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In Philadelphia County, money disputes up to $12,000 go to the small-claims court: simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
Below is what you need for a small claims case in Philadelphia 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.
Philadelphia 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.
About 1,573,916 people live in Philadelphia County. Philadelphia County covers 86 ZIP codes, including the Philadelphia areas.
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.
Bring copies of your evidence for the judge and the other side; some courts also accept electronic submission ahead of the hearing.
Residents of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, which has a population of 1,573,916, can bring small claims cases through the Pennsylvania Magisterial District Court system. In this county, such cases are handled by the Philadelphia Municipal Court, located at 1339 Chestnut St 10th Floor, Philadelphia, 19107. The claim limit is $12,000. The court is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and is closed Saturday and Sunday. It can be reached by phone at 215-686-7988, and further information is posted at http://courts.phila.gov/municipal/civil/. The county consists of the city of Philadelphia and covers ZIP codes including 19102, 19103, 19104, 19106, 19107, 19111, 19119, 19120, and 19123. Philadelphia County lies near Delaware County, Montgomery County, and Bucks County. Electronic filing is not available for these cases, so filings are handled at the courthouse during its posted hours.
Philadelphia County covers:
Philadelphia.
Philadelphia County is the 1st most populous of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, with about 1,573,916 residents. Philadelphia Municipal Court, in Philadelphia, is about 9 miles from the Delaware County courthouse in Glenn Mills and 8 miles from the Montgomery County courthouse in Norristown.
If the other side lives just over the county line, the case may belong next door:
Small claims is the court's track for everyday money disputes: simplified rules, and limits on how much you can sue for.
Maximum claim
Either the place the dispute arose or the place the other party lives will usually work.
Splitting a single claim across multiple filings to dodge the ceiling is not permitted.
What this court awards is a sum of money, not an instruction to act or to hand something back.
Lawyers are allowed at a Pennsylvania 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.
Philadelphia County is under the same limits as nearby Delaware County and Montgomery County. They are the same across all 86 Philadelphia County ZIP codes, from 19019 onward.
If someone owes you money, up to $12,000, small claims is built for it. These are the disputes residents bring most often.
Philadelphia County has about 1,573,916 residents. Philadelphia Municipal Court is the Philadelphia County courthouse listed below.
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.
The other side is formally served and has the chance to respond, or to settle before the hearing.
The hearing is informal and quick, sometimes by video, and the judge decides on the spot or sends the outcome later.
Philadelphia Municipal Court publishes its counter hours; they are listed on this page. Philadelphia Municipal Court lists (215) 686-7987 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. delivery arranged by the court, email service where the court allows it, certified mail, the sheriff or constable or personal delivery by an approved server is what courts in Pennsylvania normally accept.
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 at least 10 days before hearing. With exception of Philadelphia, all counties do certified mail.
After delivery, the server fills out a proof of service, and that goes on the court file before 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 Philadelphia County address carries one of its 86 ZIP codes, 19019, 19092 and 19093 among them. Addresses in Philadelphia County include places such as Philadelphia.
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 | 4 years |
| Oral contract | 4 years |
| Property damage | 2 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
Philadelphia County, population about 1,573,916, is covered by the table above. They do not change from one Philadelphia County ZIP code to another, 19019 included.
Money owed under a contract in Pennsylvania generally accrues interest at 6% per year before judgment (41 P.S. §202).
A running total including interest can be worked out with the Squabble interest calculator.
The rate above is the one for Philadelphia County, population about 1,573,916. Philadelphia County is under the same state rate as nearby Delaware County and Montgomery County.
Confirm the sum sits under the cap and that the time limit for this kind of claim has not run out.
Get the defendant's legal name right, set out the events, and break down how the figure is reached.
File with the Philadelphia County small-claims court, or e-file, and pay the $90 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.
Put the evidence in order, with exhibits marked, so the account is easy to follow.
Turn up on the day, in person or remotely where offered, present what happened, and take the 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 →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.
Philadelphia are among the places in Philadelphia County that filings come from. Philadelphia County has a population of about 1,573,916.
Expect a short, informal hearing in which the judge asks the questions. Most people present their own case.
Philadelphia Municipal Court sits at the 19107 address shown above. Philadelphia County has about 1,573,916 residents.
Winning and being paid are two different things. The judgment records what is owed; collecting it is its own process, backed by court remedies that vary from state to state.
Where the law allows, an employer can be directed to send part of the debtor's pay to the court.
Money in the debtor's bank account can be seized under a levy the court orders.
Registering the judgment at county level can fix a lien on real estate the debtor holds.
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.
The judgment in a Philadelphia County case comes from Philadelphia Municipal Court in Philadelphia. Philadelphia are among the Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia County case for you.
