In Dakota County, small claims cases up to $7,500 are heard by the Dakota County Court (Small Claims). Here is where it is, how to reach it and how to file.
Phone: 402-987-2145
The directory gives only a mailing address: P.O. Box 385, Dakota City, NE 68731.
Court addresses, phones and hours change. Call the clerk before you go, and ask whether small claims are filed at this location.
File in the county court of the county where the defendant or its agent lives or does business, or where the claim arose. Filing in the wrong county gets the case dismissed and you lose the fee.
If the person or business you are suing is in another county, use that county's court instead. See all Nebraska counties.
Nebraska doesn't require a demand letter before you file, but asking for payment first is a good idea. Make a free demand letter.
Small Claims Complaint (in the Plaintiff's Small Claims Packet, CC 4:20) Get the form.
The filing fee is small: the base fee in state law is $6.25, and with the added state court fees the total is roughly $30. Check the Judicial Branch fee schedule. Service by certified mail, sheriff or process server costs extra. Fee waiver: Affidavit and Application to Proceed Without Payment of Fees (DC 6:7.1).
Choose service by the sheriff (or a constable in Douglas and Lancaster counties), a process server, or certified mail using form CC 4:5. The case can't go to trial until the defendant is served.
The court sets a pretrial or trial date after the defendant is served. Some counties offer mediation first. Bring receipts, photos, messages, the contract and your demand letter, with copies.
Want every detail? The full Nebraska filing guide covers each stage with a checklist.
Open the filing guideSmall claims in Dakota County are filed with the Dakota County Court (Small Claims). Phone: 402-987-2145.
Up to $7,500. You can sue for up to $7,500, not counting interest and costs. The limit rose from $6,000 on July 1, 2025. No one can file more than 2 small claims a week or 10 a year.
The filing fee is small: the base fee in state law is $6.25, and with the added state court fees the total is roughly $30. Check the Judicial Branch fee schedule. Service by certified mail, sheriff or process server costs extra.