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In Strafford County, money disputes up to $10,000 go to the small-claims court: simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
What follows covers the maximum you can claim in Strafford County, court fees, the right courthouse, serving the defendant, the deadlines that apply, and the filing process itself. Squabble handles the documents and the filing if you want that.
Strafford County hears small claims at several hub courthouses. The right one depends on where the defendant lives or where your dispute happened. The court matches your ZIP code to a courthouse.
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.
Strafford County has 2 courthouses listed above; NH Circuit Court (7th Circuit)– District Division: Dover is one of them. About 134,202 people live in Strafford County.
Electronic filing is accepted for small claims at this court, so the opening papers need not be delivered in person.
Small claims are heard at the courthouse, in person.
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 Strafford County, New Hampshire, which has a population of 134,202 and includes communities such as Dover, Rochester, Somersworth, Durham, Barrington, Farmington, and Milton, can bring claims through the New Hampshire Small Claims Court, which handles claims up to $10,000. Cases are filed at the NH Circuit Court (7th Circuit), District Division: Dover, located at 25 St. Thomas Street, Dover, New Hampshire 03820, which can be reached at (855) 212-1234 or online at https://www.courts.nh.gov/your-visit/find-court/strafford-county-district-divisions. The court is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and is closed Saturday and Sunday. Electronic filing is available. The county also contains the Strafford Superior Court Clerk at 259 County Farm Rd #6, Dover, New Hampshire 03820, with the same telephone number and hours. Strafford County covers ZIP codes including 03820, 03824, 03867, and 03878, and it lies near Rockingham County, Belknap County, and Merrimack County.
More than one location takes small claims here. The court matches a case to a location by address.
These 15 places sit inside Strafford County:
Barrington, Center Strafford, Dover, Durham, Farmington, Lee, Madbury, Milton, Milton Mills, New Durham, Rochester, Rollinsford, Somersworth, Strafford, Union.
ZIP codes:
Strafford County holds about 134,202 people, 4th of the 10 counties in New Hampshire. From Dover, NH Circuit Court (7th Circuit)– District Division: Dover is roughly 11 miles from the Rockingham County courthouse in Candia and 19 miles from the Belknap County courthouse in Laconia.
If the other side lives just over the county line, the case may belong next door:
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
The county where it happened and the county where they live are both generally available.
Courts do not allow one dispute to be filed as several in order to beat the maximum.
The remedy here is money. Orders telling someone to do or stop something sit with higher courts.
New Hampshire allows attorneys at the hearing, but none is required. The procedures are designed for self-representation.
Under-18s are represented by a guardian the court appoints.
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.
Strafford County has 2 courthouses listed on this page. They are the same across all 20 Strafford County ZIP codes, from 03815 onward.
If someone owes you money, up to $10,000, small claims is built for it. These are the disputes residents bring most often.
Strafford County has about 134,202 residents. Strafford County takes in Barrington, Center Strafford and Dover 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.
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.
A brief, informal hearing, in person or, where the court offers it, by video. The judge rules at the hearing or sends the decision after.
NH Circuit Court (7th Circuit)– District Division: Dover lists (855) 212-1234 as its number. This is the route a Strafford County case takes, whether it starts in 03815 or anywhere else among the county ZIP codes.
A filed case still has to reach the defendant. Formal notice, known as service of process, does that, and delivering it personally is generally not allowed.
Courts accept service by a sheriff or constable, a professional server, the clerk via certified mail, or an adult who is not party to the case. Permitted methods and charges change by county.
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 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 Strafford County address carries one of its 20 ZIP codes, 03815, 03820 and 03821 among them. Addresses in Strafford County include places such as Barrington, Center Strafford and Dover.
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 | How long you have |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 3 years |
| Oral contract | 3 years |
| Property damage | 3 years |
| Personal injury | 3 years |
They do not change from one Strafford County ZIP code to another, 03815 included. The same periods apply in Strafford County as in nearby Rockingham County and Belknap County, which are in the same state.
In New Hampshire, prejudgment interest follows a statutory formula rather than a fixed rate (N.H. Rev. Stat. §336:1, §524:1-b).
The Squabble interest calculator shows what the accrued figure comes to on top of the principal.
The rate above is the one for Strafford County, population about 134,202. It is the same rate across all 20 Strafford County ZIP codes.
Confirm the sum sits under the cap and that the time limit for this kind of claim has not run out.
Name the correct party, describe what happened, and show how the amount is calculated.
File at the Strafford County hub courthouse for your dispute's ZIP code, or e-file, and pay the $65–$115 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.
Sort the documents and exhibits in advance so they can be handed up in order.
Appear in person or, where available, remotely, present your case, and receive the court's 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 →Claim form starts the case · Proof of service shows the defendant was notified · Fee waiver if you qualify. Exact form names vary by court; Squabble prepares the right ones for your courthouse.
A Strafford County filing goes to one of 2 courthouses, NH Circuit Court (7th Circuit)– District Division: Dover among them. Strafford County takes in filings from 20 ZIP codes, 03815 first in the list.
Small claims hearings are short and informal, and the judge asks questions directly. Most people present their own case.
Barrington, Center Strafford and Dover are among the Strafford County places a hearing can draw parties from. Strafford County hearings are held at one of its 2 listed courthouses, depending on where the case is filed.
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.
Part of the debtor's earnings may be redirected toward the judgment where state law provides for it.
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.
There is also an examination procedure: the debtor is ordered to attend and give sworn answers about earnings and assets. Interest normally accrues at the statutory rate until payment.
Barrington, Center Strafford and Dover are among the Strafford County places a judgment debtor may live in. A Strafford County judgment comes from one of its 2 listed courthouses.
Checked August 2026. Because courts revise fees, limits and procedures, confirm the current position 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 Strafford County case for you.
