McKinney is the county seat of Collin County, so when a debt lawsuit lands in one of the county's higher courts, the courtroom is in your own city. That's convenient if you need to be there. Convenience isn't the hard part, though. The creditor will usually have a collection lawyer who handles these cases for a living, and you shouldn't be the only person in the case who doesn't know the rules.

Texas Debt Law defends McKinney residents sued over credit cards, personal loans, auto deficiencies and accounts bought by debt buyers. We charge a flat fee, and our principal office is nearby in Frisco.

Free Case Evaluation(214) 945-0000

McKinney at a Glance for a Debt Lawsuit

Population: about 227,526 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 estimate), all in Collin County.
County and district courts: Collin County lists its fifteen district courts and seven county courts at law at the Russell A. Steindam Courts Building, 2100 Bloomdale Rd., McKinney.
Justice court in McKinney: Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, listed by the county at 2300 Bloomdale Rd. Collin County's other justice precincts are in Lavon, Plano and Frisco.
Public law library: the Curt B. Henderson Law Library, in the courts building.
Legal aid: Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas lists an office at 901 N. McDonald St., McKinney.

Which Court Will Hear Your Case?

It depends mostly on how much the plaintiff is asking for and where you live. A debt suit is usually filed in the county and justice precinct of your residence, though other venues are sometimes allowed.

Justice court: claims up to $20,000

Most credit card cases fit here. When the plaintiff is a debt buyer, collection agency, bank or other lender, the case is a "debt claim case" under the justice court rules. The plaintiff's petition has to include specific account information, and the court can't grant a default judgment without proper evidence. Your written answer is due by the end of the 14th day after service. Collin County's justice courts accept civil filings electronically.

Because McKinney is large, not every McKinney address falls in Precinct 1. Check the county's interactive precinct map or the citation itself.

County court at law or district court

Larger balances, and some smaller ones, are filed in a county court at law or district court at the Bloomdale Road courts building. Your answer is due by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday after 20 days from service. These courts use the full rules of civil procedure, and debt buyers often move for summary judgment, asking the judge to rule on affidavits and records without a trial. For motions filed on or after March 1, 2026, your response is due 21 days after the motion is filed.

Our answer deadline calculator can help you estimate your first deadline.

Defenses That Come Up Often

We read the petition and the attached records line by line. Common problems include:

Ownership gaps. A debt buyer must show the account was transferred to it. Bills of sale that don't identify your account are a frequent weak point.
Limitations. Texas generally allows four years to sue on a debt, and a debt buyer can't sue on a consumer debt once that time has passed.
Numbers that don't add up. Interest, fees and charges added after charge-off need support.
Wrong person. Similar names, old addresses and identity theft all lead to suits against people who never had the account.
Collector misconduct. Harassment or false threats may give you claims of your own under the FDCPA and Texas Debt Collection Act.

When the defenses are strong, we press them. When settling makes more sense for you, we negotiate an agreement that ends the lawsuit.

What It Costs

Our fee is flat, based on the amount of the lawsuit, and starts 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

Free Resources in McKinney

These are public resources, separate from our firm, that some people use to research or handle their own case:

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas office locations, including McKinney. Collin County is in its service area, and help is free for those who qualify.
Curt B. Henderson Law Library, open weekdays, with links to self-help guides. Staff can't give legal advice.
Collin County Courts at Law and District Courts pages, listing each court and its location.
Guide and File, the free form-building tool the county links to for self-represented filers.

Questions McKinney Residents Ask Us

The courthouse is in McKinney. Do I have to go there to file my answer?

No. Answers can be filed electronically, and when you hire us, we file it. If a hearing or trial requires you in person, we'll tell you in advance.

I'm being sued in a county court at law. Is that worse than justice court?

Not necessarily worse, but more formal. The deadlines are different, discovery is more involved, and summary judgment motions are common. That's where an attorney is most useful.

Can a creditor take my house or my wages?

Texas protects current wages from garnishment for consumer debt, and a homestead is generally exempt from creditors. Personal property is protected up to $50,000 for a single adult or $100,000 for a family, with some exceptions. Money in a bank account can be a target after a judgment.

What if I already have a judgment from a Collin County court?

We can review whether it can be challenged and, if not, negotiate a post-judgment settlement.

Our debt lawsuit Q&A covers more general questions.

Get Started

Call or text (214) 945-0000, or request a free case evaluation online. Se habla español. We also serve Frisco and Plano.

Helpful guides

General information, not legal advice for your case.