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Money disputes up to $20,000 are settled in the Dallas County small-claims court, which runs on simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
Here you will find the claim limit that applies in Dallas County, what filing costs, where the case is heard, how the defendant is served, the deadlines, and the order of steps. Squabble can take the preparation and filing off your hands.
Dallas County runs several hub courthouses for these cases. Assignment follows the ZIP code of the defendant or of the dispute itself.
Tap a courthouse to see its details in the list below.
Not sure which courthouse? Use the court's official court locator to match your ZIP code to the correct location, or let Squabble identify it for you automatically. Hub courthouses can change; confirm before you file.
Dallas County covers 174 ZIP codes, including the Addison, Balch Springs and Carrollton areas. About 2,656,028 people live in Dallas County.
This court takes small-claims filings on paper, in person or by mail. Squabble prepares everything so your packet arrives filing-ready.
Small claims hearings are held in person at the courthouse.
Have copies of your evidence for the bench and for the other party. Some courts take documents electronically before the hearing as well.
Small claims cases in Dallas County, Texas are heard in the Justice Court of Texas system, which handles claims up to $20,000. Dallas County has a population of 2,656,028 and covers communities including Dallas, Garland, Irving, Mesquite, Richardson, Grand Prairie, Carrollton, and Cedar Hill, along with ZIP codes such as 75001, 75040, 75043, 75050, and 75052. Several justice of the peace courts serve the county. The NORTH DALLAS GOVERNMENT CENTER: Dallas County Justice Of The Peace, Precinct 3 Place 1 is located at 6820 Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway in Dallas, 75240, and can be reached at (214) 321-4106. It is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM and closed Saturday and Sunday. The Dallas County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4, Place 1 sits at 106 West Church Street, Suite 205 in Grand Prairie, and Precinct 5-1 is at 3443 St. Francis Avenue in Dallas, both open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Electronic filing is not available.
More than one location takes small claims here. The court matches a case to a location by address.
These 20 places sit inside Dallas County:
Addison, Balch Springs, Carrollton, Cedar Hill, Coppell, Dallas, Desoto, Duncanville, Garland, Grand Prairie, Hutchins, Irving, Lancaster, Mesquite, Richardson, Rowlett, Sachse, Seagoville, Sunnyvale, Wilmer.
With about 2,656,028 residents, Dallas County ranks 2nd by population among the 254 counties of Texas. NORTH DALLAS GOVERNMENT CENTER: Dallas County Justice Of The Peace - Precinct 3 Place 1 in Dallas lies around 10 miles from the Rockwall County courthouse in Rockwall and 16 miles from the Tarrant County courthouse in Fort Worth.
Neighbouring counties and the courts that serve them:
The small claims track exists for routine money disputes: fewer formalities, and a cap on what can be claimed.
Maximum claim
Either the place the dispute arose or the place the other party lives will usually work.
You can't divide one dispute into several smaller cases to get around the limit.
A small-claims judge generally orders one side to pay money; other kinds of orders belong in higher courts.
Texas permits lawyers at the hearing without requiring them. Everything is built around people presenting their own case.
A claim involving a minor is brought by a court-appointed guardian.
Over the limit? Either bring the figure down to the maximum and remain in small claims, or file the whole amount in the regular civil court. The amount given up is usually gone for good.
These are the limits for Dallas County, population about 2,656,028. They are the same across all 174 Dallas County ZIP codes, from 75001 onward.
Debts up to $20,000 belong in this court. These are the arguments people bring most frequently.
Dallas County has about 2,656,028 residents. Dallas County takes in Addison, Balch Springs and Carrollton and the rest of the county.
It's built to be navigable without a lawyer. Here's the shape of a case from start to finish.
Set out the claim on the court's form, identify the correct courthouse, and pay the fee.
The defendant receives the papers through formal service and can reply or negotiate an end to it.
A brief, informal hearing, in person or, where the court offers it, by video. The judge rules at the hearing or sends the decision after.
This is the route a Dallas County case takes, whether it starts in 75001 or anywhere else among the county ZIP codes. NORTH DALLAS GOVERNMENT CENTER: Dallas County Justice Of The Peace - Precinct 3 Place 1 publishes its counter hours; they are listed on this page.
Once the case is on file, the law requires the other side to be told about it formally. That step is service of process, and the papers cannot normally come from your own hand.
Courts accept service by a sheriff or constable, a professional server, the clerk via certified mail, or an adult who is not party to the case. Permitted methods and charges change by county.
Every court fixes a minimum number of days between service and the hearing. The clerk will tell you what it is for your case.
A completed proof of service records who delivered the papers and when, and it is filed with the court beforehand.
Service is where many self-filed cases stall. Squabble can coordinate professional Service of Process so it's done correctly and on time.
Addresses in Dallas County include places such as Addison, Balch Springs and Carrollton. Rockwall County and Tarrant County are the counties nearest to Dallas County.
Every claim carries a filing window that opens when the dispute happens. Once it closes, the court can turn the case away.
| Claim type | Time limit to file |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 4 years |
| Oral contract | 4 years |
| Property damage | 2 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
The same periods apply in Dallas County as in nearby Rockwall County and Tarrant County, which are in the same state. They do not change from one Dallas County ZIP code to another, 75001 included.
Money owed under a contract in Texas generally accrues interest at 6% per year before judgment (Tex. Fin. Code §302.002).
Want to estimate what interest adds to your claim? Use the Squabble interest calculator to see the running total before you file.
The rate above is the one for Dallas County, population about 2,656,028. Dallas County is under the same state rate as nearby Rockwall County and Tarrant County.
Two checks first: the amount must fall within the ceiling, and the claim must still be in time.
Name the correct party, describe what happened, and show how the amount is calculated.
File at the Dallas County hub courthouse for your dispute's ZIP code, or on paper, by mail or at the counter, and pay the $54 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
Arrange service once your hearing date is set and file the proof of service with the court.
Put the evidence in order, with exhibits marked, so the account is easy to follow.
Come to the hearing in person or remotely where permitted, present the facts, and get the ruling.
Go through the events with Eleanor. The documents are prepared, Triple-Checked™ for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and filed for you.
Start for FREE →Three documents recur: the claim form that begins it, the proof of service confirming delivery, and a fee waiver if eligible. Names vary locally; Squabble selects the correct versions.
Addison, Balch Springs and Carrollton are among the places in Dallas County that filings come from. Dallas County takes in filings from 174 ZIP codes, 75001 first in the list.
Small claims hearings are short and informal, and the judge asks questions directly. Most people present their own case.
Dallas County hearings are held at one of its 7 listed courthouses, depending on where the case is filed. Dallas County has about 2,656,028 residents.
A judgment is the court's decision. Collecting it is a separate step, with court-backed tools if the other side doesn't pay. Which tools are available depends on state law.
Some states permit part of the debtor's wages to be diverted to the judgment until it is cleared.
Funds can be collected directly from the debtor's bank account through a court-ordered levy.
Recording the judgment with the county can place a lien on the debtor's real property.
You can also ask the court to order the debtor to appear and disclose income and assets under oath. An unpaid judgment generally keeps accruing interest at the rate state law sets until it's satisfied.
Addison, Balch Springs and Carrollton are among the Dallas County places a judgment debtor may live in. Rockwall County and Tarrant County are the counties nearest to Dallas County.
Information reviewed August 2026. Courts change fees, limits and procedures, so check the current details before filing.
Talk with Eleanor about what happened. Squabble prepares your demand letter and court-ready documents, Triple-Checks them for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and files your Dallas County case for you.
