A lot of Mission residents first learn about a debt lawsuit from a company name they've never seen: Midland Funding, LVNV Funding, Portfolio Recovery Associates, Cavalry SPV. These are debt buyers. They bought an old credit card or loan account, often for a fraction of the balance, and are now suing on it in a Hidalgo County court. Texas Debt Law defends Mission residents in these cases for a flat fee, in Spanish or English, and makes the plaintiff prove what it claims.

Free Case Evaluation(214) 945-0000

Three Things to Know Before You Do Anything Else

You have a short window. In justice court, your written answer is due by the end of the 14th day after you were served (Tex. R. Civ. P. 502.5). In a County Court at Law or district court, it's due by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday after 20 days (Rule 99(b)). Check your dates with our answer deadline calculator.
Your case is probably in Mission itself. Most suits under $20,000 go to the justice court for the precinct where you live, and for most of Mission that is Precinct 3.
Not recognizing the plaintiff is not a defense by itself, but it is a reason to demand proof. A debt buyer has to show it owns your account.

Precinct 3: The Justice Courts on Breyfogle

Mission had about 88,574 residents in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, all of them in Hidalgo County. The county's Justices of the Peace page places Mission in the "West McAllen / Mission / Western Hidalgo County Area," served by Precinct 3, Places 1 and 2. Both offices are at 730 N. Breyfogle in Mission.

Justice courts hear civil claims up to $20,000 (Gov't Code § 27.031), which covers most credit card and personal loan suits. If you live in western Hidalgo County outside the city limits, or in west McAllen, your case may be in the same courts.

When the case goes to Edinburg instead

Claims over $20,000 are filed in a County Court at Law or a district court, and those courts sit in Edinburg, the county seat, on the other side of McAllen. The Hidalgo County Clerk keeps the County Courts at Law records at 100 N. Closner. For a Mission resident, that's a real drive. With us, it usually isn't one you have to make: we file electronically and handle routine settings remotely when the court allows.

What Debt Buyers Have to Prove

When a bank sells off accounts in bulk, the paperwork that travels with them can be thin. In a Mission case, we look for:

A clean chain of ownership from the original bank to the company suing you, with your account actually identified.
The account agreement and statements that support the balance, interest and fees.
A timely suit. Texas generally gives four years to sue on a debt (Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004). Debt buyers may not sue on time-barred consumer debt (Fin. Code § 392.307).
A competent witness. A records affidavit signed by an employee of the debt buyer may not be enough to prove what the original creditor's records say.

If the plaintiff moves for summary judgment in a County Court at Law or district court, your response is due 21 days after the motion is filed (Rule 166a, for motions filed on or after March 1, 2026).

Fees

One flat fee, based on the amount you're being sued for, 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

Settling Without Getting Sued Again

Sometimes the right outcome for a client is a negotiated deal. If that's your choice, the details matter as much as the number:

The agreement should be in writing before you pay anything.
It should say how the case will be closed, ideally by a dismissal with prejudice so the same debt can't be refiled.
If you pay in installments, the agreement should say what happens if a payment is late.

We draft or review those terms and make sure the court's record matches what was agreed.

Calls, Letters and Collector Behavior

Once you're sued, collection calls often continue. A collector may not threaten arrest, lie about the amount owed, or tell your family and coworkers about your debt. If that's happening, you may have a claim under the FDCPA and the Texas Debt Collection Act. Those claims are a separate legal service from defending the lawsuit, and we'll explain the difference if it applies to you.

Resources Outside Our Firm

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid lists Hidalgo County among the counties it serves and offers free civil legal help to eligible low-income residents. Its Hidalgo County office is in Edinburg.
The Hidalgo County District Clerk's self-represented litigants page links to TexasLawHelp.org, Texas Court Help and the state's court forms.
Texas courts accept electronic filings through eFileTexas.

Mission Debt Lawsuit FAQs

I spend a lot of time across the river. Can I still be served?

Mission sits on the border, and the Anzalduas International Bridge connects it with Reynosa. Being away doesn't stop a lawsuit: if you were served at your Texas address, the deadline runs from that date. If you're not sure whether or how you were served, send us what you have.

My neighbor's case was in Mission but mine is in Edinburg. Why?

Usually it's the amount. Claims over $20,000 go to the county or district courts in Edinburg. A north-side address could also fall in Precinct 4, which sits in Edinburg. See our Edinburg page.

Will a judgment let them take my paycheck?

No. Texas doesn't allow garnishment of current wages for consumer debt. A judgment can reach non-exempt money in a bank account, though, so it's worth acting before one is entered. Homestead and personal property exemptions ($50,000 single, $100,000 family) also apply.

Can you help after a default judgment?

Yes. We review whether it can be challenged and can negotiate a post-judgment settlement. Post-judgment work uses the same flat fees as debt defense.

Get Your Free Case Review

Call or text (214) 945-0000. We answer 7 days a week, in Spanish or English. Or start your case evaluation online.

Helpful guides

General information, not legal advice for your case.

Mission Debt Defense Attorneys for Western Hidalgo County