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In Addison County, money disputes up to $5,000 go to the small-claims court: simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
What follows covers the maximum you can claim in Addison 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 Addison 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.
Addison County covers 17 ZIP codes, including the Bridport, Bristol and East Middlebury areas. The nearest counties to Addison County are Chittenden County and Washington 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.
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 Addison County, Vermont, a county of about 38,047 people, can bring small claims cases through the Vermont Small Claims Court, which handles claims up to $5,000. Cases are heard at the Addison County District Court in Middlebury, located at 7 Mahady Ct, Middlebury, Vermont 05753. The court can be reached by telephone at (802) 388-4237, and information is published at http://www.vermontjudiciary.org. Electronic filing is not available for these cases, so filings are handled in paper form. The county covers communities including Bridport, Bristol, East Middlebury, Ferrisburgh, Granville, Hancock, Middlebury, Monkton, New Haven, North Ferrisburgh, Orwell, Ripton, Salisbury, Shoreham, Starksboro, Vergennes, and Whiting, and its ZIP codes include 05443, 05456, 05469, 05472, 05473, 05487, 05491, 05734, 05740, 05747, 05748, 05753, 05760, 05766, 05769, 05770, and 05778. Addison County lies near Chittenden County, Washington County, and Rutland County, each of which has its own courts serving those areas.
A case filed here usually comes from one of these 17 communities:
Bridport, Bristol, East Middlebury, Ferrisburgh, Granville, Hancock, Middlebury, Monkton, New Haven, North Ferrisburgh, Orwell, Ripton, Salisbury, Shoreham, Starksboro, Vergennes, Whiting.
ZIP codes:
Of Vermont's 14 counties, Addison County is 7th by population at roughly 38,047 people. Addison County District Court, in Middlebury, is about 16 miles from the Chittenden County courthouse in Burlington and 17 miles from the Washington County courthouse in Montpelier.
If the other side lives just over the county line, the case may belong next door:
Small claims handles money owed between ordinary people and businesses. Procedure is kept light, and claims are capped.
Maximum claim
You can generally file where the dispute happened or where the other party lives.
A single argument stays a single case; it cannot be carved up to fit the limit.
The court decides who pays whom and how much. Anything beyond money goes to a higher court.
Vermont 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? 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.
They are the same across all 17 Addison County ZIP codes, from 05443 onward. Addison County District Court is the courthouse listed for Addison County.
Debts up to $5,000 belong in this court. These are the arguments people bring most frequently.
Addison County has about 38,047 residents. Addison County takes in Bridport, Bristol and East Middlebury 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.
Fill in the claim, pick the courthouse that covers the dispute, and pay what the court charges.
The other side is formally served and has the chance to respond, or to settle before the hearing.
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.
Addison County District Court lists (802) 388-4237 as its number. Everything below applies to a case filed in Addison County, at the Middlebury courthouse.
The defendant must be given formal notice after filing. This is service of process, and as a rule you are not permitted to serve the papers yourself.
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.
Courts set their own cut-off for how many days before the hearing notice must land. The clerk gives you that date along with the hearing date.
The person who delivered the papers signs a proof of service. That document goes to the court ahead of 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 Addison County address carries one of its 17 ZIP codes, 05443, 05456 and 05469 among them. Chittenden County and Washington County are the counties nearest to Addison County.
The right to bring a claim expires. The period is measured from the moment the dispute arose, and once it has run the court can refuse the case.
| Kind of claim | How long you have |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 6 years |
| Oral contract | 6 years |
| Property damage | 3 years |
| Personal injury | 3 years |
Addison County, population about 38,047, is covered by the table above. They do not change from one Addison County ZIP code to another, 05443 included.
Money owed under a contract in Vermont generally accrues interest at 12% per year before judgment (9 V.S.A. §41a; Vt. R. Civ. P. 54).
Interest can be calculated before filing using the Squabble interest calculator.
It is the same rate across all 17 Addison County ZIP codes. The rate above is the one for Addison County, population about 38,047.
Verify the figure is inside the limit and that you are still within the deadline for this claim type.
Identify the party precisely, lay out what occurred, and show the arithmetic behind the total.
File with the Addison County small-claims court on paper, by mail or at the counter, and pay the $50–$75 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
With a hearing date in hand, organise service and lodge the completed proof with the court.
Organize documents and exhibits so you can present them clearly at the hearing.
Turn up on the day, in person or remotely where offered, present what happened, and take the 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 →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.
Bridport, Bristol and East Middlebury are among the places in Addison County that filings come from. Addison County papers go to Addison County District Court in Middlebury.
Small claims hearings are short and informal, and the judge asks questions directly. Most people present their own case.
Bridport, Bristol and East Middlebury are among the Addison County places a hearing can draw parties from. Addison County District Court sits at the 05753 address shown above.
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.
Wage garnishment, where the state permits it, sends part of the debtor's pay toward the judgment.
Funds can be collected directly from the debtor's bank account through a court-ordered levy.
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.
Bridport, Bristol and East Middlebury are among the Addison County places a judgment debtor may live in. Chittenden County and Washington County are the counties nearest to Addison County.
Checked August 2026. Because courts revise fees, limits and procedures, confirm the current position 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 Addison County case for you.
