Lee County Small Claims Court
Filing in Lee County
Lee County small claims cases are heard in the County Court of the 20th Judicial Circuit, which also covers Charlotte, Collier, Glades, and Hendry counties. The Lee County Justice Center in Fort Myers is the primary courthouse for civil filings.
The small claims division covers disputes up to $8,000 under Fla. Stat. § 34.01. You can file through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com) or in person at the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Fort Myers.
Lee County's economy runs on construction, tourism, and property management — contractor disputes, security deposit claims, and unpaid service invoices make up a significant share of the small claims docket.
Filing Fees
Lee County follows the statewide fee schedule:
| Claim Amount | Filing Fee |
|---|---|
| Less than $100 | $55 |
| $100 – $500 | $80 |
| $500.01 – $2,500 | $175 |
| $2,500.01 – $8,000 | $300 |
Add $10 per summons and service costs. E-filing charges 3.5% for credit card or $5.00 for e-check.
Filers who qualify under 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines can apply for civil indigent status (Fla. Stat. § 57.082), which waives filing fees, summons fees, and Sheriff service costs.
Service of Process
Three options for serving the defendant:
- Lee County Sheriff — $40 per defendant for personal service
- Certified process server — private servers charge $45 to $85 and can be faster
- Clerk's certified mail — available for defendants living in Lee County; the defendant or someone authorized to receive mail at the defendant's residence or principal place of business must sign the return receipt
You cannot serve the papers yourself. The Return of Service must be filed with the clerk before your pretrial date. If service fails, request an alias summons. Rule 7.070(b) sets a 120-day initial service period; if you request extra time before it expires, the rule provides another 120 days.
For business defendants, verify the legal entity name and registered agent on Sunbiz (search.sunbiz.org). Southwest Florida has many small contractors operating under trade names — naming only the DBA on your Statement of Claim leads to service failures and delays.
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The Pretrial Conference
The clerk schedules a pretrial conference within 50 days of filing. Both parties must attend.
This is a mediation session, not the trial. Bring your documents: the contract, invoices, photos, repair estimates, and a written summary of damages. Leave witnesses at home.
Any agreement reached at mediation must be in a written stipulation; the court may enter the stipulation as an order. If mediation reaches an impasse, the court sets a trial date within 60 days. If the defendant doesn't appear, the clerk enters a default — on a fixed-amount claim, the judge can enter a default final judgment immediately.
Venue
File in Lee County if the defendant lives here, the breach or damage happened here, or the property is located here. Since the 20th Circuit covers five counties, make sure you file with the Lee County Clerk specifically — each county in the circuit maintains its own clerk and docket.
For the full Lee County filing process — from the demand letter through the hearing and collecting your judgment — our Florida Small Claims Filing Guide walks through every step across all 67 Florida counties.
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