Few Texas cities are split the way Katy is. The city has about 27,741 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 estimate), and they are divided among three counties: roughly 53% in Harris County, 25% in Fort Bend County and 22% in Waller County. Many more people have a Katy mailing address but live outside the city limits, in unincorporated parts of the surrounding counties.

So when a Katy resident is sued over a credit card or loan, the first question is not "which court is near me?" It is "which county filed this?" Texas Debt Law defends debt lawsuits in all three, for flat fees, and handles most of the work by phone, email and e-filing.

Free Case Evaluation(281) 407-1327

Step One: Find the County on Your Citation

Look at the top of the citation and the petition. You will see the name of the court, such as "Justice Court, Precinct 5, Place 2, Harris County" or "County Court at Law No. 3, Fort Bend County." That line controls everything else: the clerk you file with, the court's local procedures and, together with the type of court, your answer deadline.

Don't rely on your ZIP code or what you call your neighborhood. A Katy address can be in any of the three counties, and a creditor can sometimes choose among a few permitted locations. If the county or precinct looks wrong, tell us. Filing in the wrong place can be a defense issue worth raising.

The Three Court Systems That Serve Katy

Harris County

The Harris County Justice Courts are organized into 8 precincts with 2 places each, 16 courts in total. The county lists Precinct 5, Place 2 at 16715 Clay Road in Houston, on the west side of the county, but the county also warns that the nearest court may not be the one where your case was filed. Larger claims go to the five County Civil Courts at Law at the Harris County Civil Courthouse, 201 Caroline, in downtown Houston, which hear civil cases up to $250,000.

Fort Bend County

According to Fort Bend County, the county has 4 justice of the peace precincts with 7 judges: two places each in Precincts 1, 2 and 3, and a single office in Precinct 4. The county also has six County Courts at Law. The county seat is Richmond.

Waller County

Waller County has 4 justice of the peace precincts and two County Courts at Law, with its county offices in Hempstead. Its Precinct 4 justice court is in Brookshire, at 32225 U.S. Highway 90 Business.

In all three counties, justice courts hear debt claims up to $20,000. Most credit card and debt buyer suits fall under that limit. Bigger balances, such as some auto loan deficiencies, are filed in a county court at law or district court.

Answer Deadlines for Katy Lawsuits

Justice court (any of the three counties): the answer is due by the end of the 14th day after service (Tex. R. Civ. P. 502.5).
County court at law or district court: the answer is due by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday after 20 days from service (Rule 99(b)).

Write down the date you were served. Then use our answer deadline calculator, or call us and we will count it with you.

What Our Flat Fee Covers

Our fees are flat, based on the amount you are sued for, and start 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

Your defense typically includes:

Filing a timely answer in the correct county and court
Requiring the plaintiff to produce the account agreement, statements and proof that it owns the debt
Raising limitations if the account is old. Texas generally allows 4 years to sue on a debt (CPRC § 16.004), and debt buyers cannot sue on time-barred consumer debt (Fin. Code § 392.307)
Responding to discovery and, in county or district court, to any summary judgment motion. For motions filed on or after March 1, 2026, the response is due 21 days after the motion is filed (Rule 166a)
Negotiating a written resolution if that serves you better than trial

If a collector broke the law along the way, for example by threatening you or suing on a debt that was too old, you may have your own claim. See our FDCPA and Texas Debt Collection Act page.

Free Help Available to Katy Residents

Lone Star Legal Aid covers all three counties. Its office list shows Harris County served by its Houston office. Fort Bend and Waller counties were served by its Richmond and Conroe offices, which have closed, and the organization says it continues to serve those counties through online intake and its toll-free line, 1-800-733-8394.
Law libraries: the Harris County Law Library in downtown Houston serves self-represented litigants, and Fort Bend County's Willie Melton Law Library publishes legal research links on the county website.
E-filing: Texas courts accept electronic filings through eFileTexas.gov.

Katy Debt Lawsuit Questions

My house is in Fort Bend County but I was sued in Harris County. Can they do that?

Sometimes. Texas rules generally allow a justice court debt case to be filed where the defendant lives, and in a few other places tied to the transaction. A debt collector covered by the FDCPA also has its own venue limits. If you live on the Fort Bend or Waller side and were sued in Harris County, send us the papers so we can check whether the filing was proper.

Do I have to go to Richmond, Hempstead or downtown Houston?

Most of a debt case happens on paper. We file electronically and appear for you where the court allows. If your attendance is required at a hearing or trial, we will let you know ahead of time and get you ready.

Can they take money from my paycheck at work?

No. Texas protects current wages from garnishment for consumer debt (Tex. Const. art. XVI, § 28). A creditor with a judgment can try to garnish a bank account, though, which is one reason to answer before a default.

I found out about a judgment after the fact. What now?

Call us quickly. Depending on how and when you were served, there may be ways to challenge the judgment. Your homestead and exempt personal property (up to $50,000 single, $100,000 for a family, under Property Code chapters 41 and 42) are protected, and we negotiate judgment settlements. See post-judgment debt settlement.

Neighbors and Next Steps

We also have pages for nearby Fulshear and Cypress. More answers are in our debt lawsuit Q&A. Our firm has had hundreds of debt lawsuits dismissed, and we would be glad to look at yours. Call or text, or request a free case evaluation. Se habla español.

Helpful guides

General information, not legal advice for your case.