Two Carrollton neighbors can be sued by the same debt buyer, on the same kind of credit card account, and end up in courts in different counties with different judges and different courthouses. That's because Carrollton crosses county lines. Before anything else, you need to know which county your lawsuit is in.

Texas Debt Law defends Carrollton residents sued for consumer debt in all of these courts, for a flat fee, mostly by phone, email and e-filing.

Free Case Evaluation(214) 945-0000

Carrollton's Three Counties

Carrollton has about 135,456 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 estimate. About 62% live in Denton County, about 38% live in Dallas County, and a very small number live in Collin County. A debt suit is usually filed in the county and justice precinct where the defendant lives, though the rules allow a few other venues. The county name appears at the top of your citation and petition.

Denton County side

Denton County's Justice of the Peace, Precinct 6 is listed by the county at the Sandy Jacobs Government Center, 1029 W. Rosemeade Parkway, in Carrollton. Denton County has six justice precincts in all, and the county's online precinct search shows which one covers your address. If your case is in a Denton County court at law or district court instead, those courts are in the city of Denton, a much longer trip from Carrollton.

Dallas County side

Dallas County has ten justice courts: five precincts, each with two "places." The county's justice court page includes a map to find the precinct for your address. Dallas County's civil county courts at law and civil district courts are in the George L. Allen, Sr. Courts Building on Commerce Street in downtown Dallas.

Collin County sliver

If you live in the small part of Carrollton in Collin County, a suit may be in a Collin County justice court, or in a county court at law or district court in McKinney.

Why the Court Matters to You

The court decides your deadline and how the case runs:

Justice court (claims up to $20,000): your answer is due by the end of the 14th day after you were served. Suits by debt buyers, collection agencies, banks and lenders follow the justice courts' "debt claim" rules.
County court at law or district court: your answer is due by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday after 20 days. If the plaintiff moves for summary judgment (for motions filed on or after March 1, 2026), your response is due 21 days after the motion is filed.

Our answer deadline calculator helps you estimate the date. If the courthouse is in Denton, McKinney or downtown Dallas, you may be picturing a lot of driving. In practice, most of what we do (answers, discovery, motions, negotiation) happens through e-filing and correspondence, and we let you know ahead of time if a hearing needs you in person.

How We Defend Carrollton Debt Cases

Our approach is the same in every county, even though the courts differ:

We file your answer before the deadline so no default judgment can be taken.
We demand the plaintiff's proof: the account agreement, statements, and for a debt buyer, the documents showing it owns your account.
We check the dates. Texas generally allows four years to sue on a debt, and a debt buyer can't sue on a time-barred consumer debt.
We check the math, including interest and fees added after charge-off.
We look at how the collector treated you. Abusive or deceptive collection can support claims under the FDCPA and Texas Debt Collection Act.

Then we pursue dismissal, defend the case at trial, or negotiate a settlement, depending on the evidence and your goals.

Flat-Fee Pricing

Flat fees start at $400 and depend on the amount of the lawsuit. 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

Free Resources by County

These are public resources, not part of our firm:

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas serves eligible low-income residents in Denton, Dallas and Collin counties, with offices listed in Denton, Dallas and McKinney: legalaidtx.org.
Denton County: Justice of the Peace Precinct 6 page and the Denton County Law Library.
Dallas County: the Justice of the Peace Courts page with its precinct map, and the public Dallas County Law Library in the George Allen Courts Building.
Collin County: the Justice Courts page with an interactive precinct map.

Carrollton FAQs

How do I know whether I live in the Denton County or Dallas County part of Carrollton?

Your appraisal notice, property tax bill or voter registration card shows your county. Each county's website also has a precinct lookup. If you're still unsure, send us your citation; it names the county and court.

Is the Denton County justice court actually in Carrollton?

Yes. Denton County lists its Justice of the Peace, Precinct 6 office at the Sandy Jacobs Government Center on W. Rosemeade Parkway in Carrollton. Higher Denton County courts are in Denton.

I moved from the Dallas County side to the Denton County side. Where will I be sued?

Usually where you live when the suit is filed, but venue rules have exceptions. If you think the case was filed in the wrong county or precinct, that's something we can raise.

Can a creditor take my wages?

No. Current wages can't be garnished for consumer debt in Texas. Homesteads are generally exempt, and personal property is protected up to $50,000 for a single adult or $100,000 for a family.

More answers are in our debt lawsuit Q&A. If a judgment has already been entered, see our page on post-judgment settlement.

Talk to Us Today

Call or text (214) 945-0000, or start your free case evaluation online. Se habla español. We also help clients in neighboring Lewisville and Dallas.

Helpful guides

General information, not legal advice for your case.