Figuring out small claims court in dayton is a headache

I'm trying to file a claim for about 1,400 dollars after a contractor basically ghosted me halfway through a fence repair last month. I've got the invoices and all the texts saved, but the Montgomery County municipal court website is a maze. I spent about two hours yesterday just trying to figure out if I need to file downtown or at the regional branch.

I've been looking at some of the local filing guides just to make sure I don't mess up the paperwork and get the whole thing thrown out. It seems like if you miss one signature or don't serve them the right way, you're back to square one. I’ve already spent 85 dollars on the filing fee and I don't want to waste more.

Does anyone know if the mediators at the court are actually helpful or if I should just prepare for a full hearing? I’m mostly worried about the "proof of service" part since the guy won't answer his door. If anyone has gone through this recently at the 41 N Perry St building, let me know if there are specific windows that are faster to get through.