Present your case as quickly as possible. Take copies of documents or other items that you will present as evidence. You will probably have the opportunity to ask questions of the other party and possibly your own or other witnesses. Do not be argumentative if you are asking questions or if you are being asked questions. Be as brief as possible.
Some states allow service by registered or certified mail.
In other states, the clerk's office will send out the papers to the defendant, or otherwise deliver them. After you have won your small claims case, you may find that the defendant still is unwilling to pay. The judge will not play a role in collecting the debt. You will have to do that yourself. There are many ways in which you can collect these debts.