Austin is the state capital, the Travis County seat and a city of about 993,588 people (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 estimate). About 93% of Austin residents live in Travis County and about 7% in Williamson County, with a very small part of the city in Hays County. So if a credit card company or debt buyer sues you, the first thing to pin down is which county's court the case was filed in. For Travis County that means Austin. For Williamson County it can mean Georgetown.

Texas Debt Law defends Austin residents in consumer debt lawsuits for flat fees. Our principal office is in Frisco, and we handle most of the work by phone, email and e-filing.

Free Case Evaluation(512) 503-2010

If Your Case Is in Travis County

Justice courts. Travis County has five justice of the peace precincts, each with one judge, and posts a precinct map. The county describes these courts as handling, among other things, lawsuits over debts. They hear claims up to $20,000 (Gov't Code § 27.031). Travis County also publishes a step-by-step civil filing guide for people without lawyers and accepts e-filing through eFileTexas.

County and district courts. Larger claims go to the civil county courts or the district courts. Travis County's civil courts page lists County Court #1 and County Court #2 and twelve civil district courts, all at the Civil and Family Courts Facility, 1700 Guadalupe Street, in downtown Austin.

If Your Case Is in Williamson County

Parts of north Austin are in Williamson County. A case there is a Williamson County case, even with an Austin address.

Justice courts. Williamson County has four justice court precincts, one judge each. The county says its justice courts hear civil suits with up to $20,000 in controversy, that every party has the right to request a jury, and that you can find your precinct on your voter registration card or with the county's address search.

County and district courts. Williamson County's five county courts at law and its district courts are at the Justice Center, 405 Martin Luther King Street, in Georgetown, the county seat.

Your Deadline Depends on the Court, Not the County

Justice court: file your answer by the end of the 14th day after you were served (Tex. R. Civ. P. 502.5).
County court at law or district court: file by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday after 20 days have passed since service (Tex. R. Civ. P. 99(b)). If the plaintiff later moves for summary judgment, your response is due 21 days after the motion is filed, for motions filed on or after March 1, 2026 (Rule 166a).

Our answer deadline calculator will give you the date. No answer means the plaintiff can ask for a default judgment.

Free Legal Resources in Austin

Travis County Law Library. The Lora J. Livingston Travis County Law Library is on the second floor of the Civil and Family Courts Facility. It offers research tools, court forms, librarian help and legal aid referrals. Its reference attorneys focus on family law, expunctions and driver's license matters. Law library site.
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. TRLA lists both Travis and Williamson among the counties it serves and has an Austin office. Free help is limited to people who qualify. TRLA offices.

These organizations are independent of our firm.

Common Problems in Austin Debt Lawsuits

Debt buyers file many of these cases after purchasing charged-off accounts. To win, the plaintiff must connect itself to your account through the assignment records and prove the balance. We often see:

A bill of sale that doesn't identify your specific account
Generic affidavits from the plaintiff's employees with no first-hand knowledge
Balances that include interest or fees the contract doesn't allow
Accounts that went into default more than 4 years before suit (Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004); a debt buyer can't sue on time-barred consumer debt at all (Fin. Code § 392.307)

Collection conduct matters too. If a collector misrepresented the debt or crossed other lines, you may have claims under the FDCPA or the Texas Debt Collection Act. See our Austin FDCPA page and our statewide FDCPA page.

Flat-Fee Pricing

We quote one flat fee based on the amount of the lawsuit, starting at $400. Payment plans are available.

Amount of the Lawsuit	Our Flat Legal Fee	Payment Plan
Less than $1,000	$400	Up to 2 months
$1,001 – $3,000	$500	Up to 2 months
$3,001 – $5,000	$750	Up to 3 months
$5,001 – $7,500	$1,000	Up to 4 months
$7,501 – $10,000	$1,250	Up to 6 months
$10,001 – $12,500	$1,500	Up to 6 months
$12,501 – $15,000	$1,750	Up to 6 months
$15,001 – $20,000	$2,000	Up to 6 months
Over $20,000	Call for Pricing

Questions From Austin Residents

I live in Austin. Why was I sued in Williamson County?

Because part of Austin is in Williamson County. If your home is in that part of the city, Williamson County is a normal place for the case. If your home is in Travis County and you were sued in Williamson County, venue may be worth challenging.

My citation names Travis County Court #2. Is that different from justice court?

Yes. It's a county court, so the 20-day answer rule under Rule 99(b) applies instead of the 14-day justice court rule, and the procedures are more formal, including summary judgment motions.

Do I need to go downtown to 1700 Guadalupe?

Not to answer. We file electronically. If the court sets a hearing or trial that requires you, we'll tell you ahead of time.

Can they garnish my paycheck if they win?

Not for consumer debt. Texas protects current wages from garnishment (Tex. Const. art. XVI, § 28), and your homestead and up to $50,000 in personal property ($100,000 for a family) are generally exempt (Property Code chs. 41 and 42). Bank accounts are where the risk usually lies. See post-judgment debt settlement.

Talk to Us

Start with a free case evaluation, or read our debt lawsuit questions. We also represent clients in Round Rock and Pflugerville.

Helpful guides

General information, not legal advice for your case.