Harris County Small Claims Court (Texas): How to File in Justice Court

Harris County small claims: the $20,000 limit, 16 justice courts in 8 precincts, venue rules, deadlines, e-filing and case lookup. Checked 2026-10-27.

Navy cover with a drawn generic courthouse and the words Harris County Small Claims, 8 precincts, 2 courts each: where to file
Where and how to file small claims in Harris County, Texas.

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Quick answer: In Harris County, small claims are heard by the Harris County Justice Courts (Justice of the Peace), for claims of no more than $20,000. There are 8 precincts with 2 courts each. You can file where the defendant lives, where the incident happened, or where the contract was to be performed. The defendant's answer is due by the end of the 14th day after service. To confirm fees or your precinct, call a justice court civil clerk, for example JP 1-2 at 713-274-0600.

Drawn generic courthouse beside a pinned info board for the Harris County Justice Courts: 8 precincts with 2 courts each, filing allowed in either court in the precinct, hours to confirm by phone, and e-filing marked Yes through efiletexas.gov.
Harris County small claims at a glance, checked 2026-10-27.

This independent guide covers small claims cases in Harris County, Texas, including Houston, Pasadena, Baytown, Humble and Klein. Small Claims Coach is not the court; we link to the court's official pages throughout.

Checked on 2026-10-27 against the Harris County Justice Courts website and the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. Sources are listed below. Jump to court addresses and phones ↓ For the statewide rules, see our Texas small claims guide.

Filing in Harris County? See a filled-in sample first.

Everything on this page is free. The Small Claims Playbook adds a filled-in sample of a Small Claims Petition from the Texas Justice Court Training Center (a model form, not an official court form; Texas has no required statewide form, so ask your court whether it accepts it), using a made-up case, with a box-by-box guide. One membership covers every state. $149 for your first year (introductory offer), then $199 a year. Join now.

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Which court hears small claims in Harris County?

  • Court: the Harris County Justice Courts (Justice of the Peace), under Texas Rules of Civil Procedure 500 to 507.
  • Limit: no more than $20,000 (or $10,000 if the case was filed before September 1, 2020), including attorney fees, if any, and excluding statutory interest and court costs.
  • Courts: 8 precincts with 2 places (courts) each.
  • Appeal: within 21 days. The plaintiff's appeal bond is $500.00; the defendant's is twice the amount of the judgment.
  • Jury: the jury fee is $22.00, and the jury demand must be filed no later than 14 days before trial.

Which justice court precinct do I file in?

  • Under Rule 502.4, you can file in the county and justice precinct where the defendant resides, where the incident that gave rise to the claim occurred, where the contract (if any) was to be performed, or, in a suit to recover personal property, where the property is located.
  • If there's more than one justice of the peace in a precinct, you can file in any of the justice courts in that precinct.
  • Which precinct covers a given address isn't confirmed here: the county's precinct lookup wasn't working when we checked. If you're not sure which precinct, call the civil clerk of the nearest justice court, for example JP 1-2 at 713-274-0600, before you file.

Harris County justice courts by city (approximate)

Approximate guide. This shows where each courthouse sits. It isn't a coverage map: the defendant's address (or where the incident happened) decides the precinct, not the city name.

Houston

11 of the 16 courts have Houston addresses (see the list below).

Pasadena

Precinct 2, Place 2 and Precinct 8, Place 1.

Baytown

Precinct 3, Place 2.

Humble

Precinct 4, Place 2.

Klein

Precinct 4, Place 1.

Checked 2026-10-27, from the court's Contact the Courts page.

Addresses, phone numbers and hours

Addresses are from the court's Contact the Courts page. We confirmed only one civil phone number (JP 1-2, 713-274-0600); for the other courts, use the court's contact page. Hours weren't on the pages we checked, so call before you go. Phone numbers for each court are on the court's Contact the Courts page.

Justice Court Precinct 1, Place 1

Address: 7300 North Shepherd, Houston, TX 77091-2437

Court:

  • Precinct 1, Place 1

Justice Court Precinct 1, Place 2

Address: 1302 Preston, Houston, TX 77002-2013

Phone: 713-274-0600

Court:

Justice Court Precinct 2, Place 1

Address: 10851 Scarsdale, Houston, TX 77089-5743

Court:

  • Precinct 2, Place 1

Justice Court Precinct 2, Place 2

Address: 101 South Richey, Suite B, Pasadena, TX 77506

Court:

  • Precinct 2, Place 2

Justice Court Precinct 3, Place 1

Address: 14350 Wallisville Road, Houston, TX 77049-4145

Court:

  • Precinct 3, Place 1

Justice Court Precinct 3, Place 2

Address: 701 W. Baker Road, Baytown, TX 77521-2376

Court:

  • Precinct 3, Place 2

Justice Court Precinct 4, Place 1

Address: 6831 Cypresswood Drive, Klein, TX 77379-7700

Court:

  • Precinct 4, Place 1

Justice Court Precinct 4, Place 2

Address: 7900 Will Clayton Parkway, Humble, TX 77338-5849

Court:

  • Precinct 4, Place 2

Justice Court Precinct 5, Place 1

Address: 6000 Chimney Rock, Houston, TX 77081-4004

Court:

  • Precinct 5, Place 1

Justice Court Precinct 5, Place 2

Address: 16715 Clay Road, Houston, TX 77084-4009

Court:

  • Precinct 5, Place 2

Justice Court Precinct 6, Place 1

Address: 333 Lockwood, Houston, TX 77011-2141

Court:

  • Precinct 6, Place 1

Justice Court Precinct 6, Place 2

Address: 1001 Macario Garcia, Houston, TX 77011

Court:

  • Precinct 6, Place 2

Justice Court Precinct 7, Place 1

Address: 5737 Cullen Boulevard, Houston, TX 77021-1638

Court:

  • Precinct 7, Place 1

Justice Court Precinct 7, Place 2

Address: 5300 Griggs Road, Houston, TX 77021-3715

Court:

  • Precinct 7, Place 2

Justice Court Precinct 8, Place 1

Address: 7330 Spencer Highway, Pasadena, TX 77505-1824

Court:

  • Precinct 8, Place 1

Justice Court Precinct 8, Place 2

Address: 16603 Buccaneer, Houston, TX 77062-5823

Court:

  • Precinct 8, Place 2

How much does small claims cost in Harris County?

We haven't re-checked Harris County's filing and service fees. Call the civil clerk of your justice court (for example JP 1-2 at 713-274-0600) to confirm the filing and service fees.

  • Jury fee: $22.00
  • Appeal bond (plaintiff): $500.00
  • Appeal bond (defendant): twice the amount of the judgment

Can I e-file in Harris County?

Yes. The Harris County Justice Courts encourage filing civil cases through efiletexas.gov or other means your court allows.

Harris County small claims petition and forms

Texas has no required statewide small claims form. The court's filing small claims page explains what to file; ask your court's civil clerk (for example JP 1-2 at 713-274-0600) which petition form it accepts.

How to file in Harris County, step by step

Illustrated winding road with six numbered stations for Harris County small claims: check your claim fits the limit, pick your precinct, prepare your petition, file online or as your court allows, the defendant answers, and go to trial with evidence.
The steps to file a small claims case in Harris County.
  1. Make sure your claim is no more than $20,000.
  2. Pick the precinct (where the defendant lives, where the incident happened, or where the contract was to be performed), and confirm it with a civil clerk.
  3. Prepare your small claims petition, and ask the clerk which form your court accepts.
  4. File through efiletexas.gov or as your court allows, and pay the filing and service fees (confirm them with the clerk).
  5. The defendant's answer is due by the end of the 14th day after service (with extensions for weekends, holidays and early closings).
  6. Go to trial with your evidence. A jury demand is due no later than 14 days before trial. Statewide rules are in our Texas guide.

Ready to fill in your own form?

The steps above are free. The Playbook helps you do each one: a filled-in sample of a Small Claims Petition from the Texas Justice Court Training Center (a model form, not an official court form; Texas has no required statewide form, so ask your court whether it accepts it) with every box explained, plus your Texas Playbook section with a made-up sample filing, a checklist, a timeline, a hearing outline, Texas printables and a Texas day-of plan.

You also get prep guides that work in any state: a document checklist, exhibit labels, a prep timeline and a hearing-day outline. $149 for your first year (introductory offer), then $199 a year. Join now.

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How to look up a Harris County small claims case

  • Use Harris County JP Public Access, Search For Your Case.
  • Search by case number (12 characters: all numbers, or numbers after two letters such as TR, CR, BC or EV), driver's license, last name plus date of birth, or business name (at least 8 characters). Selecting the court speeds up the search.
  • Cases that are confidential by law won't appear, and cases disposed more than five years ago may not be available.

What does it cost to collect a judgment?

Winning doesn't mean you get paid automatically. Harris County's collection fees weren't on the pages we checked. Ask your court's civil clerk (for example JP 1-2 at 713-274-0600), and see our Texas guide for the statewide steps.

Fee waivers and venue changes

  • Can't afford the fees? Ask the civil clerk what options your court offers.
  • Default or new trial: a motion to set aside a default or for a new trial is due no later than 14 days after the judgment was signed.
  • Appeal: within 21 days.

Coach's Tips for Harris County

  • Watch for fake court texts. Harris County's justice courts warn about fake court texts and emails. Before taking any action, check your case directly on jp.hctx.net.
  • Know the 14-day clocks. The answer is due by the end of the 14th day after service, a motion to set aside a default is due within 14 days after judgment, and a jury demand is due 14 days before trial.
  • Any court in the precinct works. Each precinct has 2 courts, and you can file in either one.

Harris County small claims checklist

  • My claim is no more than $20,000.
  • I know which precinct to file in, or I called a civil clerk to confirm.
  • I have my petition and asked which form the court accepts.
  • I confirmed the filing and service fees with the clerk.
  • I know how I'll file (efiletexas.gov or as the court allows).
  • I know the 14-day answer and jury-demand deadlines.
  • My evidence is organized and copied for court.

Harris County small claims FAQ

What is the small claims limit in Harris County?

No more than $20,000 (or $10,000 if the case was filed before September 1, 2020), including attorney fees, if any, and excluding statutory interest and court costs.

How much does it cost to file small claims in Harris County?

We haven't re-checked the filing and service fees. Call the civil clerk of your justice court, for example JP 1-2 at 713-274-0600, to confirm them. The jury fee is $22.00.

Which Harris County justice court precinct do I file in?

Where the defendant resides, where the incident occurred, or where the contract was to be performed (or where the property is, in a suit for personal property). Each precinct has 2 courts, and you can file in either. Confirm with a civil clerk.

Where is small claims court in Houston?

11 of Harris County's 16 justice courts have Houston addresses. The precinct depends on the defendant's address or where the incident happened, not the city name, so confirm with a civil clerk.

How do I look up a small claims case in Harris County?

Use Harris County JP Public Access, Search For Your Case. You can search by case number, driver's license, last name plus date of birth, or business name.

Where do I get Harris County small claims forms?

Texas has no required statewide form. The court's filing small claims page explains what to file, and the civil clerk can tell you which petition form your court accepts.

Do I need a lawyer for small claims in Harris County?

Many people handle justice court small claims cases on their own. The rules are Texas Rules of Civil Procedure 500 to 507, and the civil clerk can answer procedure questions.

Is small claims court in Harris County the same as justice court (JP court)?

Yes. Small claims cases are heard in the Harris County Justice Courts (Justice of the Peace).

Which Harris County justice court precinct and place do I file my small claims petition in?

You can file in the justice court precinct where the defendant lives, where the incident that gave rise to the claim happened, where the contract (if any) was to be performed, or, in a suit to recover personal property, where the property is located. If a precinct has more than one justice court, you can file in any of them. If you're not sure which precinct that is, call the civil clerk of the nearest justice court, for example JP 1-2 at 713-274-0600, before you file.

Who hears my case: a judge or a justice of the peace?

A justice of the peace.

Sources

Checked 2026-10-27.

Nearby counties

More for Texas: Texas small claims guide · Ready to sue · Just got sued · How to serve small claims papers · What to say on hearing day

Free: the Small Claims Starter Kit (basic timeline and checklists).

You do the work. The Playbook hands you the plays.

This page covers where and how to file in Harris County. The Playbook coaches you from filing to hearing day: a filled-in sample of a Small Claims Petition from the Texas Justice Court Training Center (a model form, not an official court form; Texas has no required statewide form, so ask your court whether it accepts it), your Texas Playbook section, and step-by-step prep guides. One membership covers every state. $149 for your first year (introductory offer), then $199 a year. Join now.

See the Playbook →

Small Claims Coach is built to help you handle your case yourself, without a lawyer. But if your situation is complicated, doesn't fit our samples, or a deadline is close, you may want to call a lawyer.

Small Claims Coach uses public information to build the Playbook, which coaches you as you organize and present your own case. We are not your lawyer, there is no attorney-client relationship, and we don't want the details of your case.

This information is for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice.