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Small claims in Mercer County covers money disputes up to $20,000 and runs on simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
Here you will find the claim limit that applies in Mercer 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.
Mercer 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.
Mercer County Magistrate Court, in Princeton, is the courthouse listed for Mercer County. The nearest counties to Mercer County are Summers County and Raleigh County.
Small claims are filed here on paper, at the counter or through the mail. Squabble prepares the full packet before it goes.
Hearings in small claims are attended in person at the courthouse.
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.
Residents of Mercer County, West Virginia, who wish to file a small claims case do so through the West Virginia Magistrate Court, which handles claims up to $20,000. The Mercer County Magistrate Court is located in Princeton at 120 Scott Street Suite 101, 24740, and it is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and closed Saturday and Sunday. The court can be reached by telephone at 304-325-3774, and information about the lower courts is posted at http://www.courtswv.gov/lower-courts. Electronic filing is not available, so filings are handled at the courthouse. The county has a population of 57,524 and includes communities such as Bluefield, Bramwell, Athens, Matoaka, Montcalm, and Spanishburg, along with ZIP codes including 24701, 24712, 24715, 24739, and 24740. Mercer County lies near Summers County, Raleigh County, and Wyoming County. Cases filed in Mercer County are heard by the magistrates serving this county rather than those in the nearby counties.
These 19 places sit inside Mercer County:
Athens, Beeson, Bluefield, Bramwell, Camp Creek, Flat Top, Freeman, Hiawatha, Kegley, Kellysville, Lashmeet, Lerona, Matoaka, Montcalm, Nemours, Princeton, Rock, Spanishburg, Wolfe.
ZIP codes:
With about 57,524 residents, Mercer County ranks 9th by population among the 55 counties of West Virginia. From Princeton, Mercer County Magistrate Court is roughly 14 miles from the Raleigh County courthouse in Beckley.
Counties nearest to this one:
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
Two venues are usually open: where events took place, or where the other side is based.
Courts do not allow one dispute to be filed as several in order to beat the maximum.
The court decides who pays whom and how much. Anything beyond money goes to a higher court.
West Virginia permits lawyers at the hearing without requiring them. Everything is built around people presenting their own case.
Under-18s are represented by a guardian the court appoints.
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.
They are the same across all 20 Mercer County ZIP codes, from 24701 onward. Mercer County is under the same limits as nearby Summers County and Raleigh County.
If someone owes you money, up to $20,000, small claims is built for it. These are the disputes residents bring most often.
Mercer County Magistrate Court is the Mercer County courthouse listed below. Mercer County has about 57,524 residents.
It's built to be navigable without a lawyer. Here's the shape of a case from start to finish.
Complete the claim form, choose the right court, and pay the filing fee.
Service puts the papers in the defendant's hands and starts their time to answer or settle.
Expect a brief session rather than a trial, in person or by video where available, with a decision at the end or soon after.
Mercer County Magistrate Court lists (304) 431-7115 as its number. Mercer County Magistrate Court publishes its counter hours; they are listed on this page.
Filing is only half of it. The defendant has to receive formal notice, a step called service of process, and in most cases you cannot hand over the papers yourself.
Courts accept service by a sheriff or constable, a professional server, the clerk via certified mail, or an adult who is not party to the case. Permitted methods and charges change by county.
There is a deadline, counted backwards from the hearing, by which the defendant must have the papers. Ask the clerk for it when the date is assigned.
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.
Summers County and Raleigh County are the counties nearest to Mercer County. A Mercer County address carries one of its 20 ZIP codes, 24701, 24712 and 24714 among them.
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 | Deadline to file |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 10 years |
| Oral contract | 5 years |
| Property damage | 2 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
They do not change from one Mercer County ZIP code to another, 24701 included. The same periods apply in Mercer County as in nearby Summers County and Raleigh County, which are in the same state.
In West Virginia, prejudgment interest follows a statutory formula rather than a fixed rate (W. Va. Code §56-6-31).
Interest can be calculated before filing using the Squabble interest calculator.
Mercer County is under the same state rate as nearby Summers County and Raleigh County. The rate above is the one for Mercer County, population about 57,524.
Check that the amount is within the limit and that you're inside the statute of limitations for your claim type.
Use the other side's correct legal name, describe the dispute, and show how the money adds up.
File with the Mercer 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).
Service comes after the date is set. File the server's proof once the papers have been delivered.
Gather the paperwork and label your exhibits so each point can be shown quickly.
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 →You will meet a claim form, a proof of service, and possibly a fee waiver. What each is called depends on the court, and Squabble matches them to your courthouse.
Athens, Beeson and Bluefield are among the places in Mercer County that filings come from. Mercer County has a population of about 57,524.
Hearings are short and plainly run. Questions come from the judge, and most parties appear without help.
Mercer County Magistrate Court sits at the 24740 address shown above. Athens, Beeson and Bluefield are among the Mercer County places a hearing can draw parties from.
The ruling establishes the debt. Recovery is a further step, supported by enforcement measures that are set by each state.
Part of the debtor's earnings may be redirected toward the judgment where state law provides for it.
A levy lets the court reach money sitting in the debtor's bank account.
Filing the judgment with the county can attach a lien to land or buildings the debtor owns.
You can also ask the court to order the debtor to appear and disclose income and assets under oath. An unpaid judgment generally keeps accruing interest at the rate state law sets until it's satisfied.
Summers County and Raleigh County are the counties nearest to Mercer County. Athens, Beeson and Bluefield are among the Mercer 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 Mercer County case for you.
