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Money disputes up to $25,000 are settled in the Shelby County small-claims court, which runs on simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
What follows covers the maximum you can claim in Shelby County, court fees, the right courthouse, serving the defendant, the deadlines that apply, and the filing process itself. Squabble handles the documents and the filing if you want that.
Small claims in Shelby 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.
Small claims filings from Shelby County are handled at Shelby County General Sessions Court in Memphis. About 910,530 people live in Shelby County.
Paper filing is the route at this court, either in person or by post. Squabble puts the documents together in the form the clerk expects.
The small claims list is heard in person, at the courthouse itself.
Two sets of evidence are needed, one for the judge and one for the other side, and some courts also take it electronically in advance.
Small claims cases in Shelby County, Tennessee, are heard in the Tennessee General Sessions Court system, and the courthouse serving the county is the Shelby County General Sessions Court, located at 140 Adams Ave, Room 106 (P.O. Box 3824) in Memphis, 38103. The court handles claims up to $25,000. Shelby County has a population of 910,530 and includes Memphis, Germantown, Collierville, Cordova, Arlington, Millington, Brunswick, and Ellendale, along with ZIP codes such as 38002, 38016, 38017, 38053, 38104, and 38111. The county lies near Tipton County, Fayette County, and Lauderdale County. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM and is closed Saturday and Sunday. The court can be reached at (901) 222-3400, and information is posted at http://www.shelbycountytn.gov/. Electronic filing is available for cases in this court. Filings and hearings take place through this General Sessions Court for matters arising within Shelby County.
Shelby County covers these 8 towns and cities:
Arlington, Brunswick, Collierville, Cordova, Ellendale, Germantown, Memphis, Millington.
Shelby County holds about 910,530 people, 1st of the 95 counties in Tennessee. From Memphis, Shelby County General Sessions Court is roughly 18 miles from the Tipton County courthouse in Covington.
Neighbouring counties and the courts that serve them:
Small claims handles money owed between ordinary people and businesses. Procedure is kept light, and claims are capped.
Maximum claim
The county where it happened and the county where they live are both generally available.
Splitting a single claim across multiple filings to dodge the ceiling is not permitted.
A small-claims judge generally orders one side to pay money; other kinds of orders belong in higher courts.
An attorney may appear at the hearing in Tennessee, though nobody has to have one. The process assumes you will speak for yourself.
Where a party is under 18, the court appoints a guardian to act.
This state requires notarized filing documents. Squabble prepares them notarization-ready.
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 Shelby County, population about 910,530. Shelby County is under the same limits as nearby Tipton County and Fayette County.
Debts up to $25,000 belong in this court. These are the arguments people bring most frequently.
Shelby County has about 910,530 residents. Shelby County takes in Arlington, Brunswick and Collierville and the rest of the county.
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.
A short hearing, held in the courtroom or remotely where that is offered. A decision follows on the day or shortly afterwards.
Shelby County General Sessions Court lists (901) 222-3400 as its number. Everything below applies to a case filed in Shelby County, at the Memphis courthouse.
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 usual route in Tennessee is the sheriff or constable, email service where the court allows it, delivery arranged by the court or certified mail.
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.
Each court sets how far before the hearing the defendant must be served. The clerk confirms your deadline when the hearing date is set. Service must be served 15 days before hearing. Courts require original forms to be served.
A completed proof of service records who delivered the papers and when, and it is filed with the court beforehand.
Service is where many self-filed cases stall. Squabble can coordinate professional Service of Process so it's done correctly and on time.
A Shelby County address carries one of its 80 ZIP codes, 37501, 37544 and 38002 among them. Addresses in Shelby County include places such as Arlington, Brunswick and Collierville.
You have a limited window to file, measured from when the dispute arose. File after it closes and your claim can be barred.
| What the claim is about | Time limit to file |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 6 years |
| Oral contract | 6 years |
| Property damage | 3 years |
| Personal injury | 1 year |
They do not change from one Shelby County ZIP code to another, 37501 included. Shelby County, population about 910,530, is covered by the table above.
Money owed under a contract in Tennessee generally accrues interest at 10% per year before judgment (Tenn. Code §47-14-123).
To see what interest has added so far, the Squabble interest calculator works out the running total.
The rate above is the one for Shelby County, population about 910,530. Shelby County is under the same state rate as nearby Tipton County and Fayette County.
Check that the amount is within the limit and that you're inside the statute of limitations for your claim type.
State the party's full legal name, explain the events, and set out the calculation.
File with the Shelby County small-claims court on paper, by mail or at the counter, and pay the $42 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
With a hearing date in hand, organise service and lodge the completed proof with the court.
Put the evidence in order, with exhibits marked, so the account is easy to follow.
Appear in person or, where available, remotely, present your case, and receive the court's 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 →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.
Arlington, Brunswick and Collierville are among the places in Shelby County that filings come from. Shelby County has a population of about 910,530.
The hearing is brief and informal. The judge asks the questions, and most people speak for themselves.
Shelby County General Sessions Court sits at the 38103 address shown above. Arlington, Brunswick and Collierville are among the Shelby 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.
Where state law allows it, a portion of the debtor's earnings can be redirected to pay what the court ordered.
A court-ordered levy allows funds to be taken from the debtor's bank account.
Recording the judgment locally can place a lien against real property in the debtor's name.
You may also apply for an order compelling the debtor to attend and disclose income and assets on oath. Interest generally continues at the rate the state sets until the debt is met.
Tipton County and Fayette County are the counties nearest to Shelby County. Arlington, Brunswick and Collierville are among the Shelby County places a judgment debtor may live in.
Last checked in August 2026. Court fees, limits and procedures move; verify them with the court first.
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 Shelby County case for you.
