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Passaic County resolves money disputes up to $5,000 in the small-claims court: simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
This page sets out the ceiling on claims, what the court charges, the courthouse that covers Passaic 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 Passaic 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.
Passaic County covers 38 ZIP codes, including the Bloomingdale, Clifton and Haledon areas. The nearest counties to Passaic County are Bergen County and Essex County.
Small claims can be filed electronically here, which means the case can begin without going to the counter.
Remote appearance is available for some small claims hearings, depending on the court and the kind of case.
Bring copies of your evidence for the judge and the other side; some courts also accept electronic submission ahead of the hearing.
Residents of Passaic County, New Jersey, a county of 526,597 people, can file small claims cases through the New Jersey Small Claims Court, which handles claims up to $5,000. Cases are heard at the Passaic County Superior Court: Special Civil Part- Small Claims, located at 71 Hamilton Street in Paterson, 07505. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM and is closed on Saturday and Sunday. The court can be reached by phone at (908) 787-1650, and information is posted at http://www.passaiccountynj.org/. The county covers communities including Clifton, Passaic, Wayne, Hawthorne, Totowa, Little Falls, Pompton Lakes, Ringwood, West Milford, Haledon, Bloomingdale, Wanaque, Haskell, Newfoundland, and Paterson itself, along with ZIP codes such as 07011, 07055, 07424, 07470, 07501, and 07506. Passaic County lies near Bergen County, Essex County, and Morris County. Electronic filing is available for small claims matters in this county.
Passaic County covers these 16 towns and cities:
Bloomingdale, Clifton, Haledon, Haskell, Hawthorne, Hewitt, Little Falls, Newfoundland, Passaic, Paterson, Pompton Lakes, Ringwood, Totowa, Wanaque, Wayne, West Milford.
Passaic County is the 9th most populous of New Jersey's 21 counties, with about 526,597 residents. From Paterson, Passaic County Superior Court: Special Civil Part- Small Claims is roughly 4 miles from the Bergen County courthouse in Hackensack and 6 miles from the Essex County courthouse in Newark.
Counties nearest to this one:
Small claims is the court's track for everyday money disputes: simplified rules, and limits on how much you can sue for.
Maximum claim
Where the dispute arose does not set venue in this state; where they live does.
One dispute cannot be broken into several cases to slip under the cap.
The court decides who pays whom and how much. Anything beyond money goes to a higher court.
Lawyers are allowed at a New Jersey 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? Two routes exist: reduce the claim to the cap and stay here, or take the full sum to regular civil court. Reducing it normally forfeits the difference.
These are the limits for Passaic County, population about 526,597. Passaic County is under the same limits as nearby Bergen County and Essex County.
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.
Passaic County takes in Bloomingdale, Clifton and Haledon and the rest of the county. Passaic County Superior Court: Special Civil Part- Small Claims is the Passaic County courthouse listed below.
It's built to be navigable without a lawyer. Here's the shape of a case from start to finish.
Write up what is owed on the claim form, select the courthouse, and settle the filing 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.
Passaic County Superior Court: Special Civil Part- Small Claims publishes its counter hours; they are listed on this page. This is the route a Passaic County case takes, whether it starts in 07011 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. delivery arranged by the court, email service where the court allows it, certified mail or the sheriff or constable is what courts in New Jersey normally accept.
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.
There is a deadline, counted backwards from the hearing, by which the defendant must have the papers. Ask the clerk for it when the date is assigned.
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 Passaic County address carries one of its 38 ZIP codes, 07011, 07012 and 07013 among them. Addresses in Passaic County include places such as Bloomingdale, Clifton and Haledon.
There is a cut-off for bringing a case, counted from when the dispute began. Miss it and the claim can be barred entirely.
| Claim type | Time limit to file |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 6 years |
| Oral contract | 6 years |
| Property damage | 6 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
The same periods apply in Passaic County as in nearby Bergen County and Essex County, which are in the same state. Passaic County, population about 526,597, is covered by the table above.
In New Jersey, prejudgment interest follows a statutory formula rather than a fixed rate (N.J. Ct. R. 4:42-11).
The Squabble interest calculator shows what the accrued figure comes to on top of the principal.
Passaic County is under the same state rate as nearby Bergen County and Essex County. The rate above is the one for Passaic County, population about 526,597.
Confirm the sum sits under the cap and that the time limit for this kind of claim has not run out.
Use the other side's correct legal name, describe the dispute, and show how the money adds up.
File with the Passaic County small-claims court, or e-file, and pay the $42–$82 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.
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.
Passaic County papers go to Passaic County Superior Court: Special Civil Part- Small Claims in Paterson. Passaic County takes in filings from 38 ZIP codes, 07011 first in the list.
Expect a short, informal hearing in which the judge asks the questions. Most people present their own case.
Passaic County Superior Court: Special Civil Part- Small Claims sits at the 07505 address shown above. Passaic County has about 526,597 residents.
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.
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.
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.
Bergen County and Essex County are the counties nearest to Passaic County. Bloomingdale, Clifton and Haledon are among the Passaic County places a judgment debtor may live in.
Information reviewed August 2026. Courts change fees, limits and procedures, so check the current details 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 Passaic County case for you.
