Henrico and Chesterfield Small Claims Court: Filing Guide

Small Claims in the Richmond Metro Suburbs

Henrico County and Chesterfield County wrap around the City of Richmond on the north and south, forming the core suburban ring of the Richmond metro area. Each county has its own General District Court with a Small Claims Division — same statewide rules, but the city-county boundaries create venue traps that catch Richmond-area filers regularly.

Henrico County General District Court

Location: 4309 East Parham Road, Henrico, VA 23273-0775 (civil cases are heard at the Parham Road courthouse in the eastern part of the county)

The civil clerk's office accepts small claims filings at the counter during business hours and by mail. Standard Virginia fees: $35–$38 for claims up to $500, $50–$57 for $500.01–$5,000, plus $12 per defendant for sheriff service.

Henrico is one of Virginia's most populated counties and its small claims docket reflects a broad mix of cases: contractor disputes, landlord-tenant security deposit claims, unpaid invoices, and consumer refund actions. The county's commercial corridors along West Broad Street and Midlothian Turnpike host many retail and service businesses, making business-entity disputes common.

Chesterfield County General District Court

Location: 9500 Courthouse Road, Chesterfield, VA 23832

Chesterfield's courthouse is near the county seat. The civil clerk's office handles filings at the counter and by mail. Same fee schedule.

Chesterfield has a large suburban residential base with significant growth in the Midlothian and Chester areas. Common small claims cases include home improvement contractor disputes, property damage claims (tree and fence disputes between neighbors are frequent in the county's older subdivisions), and auto repair disagreements.

The City-County Venue Trap

Here's the issue that catches Richmond-area filers: Richmond, Henrico, and Chesterfield share borders, and addresses can be confusing. A defendant with a "Richmond" mailing address may actually live in Henrico or Chesterfield — the U.S. Postal Service uses "Richmond" as the city name for many suburban addresses in both counties.

Check the actual jurisdiction, not the mailing address. You can verify using:

• The county's real property search tool (shows whether an address falls within city or county lines)
• The Virginia courts case information system (search by defendant name to see which court has prior filings)
• The clerk's office — call and ask whether a specific address falls within their jurisdiction

Filing in the wrong court doesn't always doom your case — venue isn't jurisdictional in Virginia, so the case can proceed unless the defendant objects. But a timely venue challenge forces a transfer, adds delay, and may cost you the filing fee at the new court.

Venue Rules

Under Va. Code § 8.01-262, file in either county's court if:

• The defendant resides or has a principal place of employment in that county
• The defendant's principal place of business is there
• The cause of action arose there
• The defendant's registered agent is located there (check SCC CIS)

If the defendant lives in Henrico but the dispute arose in Richmond, both courts have valid venue. Choose the one that's most convenient — but verify you have a statutory basis for your choice.

Local Tips

Service: Both the Henrico and Chesterfield Sheriff's Offices handle civil process. If service fails at the provided address, you'll need an updated address or posted service. To seek a default judgment, mail a copy by first-class mail at least 10 days before trial and file Form DC-413 with the clerk on or before the return date.

Mediation: Both counties offer voluntary mediation on civil cases. In the Richmond metro area, mediation is particularly useful for neighbor disputes where the parties will continue living next to each other — a negotiated agreement often sticks better than a court-imposed judgment.

Return dates: Both courts set hearing dates 30–60 days from filing. Henrico, with its larger docket, may schedule slightly further out during busy periods.

For complete filing instructions and post-judgment collection tools, the Virginia small claims filing guide covers every step.

See more Virginia guides →