Do i have to go to state check is from to sue...read below?

my husband and son worked on a house for 11 days. The woman paid my husband cash and my son a check. We had to leave the state to return by the next day and at the time, banks were closed. When he went to cash the check, the lady had put a stop payment on the check. I was told that he would have to file a small claim in magistrate court where she lives. Is this true? There is no way he can make the trip so will he just have to lose out on the $1000?