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The small-claims court in Union County handles money disputes up to $12,000, with simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
Here you will find the claim limit that applies in Union 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.
Union 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.
Check the filing location first. The court's small-claims page lists where papers are taken today, and Squabble confirms it for your case as part of filing.
Small claims filings from Union County are handled at Union County (South Dakota) Clerk of Courts in Elk Point. The nearest counties to Union County are Clay County and Lincoln County.
Filings here are on paper, brought to the counter or posted. Squabble assembles the packet so it is complete when it arrives.
Small claims hearings are held in person at the courthouse.
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 Union County, South Dakota, a county of 17,402 people that includes Alcester, Beresford, Elk Point, Jefferson, and North Sioux City, can bring small claims cases through the South Dakota Small Claims Court. Claims in this court are limited to $12,000. Filings for the county are handled by the Union County (South Dakota) Clerk of Courts, located at 209 E Main St in Elk Point, 57025. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM and is closed Saturday and Sunday. The clerk's office can be reached at (605) 356-2132, and information about the state court system is available at https://ujs.sd.gov/. Electronic filing is not available for small claims cases in this county, so paperwork is handled through the clerk's office. The county covers the ZIP codes 57001, 57004, 57025, 57038, and 57049, and it lies near Clay County, Lincoln County, and Yankton County, each of which maintains its own court offices.
Union County covers these 5 towns and cities:
Alcester, Beresford, Elk Point, Jefferson, North Sioux City.
ZIP codes:
Union County is the 13th most populous of South Dakota's 66 counties, with about 17,402 residents. Union County (South Dakota) Clerk of Courts in Elk Point lies around 7 miles from the Clay County courthouse in Vermillion and 21 miles from the Lincoln County courthouse in Canton.
If the other side lives just over the county line, the case may belong next door:
This is the part of the court built for ordinary money arguments. The procedure is stripped back, and there is a ceiling on the amount at stake.
Maximum claim
You can generally file where the dispute happened or where the other party lives.
One dispute cannot be broken into several cases to slip under the cap.
The remedy here is money. Orders telling someone to do or stop something sit with higher courts.
South Dakota permits lawyers at the hearing without requiring them. Everything is built around people presenting their own case.
Where a party is under 18, the court appoints a guardian to act.
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.
Union County (South Dakota) Clerk of Courts is the courthouse listed for Union County. These are the limits for Union County, population about 17,402.
This court handles money claims to a ceiling of $12,000. Below are the kinds of case filed most often.
Union County has about 17,402 residents. Union County (South Dakota) Clerk of Courts is the Union County courthouse listed below.
It's built to be navigable without a lawyer. Here's the shape of a case from start to finish.
Prepare the claim form, work out which court covers it, and pay the court's charge.
The defendant receives the papers through formal service and can reply or negotiate an end to it.
The hearing is informal and quick, sometimes by video, and the judge decides on the spot or sends the outcome later.
Union County (South Dakota) Clerk of Courts lists (605) 356-2132 as its number. Union County (South Dakota) Clerk of Courts publishes its counter hours; they are listed on this page.
Once the case is on file, the law requires the other side to be told about it formally. That step is service of process, and the papers cannot normally come from your own hand.
The options usually include a sheriff or constable, a licensed process server, certified mail sent by the clerk, or any adult with no stake in the case. What is allowed, and what it costs, differs from county to county.
Each court sets how far before the hearing the defendant must be served. The clerk confirms your deadline when the hearing date is set.
Whoever serves the papers completes a proof of service, which is filed with the court 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.
An Union County address carries one of its 5 ZIP codes, 57001, 57004 and 57025 among them. Addresses in Union County include places such as Alcester, Beresford and Elk Point.
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.
| Kind of claim | How long you have |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 6 years |
| Oral contract | 6 years |
| Property damage | 6 years |
| Personal injury | 3 years |
The same periods apply in Union County as in nearby Clay County and Lincoln County, which are in the same state. Union County, population about 17,402, is covered by the table above.
Money owed under a contract in South Dakota generally accrues interest at 10% per year before judgment (S.D. Codified Laws §21-1-13.1, §54-3-16).
The Squabble interest calculator shows what the accrued figure comes to on top of the principal.
The rate above is the one for Union County, population about 17,402. Union County is under the same state rate as nearby Clay County and Lincoln County.
Confirm the sum sits under the cap and that the time limit for this kind of claim has not run out.
Identify the party precisely, lay out what occurred, and show the arithmetic behind the total.
File with the Union County small-claims court on paper, by mail or at the counter, and pay the $25–$50 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
With a hearing date in hand, organise service and lodge the completed proof with the court.
Gather the paperwork and label your exhibits so each point can be shown quickly.
Attend, in the courtroom or by video where the court allows it, put your case, and hear the ruling.
Tell Eleanor what happened and Squabble builds the filing, Triple-Checks™ it for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and files it on your behalf.
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.
Union County takes in filings from 5 ZIP codes, 57001 first in the list. Alcester, Beresford and Elk Point are among the places in Union County that filings come from.
Small claims hearings are short and informal, and the judge asks questions directly. Most people present their own case.
Union County (South Dakota) Clerk of Courts sits at the 57025 address shown above. Alcester, Beresford and Elk Point are among the Union County places a hearing can draw parties from.
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.
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.
Recording the judgment with the county can place a lien on the debtor's real property.
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.
Alcester, Beresford and Elk Point are among the Union County places a judgment debtor may live in. Clay County and Lincoln County are the counties nearest to Union County.
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 Union County case for you.
