If you live in Garland and you've been served with a debt lawsuit, the paperwork will name a Dallas County court. It might be the justice court right in Garland. It might be a county court at law in downtown Dallas. The difference changes your deadline, the rules the case follows, and how much is at stake if you do nothing.

Texas Debt Law defends Garland residents sued by credit card issuers, debt buyers and collection agencies, for a flat fee, in English or Spanish.

Free Case Evaluation(214) 945-0000

How Dallas County's Courts Are Set Up

Garland is a Dallas County city of about 250,431 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 estimate. Unlike some of its neighbors, it doesn't straddle a county line, so a debt suit against a Garland resident will almost always be in Dallas County.

Ten justice courts, organized by precinct and place

Dallas County has five justice of the peace precincts, and each precinct has two "places," for a total of ten justice courts. Each one has its own elected judge. According to the county, Precinct 2, Place 1 sits at the county's Garland office, 140 N. Garland Avenue, and Precinct 2, Place 2 sits at the Mesquite Government Center.

So a citation that reads "Justice Court, Precinct 2, Place 1" means your case is in Garland. A debt suit is usually filed in the precinct where you live, but the rules allow a few other venues, and not every Garland address is necessarily in Precinct 2. Dallas County publishes an online map to look up your justice precinct.

Justice courts handle claims up to $20,000. When a debt buyer, collection agency, bank or lender sues there, the case is a "debt claim case" with its own rules about what the petition must contain and what evidence the plaintiff needs for a default judgment.

County courts at law and district courts in downtown Dallas

Bigger cases go downtown. Dallas County's five county courts at law have civil jurisdiction that overlaps with the district courts, and the county places both its civil county courts and civil district courts at the George L. Allen, Sr. Courts Building, 600 Commerce Street, Dallas. A credit card suit for more than $20,000, or one the plaintiff simply chose to file there, will be heard in that building.

Deadlines for Garland Defendants

Count from the day you were served:

Garland justice court (or any Dallas County justice court): answer by the end of the 14th day.
County court at law or district court downtown: answer by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday after 20 days.
Summary judgment in county or district court: for motions filed on or after March 1, 2026, the response is due 21 days after the motion is filed.

Use our answer deadline calculator to estimate your date. Missing it can lead to a default judgment, which can be followed by bank account garnishment, liens on non-exempt property and added court costs and interest.

Our Fees

We charge one flat fee based on the amount of the suit, 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

What We Do After You Call

Read the papers. We identify the court, the plaintiff and the deadline, and check whether service was done properly.
File your answer. That stops the default clock and puts the plaintiff's lawyers on notice that you're represented.
Test the claim. Can a debt buyer prove it owns the account? Is the debt past the four-year limitations period? (Debt buyers can't sue on time-barred consumer debt.) Do the records support the balance?
Resolve it. We push for dismissal where the evidence falls short, prepare for trial where needed, or negotiate a settlement if that's what makes sense for you.

If a collector harassed you, lied to you or contacted your employer, you may also have your own claim. See our page on FDCPA and Texas Debt Collection Act cases.

Free Help Available in Dallas County

These are independent public resources:

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas serves eligible low-income residents in Dallas County. Its locations page lists a Dallas office and a pro se assistance location in the George Allen Courts Building.
Dallas County Law Library, open to the public in the basement of the George Allen Courts Building, with research computers and staff who can point you to materials: dallascounty.org.
Dallas County Justice of the Peace Courts, with each court's location and the precinct lookup map: dallascounty.org.
Dallas County courts portal, where you can check the status of a case: courtsportal.dallascounty.org.

Garland Debt Lawsuit FAQs

What does "Place 1" or "Place 2" mean on my citation?

In Dallas County, each justice precinct has two judges, called places. Precinct 2, Place 1 is in Garland and Precinct 2, Place 2 is in Mesquite. The precinct and place together tell you exactly which court has your case.

My case is in a county court at law. Do I have to go downtown?

The court is in downtown Dallas, but much of a county court case happens through written filings. We file electronically and tell you ahead of time if a hearing needs you there.

Can they garnish my paycheck from my Garland job?

No. Texas does not allow garnishment of current wages for consumer debt. After a judgment, though, a creditor can try to garnish a bank account, which is why it matters to answer on time.

I found out about the lawsuit after the judgment. Is it too late?

Not always. Depending on timing and how you were served, a default judgment may be challenged. If not, we can negotiate a post-judgment settlement.

For more, read our debt lawsuit Q&A.

Free Case Evaluation for Garland Residents

Call or text (214) 945-0000 or tell us about your case online. We also defend clients in nearby Mesquite and Dallas.

Helpful guides

General information, not legal advice for your case.