Houston is home to about 2,390,125 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 estimate, and about 98% of them live in Harris County. A smaller slice of the city sits in Fort Bend County, and a small piece reaches into Montgomery County. That matters if you have been served with a debt lawsuit, because the county named at the top of your citation decides which courts, clerks and procedures you deal with.

Texas Debt Law defends Houstonians sued by credit card banks, debt buyers, collection agencies and personal or auto lenders. We file the answer, make the plaintiff prove its case, and look for violations of debt collection law that can be raised against the collector.

Free Case Evaluation(281) 407-1327

How Harris County's Courts Handle Debt Cases

Houston is the Harris County seat, and the county's court system has more layers than most. Here is what the county's own websites say about the three levels of court where a Houston debt case can land.

16 justice courts in 8 precincts

According to the Harris County Justice Courts, the county has 8 justice court precincts with 2 places each, for 16 courts in all. Their offices are spread across the county, from downtown Houston to Pasadena, Baytown, Humble and Klein (see the county's court contact list). Justice courts hear debt claims of up to $20,000, which covers most credit card suits.

The county itself warns that the nearest court may not be the court where your case was filed. Don't assume your case is in the courthouse closest to your home. Read the precinct and place on your citation, or look the case up on the county's justice court case search.

County Civil Courts at Law

Harris County has five County Civil Courts at Law, located in the Harris County Civil Courthouse at 201 Caroline in downtown Houston, according to the courts' official site. They hear civil cases with up to $250,000 in controversy, so larger loan balances and credit card suits over $20,000 are often filed there.

District courts

Some claims are filed in the civil district courts, whose records are kept by the Harris County District Clerk. Debt buyers file there less often, but deficiency claims after a vehicle repossession and large personal loans sometimes end up in district court.

Your Deadline Depends on Which Court Sued You

A Houston debt suit can carry either of two answer deadlines, depending on the court:

Justice court: your written answer is due by the end of the 14th day after you were served (Tex. R. Civ. P. 502.5).
County Civil Court at Law or district court: your answer is due by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday after 20 days have passed since service (Rule 99(b)).

If the lawsuit is in county or district court and the plaintiff later files a motion for summary judgment, the response is due 21 days after the motion is filed (Rule 166a, for motions filed on or after March 1, 2026). Missing either deadline can lead to a judgment without a trial. Our answer deadline calculator counts the days for you.

What We Do in a Houston Debt Case

File your answer on time in the right court, usually through e-filing, so a default judgment can't be taken.
Demand the paperwork. Debt buyers often sue with a bill of sale and a spreadsheet. We ask for the signed agreement, the account statements and the chain of title showing how the account got from the original bank to the plaintiff.
Check the dates. Texas generally allows 4 years to sue on a debt (CPRC § 16.004), and a debt buyer may not sue on time-barred consumer debt (Fin. Code § 392.307).
Look for collector violations. Harassment, false statements or suing on old debt can support claims under the FDCPA and the Texas Debt Collection Act. Learn more on our Texas FDCPA page or our Houston FDCPA page.
Negotiate when it makes sense, with every term in writing.

Our firm has had hundreds of debt lawsuits dismissed. Every case is different, and we will tell you honestly what we see in yours.

Flat Fees for Houston Debt Defense

We charge a flat fee based on the amount of the lawsuit, starting at $400, and 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 for Houston Residents

You have options besides hiring a private lawyer. These public and nonprofit resources serve Harris County:

Lone Star Legal Aid lists its Houston office as serving Harris County. It helps low-income residents with civil legal problems. See its office list.
Harris County Law Library, a division of the Harris County Attorney's office at 1019 Congress in downtown Houston, serves self-represented litigants. Visit harriscountylawlibrary.org.
Justice court self-help page: the Harris County Justice Courts collect guides for people representing themselves on their self-help page, including a link to the Texas Justice Court Training Center's debt claim information packets and forms.
E-filing: the justice courts encourage civil filings through eFileTexas.gov.

Houston Debt Lawsuit FAQs

I live in Houston, but my citation says Fort Bend County. Is that a mistake?

Not necessarily. Part of Houston lies in Fort Bend County, and a smaller part in Montgomery County. Texas rules generally let a creditor file a justice court debt case in the county and precinct where you live, among a few other options. If your Houston address is on the Fort Bend side, a Fort Bend court may be the correct one. We defend cases in all three counties.

The court on my papers is across town. Do I have to drive there?

Usually not for the early stages. We file the answer and most other papers electronically, and much of a debt case is handled in writing. If a hearing or trial requires you to attend, we will tell you well ahead of time and prepare you.

My lawsuit is in a County Civil Court at Law, not a JP court. What changes?

The deadline and the procedure. You get the Monday-after-20-days answer deadline instead of 14 days, and the case follows the full Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, including formal discovery and summary judgment motions. Those motions are where many debt buyer cases are decided, so watch the 21-day response window closely.

Can a creditor garnish my paycheck from a Houston employer?

No. Texas does not allow current wages to be garnished for consumer debt (Tex. Const. art. XVI, § 28). After a judgment, though, a creditor can try to garnish a bank account, so don't let a case go to default.

I already have a judgment against me. Is it too late?

Not always. Your homestead and many personal items are protected under Property Code chapters 41 and 42 (exempt personal property up to $50,000 for a single adult or $100,000 for a family). We also negotiate judgment payoffs. See post-judgment debt settlement.

Nearby Pages and Next Steps

If you live just outside the city, see our pages for Pasadena and Sugar Land. For general questions, browse our debt lawsuit Q&A. When you are ready, call or text us, or start a free case evaluation online. Spanish is spoken.

Helpful guides

General information, not legal advice for your case.