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The small-claims court in Carter County handles money disputes up to $25,000, with simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
Below is what you need for a small claims case in Carter 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.
Small claims in Carter 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.
Confirm the courthouse before you file. The court's own small-claims page carries its current filing location and hours, and Squabble confirms the courthouse for your case when you file.
About 57,434 people live in Carter County. Small claims filings from Carter County are handled at Carter County Courthouse in Elizabethton.
Small claims can be filed electronically here, which means the case can begin without going to the counter.
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.
In Carter County, Tennessee, small claims cases are heard in the Tennessee General Sessions Court, which handles civil claims up to $25,000. The court sits at the Carter County Courthouse in Elizabethton, located at 801 E Elk Ave, Elizabethton, 37643, and the courthouse can be reached by telephone at (423) 542-1801. The county has a population of 57,434 and includes the communities of Elizabethton, Hampton, Milligan College, Roan Mountain, and Watauga, along with the ZIP codes 37643, 37644, 37658, 37682, 37687, and 37694. Carter County lies near Sullivan County, Johnson County, and Washington County, each of which has its own General Sessions Court for matters arising there. Electronic filing is available in Carter County, so case documents may be submitted electronically as well as at the courthouse. Parties with questions about filing a claim, court procedures, or the status of a case can contact the Carter County Courthouse directly using the telephone number listed above.
These 5 places sit inside Carter County:
Elizabethton, Hampton, Milligan College, Roan Mountain, Watauga.
ZIP codes:
Carter County holds about 57,434 people, 29th of the 95 counties in Tennessee. Carter County Courthouse sits about 7 miles from the Sullivan County courthouse in Blountville and 12 miles from the Johnson County courthouse in Mountain City.
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
Filing is generally possible in the county of the events or the county of the defendant.
A single argument stays a single case; it cannot be carved up to fit the limit.
What this court awards is a sum of money, not an instruction to act or to hand something back.
Lawyers are allowed at a Tennessee hearing but are not needed. The procedure is written for self-representation.
Minors take part through a guardian appointed by the court.
This state requires notarized filing documents. Squabble prepares them notarization-ready.
Over the limit? A claim above the ceiling can be trimmed to fit, or filed in full in the ordinary civil court. Trimming generally means writing off the remainder.
Carter County is under the same limits as nearby Sullivan County and Johnson County. Carter County Courthouse is the courthouse listed for Carter County.
This court handles money claims to a ceiling of $25,000. Below are the kinds of case filed most often.
Carter County takes in Elizabethton, Hampton and Milligan College and the rest of the county. Carter County Courthouse is the Carter 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.
Formal notice reaches the other party, who then has a window to respond or resolve it.
Expect a brief session rather than a trial, in person or by video where available, with a decision at the end or soon after.
This is the route a Carter County case takes, whether it starts in 37643 or anywhere else among the county ZIP codes. Everything below applies to a case filed in Carter County, at the Elizabethton courthouse.
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. the sheriff or constable, email service where the court allows it, delivery arranged by the court or certified mail is what courts in Tennessee 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.
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 must be served 15 days before hearing. Courts require original forms to be served.
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.
Sullivan County and Johnson County are the counties nearest to Carter County. Addresses in Carter County include places such as Elizabethton, Hampton and Milligan College.
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 | 6 years |
| Oral contract | 6 years |
| Property damage | 3 years |
| Personal injury | 1 year |
The same periods apply in Carter County as in nearby Sullivan County and Johnson County, which are in the same state. They do not change from one Carter County ZIP code to another, 37643 included.
Money owed under a contract in Tennessee generally accrues interest at 10% per year before judgment (Tenn. Code §47-14-123).
Want to estimate what interest adds to your claim? Use the Squabble interest calculator to see the running total before you file.
Carter County is under the same state rate as nearby Sullivan County and Johnson County. The rate above is the one for Carter County, population about 57,434.
Two checks first: the amount must fall within the ceiling, and the claim must still be in time.
Identify the party precisely, lay out what occurred, and show the arithmetic behind the total.
File with the Carter County small-claims court, or e-file, and pay the $25–$75 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
After the hearing date is issued, arrange delivery of the papers and file the proof with the court.
Sort the documents and exhibits in advance so they can be handed up in order.
Attend, in the courtroom or by video where the court allows it, put your case, and hear the ruling.
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 →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.
Carter County papers go to Carter County Courthouse in Elizabethton. Carter County takes in filings from 6 ZIP codes, 37643 first in the list.
Expect a short, informal hearing in which the judge asks the questions. Most people present their own case.
Carter County has about 57,434 residents. Elizabethton, Hampton and Milligan College are among the Carter County places a hearing can draw parties from.
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.
Where the law allows, an employer can be directed to send part of the debtor's pay to the court.
A court-ordered levy allows funds to be taken from the debtor's bank account.
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.
Elizabethton, Hampton and Milligan College are among the Carter County places a judgment debtor may live in. Sullivan County and Johnson County are the counties nearest to Carter 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 Carter County case for you.
