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Small claims in McKenzie County covers money disputes up to $15,000 and runs on simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
Read on for the claim ceiling, the fees, the courthouse serving McKenzie County, the way the other side is notified, the cut-off dates, and each filing step. Squabble prepares the paperwork and files it on your behalf.
These cases are heard at the single courthouse below. McKenzie 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.
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 14,782 people live in McKenzie County. McKenzie County covers 7 ZIP codes, including the Alexander, Arnegard and Cartwright areas.
Small claims are filed here on paper, at the counter or through the mail. Squabble prepares the full packet before it goes.
The small claims list is heard in person, at the courthouse itself.
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 McKenzie County, North Dakota can bring small claims cases through the North Dakota Small Claims Court, which handles disputes valued at up to $15,000. Cases are filed at the McKenzie County Courthouse in Watford City, located at 201 5th ST NW, Suite 524, 58854. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and is closed Saturday and Sunday. It can be reached by phone at 701-842-8230, and county information is posted at https://mckenziecountynd.gov/. The county has a population of 14,782 and covers communities including Alexander, Arnegard, Cartwright, Grassy Butte, Keene, Mandaree, and Watford City, along with ZIP codes such as 58634, 58757, 58831, 58835, 58838, and 58847. McKenzie County lies near Williams County, Dunn County, and Mountrail County. Electronic filing is not available for small claims cases in this county, so filings are handled at the courthouse during its posted hours.
McKenzie County covers these 7 towns and cities:
Alexander, Arnegard, Cartwright, Grassy Butte, Keene, Mandaree, Watford City.
ZIP codes:
McKenzie County holds about 14,782 people, 10th of the 53 counties in North Dakota.
Everyday disputes over money belong in the small claims division, where the rules are simplified, and the sum in question has an upper bound.
Maximum claim
Either the place the dispute arose or the place the other party lives will usually work.
You can't divide one dispute into several smaller cases to get around the limit.
A small-claims judge generally orders one side to pay money; other kinds of orders belong in higher courts.
Lawyers are allowed at a North Dakota hearing but are not needed. The procedure is written for self-representation.
Minors take part through a guardian appointed by the court.
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.
They are the same across all 7 McKenzie County ZIP codes, from 58634 onward. These are the limits for McKenzie County, population about 14,782.
If someone owes you money, up to $15,000, small claims is built for it. These are the disputes residents bring most often.
McKenzie County takes in Alexander, Arnegard and Cartwright and the rest of the county. McKenzie County has about 14,782 residents.
It's built to be navigable without a lawyer. Here's the shape of a case from start to finish.
Set out the claim on the court's form, identify the correct courthouse, and pay the fee.
Formal notice reaches the other party, who then has a window to respond or resolve it.
The hearing itself is short and informal. Some courts allow video. The ruling comes then or later in writing.
Everything below applies to a case filed in McKenzie County, at the Watford City courthouse. McKenzie County Courthouse lists (701) 444-3616 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. In North Dakota, courts typically use the sheriff or constable, email service where the court allows it, delivery arranged by the court or certified mail.
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.
How long before the hearing notice must be given is set by the court. That deadline arrives with your hearing date. Service must be completed at least 3 days before hearing.
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.
A McKenzie County address carries one of its 7 ZIP codes, 58634, 58757 and 58831 among them. Williams County and Dunn County are the counties nearest to McKenzie County.
A claim has to be filed inside a set period that starts when the dispute arose. After that point the court may decline to hear it.
| Claim type | How long you have |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 6 years |
| Oral contract | 6 years |
| Property damage | 6 years |
| Personal injury | 6 years |
McKenzie County, population about 14,782, is covered by the table above. They do not change from one McKenzie County ZIP code to another, 58634 included.
Money owed under a contract in North Dakota generally accrues interest at 6% per year before judgment (N.D. Cent. Code §47-14-05).
Want to estimate what interest adds to your claim? Use the Squabble interest calculator to see the running total before you file.
McKenzie County is under the same state rate as nearby Williams County and Dunn County. The rate above is the one for McKenzie County, population about 14,782.
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 McKenzie County small-claims court on paper, by mail or at the counter, and pay the $20–$40 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
Once the court fixes a date, have the papers served and return the proof of service to the file.
Organize documents and exhibits so you can present them clearly at the hearing.
Attend the hearing, in person or by video if that is offered, make your case, and receive the outcome.
Go through the events with Eleanor. The documents are prepared, Triple-Checked™ for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and filed for you.
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.
McKenzie County takes in filings from 7 ZIP codes, 58634 first in the list. McKenzie County papers go to McKenzie County Courthouse in Watford City.
Hearings are short and plainly run. Questions come from the judge, and most parties appear without help.
McKenzie County has about 14,782 residents. McKenzie County Courthouse sits at the 58854 address shown above.
The ruling establishes the debt. Recovery is a further step, supported by enforcement measures that are set by each state.
Some states permit part of the debtor's wages to be diverted to the judgment until it is cleared.
With a bank levy, the court reaches funds held in the debtor's account directly.
Recording the judgment with the county can place a lien on the debtor's real property.
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.
Alexander, Arnegard and Cartwright are among the McKenzie County places a judgment debtor may live in. The judgment in a McKenzie County case comes from McKenzie County Courthouse in Watford City.
Reviewed August 2026. Fees, limits and procedures are revised from time to time, so confirm them with the court before you file.
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 McKenzie County case for you.
