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In Putnam County, money disputes up to $5,000 go to the small-claims court: simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
Here you will find the claim limit that applies in Putnam County, what filing costs, where the case is heard, how the defendant is served, the deadlines, and the order of steps. Squabble can take the preparation and filing off your hands.
Putnam County hears small claims at the courthouse listed here, with the venue confirmed at filing from the defendant's address or the location of the dispute.
Tap a courthouse to see its details in the list below.
Unsure where to file? The court publishes a locator that turns a ZIP code into a courthouse, and Squabble handles that step for you. Coverage is updated periodically, so verify before filing.
Putnam Supreme and County Court, in Carmel Hamlet, is the courthouse listed for Putnam County. About 98,409 people live in Putnam County.
Small claims can be filed electronically here, which means the case can begin without going to the counter.
Small claims hearings are held in person at the courthouse.
Have copies of your evidence for the bench and for the other party. Some courts take documents electronically before the hearing as well.
Putnam County, New York, has a population of 98,409 and handles small claims matters through its City, Town and Village Courts, where the claim limit is $5,000. The Putnam Supreme and County Court is located in Carmel Hamlet at 20 County Center, 10512, and can be reached at (845) 208-7800. The county covers communities including Brewster, Carmel, Cold Spring, Garrison, Lake Peekskill, Mahopac, Mahopac Falls, Patterson and Putnam Valley, along with ZIP codes such as 10509, 10512, 10516, 10524, 10537, 10541, 10542, 10579 and 12563. Putnam County lies near Westchester County, Dutchess County and Rockland County, so residents of those areas sometimes have matters connected to Putnam County courts. Electronic filing is available in this county, in addition to filings made in person. A small claims case in Putnam County is heard within the City, Town and Village Court structure rather than in a separate small claims courthouse, and the 5000 dollar limit applies to the amount claimed.
These 9 places sit inside Putnam County:
Brewster, Carmel, Cold Spring, Garrison, Lake Peekskill, Mahopac, Mahopac Falls, Patterson, Putnam Valley.
ZIP codes:
With about 98,409 residents, Putnam County ranks 29th by population among the 62 counties of New York. From Carmel Hamlet, Putnam Supreme and County Court is roughly 14 miles from the Westchester County courthouse in White Plains and 12 miles from the Dutchess County courthouse in Poughkeepsie.
Counties nearest to this one:
The small claims track exists for routine money disputes: fewer formalities, and a cap on what can be claimed.
Maximum claim
This state ties venue to the defendant's residence rather than to the events.
Courts do not allow one dispute to be filed as several in order to beat the maximum.
Judgments take the form of money owed; other kinds of relief are heard elsewhere.
New York 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? 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.
They are the same across all 9 Putnam County ZIP codes, from 10509 onward. Putnam Supreme and County Court is the courthouse listed for Putnam 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.
Putnam County takes in Brewster, Carmel and Cold Spring and the rest of the county. Putnam Supreme and County Court is the Putnam 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.
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.
Everything below applies to a case filed in Putnam County, at the Carmel Hamlet courthouse. This is the route a Putnam County case takes, whether it starts in 10509 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. personal delivery by an approved server, the sheriff or constable, delivery arranged by the court, email service where the court allows it or certified mail is what courts in New York 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.
How long before the hearing notice must be given is set by the court. That deadline arrives with your hearing date. Service 8 days before hearing. Court handles Proof of service since they do service.
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.
Westchester County and Dutchess County are the counties nearest to Putnam County. Addresses in Putnam County include places such as Brewster, Carmel and Cold Spring.
There is a cut-off for bringing a case, counted from when the dispute began. Miss it and the claim can be barred entirely.
| What the claim is about | Filing deadline |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 6 years |
| Oral contract | 6 years |
| Property damage | 3 years |
| Personal injury | 3 years |
The same periods apply in Putnam County as in nearby Westchester County and Dutchess County, which are in the same state. They do not change from one Putnam County ZIP code to another, 10509 included.
Money owed under a contract in New York generally accrues interest at 9% per year before judgment (N.Y. CPLR §5001-5004).
Interest can be calculated before filing using the Squabble interest calculator.
It is the same rate across all 9 Putnam County ZIP codes. The rate above is the one for Putnam County, population about 98,409.
Verify the figure is inside the limit and that you are still within the deadline for this claim type.
State the party's full legal name, explain the events, and set out the calculation.
File with the Putnam County small-claims court, or e-file, and pay the $15–$20 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.
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.
Talk with Eleanor about what happened. Squabble prepares the documents, runs a Triple-Check™ for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and files your case 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.
Putnam County has a population of about 98,409. Brewster, Carmel and Cold Spring are among the places in Putnam County that filings come from.
Hearings are short and plainly run. Questions come from the judge, and most parties appear without help.
Putnam Supreme and County Court sits at the 10512 address shown above. Brewster, Carmel and Cold Spring are among the Putnam County places a hearing can draw parties from.
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.
Money in the debtor's bank account can be seized under a levy the court orders.
Filing the judgment with the county can attach a lien to land or buildings the debtor owns.
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.
Brewster, Carmel and Cold Spring are among the Putnam County places a judgment debtor may live in. The judgment in a Putnam County case comes from Putnam Supreme and County Court in Carmel Hamlet.
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 Putnam County case for you.
