenoir County and Sampson County, which are in the same state. They do not change from one Duplin County ZIP code to another, 28325 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).
The Squabble interest calculator shows what the accrued figure comes to on top of the principal.
It is the same rate across all 12 Duplin County ZIP codes. The rate above is the one for Duplin County, population about 50,539.
Check that the amount is within the limit and that you're inside the statute of limitations for your claim type.
Use the other side's correct legal name, describe the dispute, and show how the money adds up.
File with the Duplin County small-claims court, or e-file, and pay the $30–$96 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.
Gather the paperwork and label your exhibits so each point can be shown quickly.
Appear in person or, where available, remotely, present your case, and receive the court's decision.
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 →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.
Albertson, Beulaville and Calypso are among the places in Duplin County that filings come from. Duplin County has a population of about 50,539.
Expect a short, informal hearing in which the judge asks the questions. Most people present their own case.
Duplin County has about 50,539 residents. Albertson, Beulaville and Calypso are among the Duplin County places a hearing can draw parties from.
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.
A levy lets the court reach money sitting in the debtor's bank account.
Recording the judgment locally can place a lien against real property in the debtor's name.
You may also apply for an order compelling the debtor to attend and disclose income and assets on oath. Interest generally continues at the rate the state sets until the debt is met.
Lenoir County and Sampson County are the counties nearest to Duplin County. The judgment in a Duplin County case comes from Duplin County Courthouse in Kenansville.
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 Duplin County case for you.
