Daviess County, Indiana: Small Claims for a Security Deposit

Limits: $10,000 (statewide small claims only). Court: Daviess County Circuit/Superior Court - Small Claims.

Filing facts

State small claims limits	$10,000 (statewide small claims only)
Statewide filing fee	Set by the court; call the clerk or check the court page. Official court website
E-filing	Not verified
Time limit to sue in Indiana	6 years.
State deposit return deadline	45 calendar days after termination of the rental agreement and delivery of possession. tenant has supplied a written mailing address; clock does not run for landlord liability until address is provided in writing.
Penalty formula	tenant may recover all of the security deposit due plus reasonable attorney's fees; failure to provide timely itemization is treated as agreement that no damages are due and full deposit must be remitted. Bad faith required: No.
Deposit statute	Ind. Code §§ 32-31-3-12 to 32-31-3-15

Where to file

Daviess County Circuit/Superior Court - Small Claims

Courthouse city: Washington

Some counties have more than one small claims court, and venue rules differ by state; check which court hears your claim on the court's official page or with the clerk.

Official court website

Court page checked 2026-09-20

See how to file in Indiana for the state filing procedure.

Rent and deposits in Daviess County

County median gross rent: $837 per month.

County median gross rent by bedroom count
Bedrooms	Monthly rent
1 bedroom	$640
2 bedrooms	$888
3 bedrooms	$993
4 bedrooms	$974

Rent estimates for the other bedroom sizes were suppressed or not published by the Census Bureau.

Illustrative deposit example computed from the county median rent: one month of the Census two-bedroom median is $888; two months is $1,776. This is an example computed from the county median, not a legal cap or a survey of deposits. The calculations below use the one-month deposit of $888.

State legal maximum deposit in Indiana: No statewide statutory maximum.

Total households in Daviess County: 11,568.

Renter households: 3,294 (28.5% of all households).

Renters spending more than half their household income on rent: 15.1%. A delayed deposit refund can leave these households with less money for their next rent payment.

County rent and household source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates, tables B25064, B25031, B25003, B25070. Accessed 2026-09-21.

Will my deposit claim fit the limit?

Using the county Census figure: two-bedroom median gross rent for Daviess County, $888 per month.

The deposit range does not include penalties, interest, or other amounts you may claim.

Compared with $10,000 (statewide small claims only), the whole deposit range fits.

A claim above the applicable limit must either be reduced to that limit or go to a different court.

Towns this court serves

A deposit claim is usually filed where the property sits or where the landlord is.

Alfordsville
Cannelburg
Elnora
Montgomery
Odon
Plainville
Washington

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census place-to-county relationship file.

Courthouse details

Address: 200 E. Walnut Street, IN 47501

Phone: 812-254-8669

From the state court directory; not confirmed against the court's own page

Court contact source

Free help in Daviess County

Indiana Legal Services
free civil legal help for eligible low-income Hoosiers in every Indiana county, including eviction defense and help correcting substandard living conditions such as leaks, faulty plumbing, or vermin
Phone: (844) 243-8570

Statewide help

Indianapolis Legal Aid Society
free civil legal help for eligible low-income clients, including housing and landlord-tenant cases such as illegal evictions and security-deposit recovery
Phone: (317) 635-9538

These are independent organisations, not DemandLetterLab.

From letter to filing

Send an Indiana security deposit demand letter stating the deposit amount supported by your records. Give the landlord your forwarding address in writing.
Before you file: review the deposit return deadlines above and allow the typical response window of 45 days after your letter.
Time limit to sue in Indiana: 6 years.
Check the court's filing instructions. Keep your lease, payment records, photos, letter, and proof of delivery ready.

This template uses Indiana law. Your county decides where you file, not which law applies.

Choose how to send your letter

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$49, done for you.

We write the letter from the facts you send, mail it by USPS Certified Mail with tracking, and send you the tracking number and a PDF record of what was sent.

Mailed within 2 business days of your completed form, or a full refund.

Document preparation and mailing, not legal advice. We do not assess your claim, choose a strategy, or promise a recovery.

Write and mail my letter for $49

$29, you send it.

A print-ready PDF of the Indiana letter template, ready to download after payment.

Certified-mail instructions: what to ask for at the counter and what it costs.
Indiana small-claims details: the limit, the deadline to sue, and where to file.

You fill in the template, print it, and pay postage. The same letter template is also available free by email below. The kit adds the print-ready PDF, mailing guide, and local details in one place.

If you cannot access or use the kit files, contact us for a replacement or a full refund.

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Free Indiana template, built from verified state data

Methodology: every statute verified against primary sources. See how verification works.

I rented [rental property address] from [lease start date] to [move-out date]. I paid a security deposit of $[amount]. I returned the keys on [date] and gave you my forwarding address in writing on [date]. Under Indiana law (Ind. Code §§ 32-31-3-12 to 32-31-3-15), a landlord must return the deposit or respond in writing within [45 calendar days, see the note above] after termination of the rental agreement and delivery of possession.

FAQ

How much does it cost to file in Daviess County?

Statewide filing fee: Set by the court; call the clerk or check the court page. Official court website

How long do I have to sue?

Time limit to sue in Indiana: 6 years.

Where do I file?

Daviess County Circuit/Superior Court - Small Claims. Courthouse city: Washington. Check the court's instructions for the right filing location.