squabbleapp.com is now squabble.ai. Your account and any active cases are unchanged.
Money disputes up to $20,000 are settled in the Ector County small-claims court, which runs on simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
This page sets out the ceiling on claims, what the court charges, the courthouse that covers Ector County, how notice reaches the other party, the time limits, and the filing steps. Squabble can prepare and lodge the paperwork when you decide to go ahead.
Ector County hears small claims at the courthouse listed here, with the venue confirmed at filing from the defendant's address or the location of the dispute.
Tap a courthouse to see its details in the list below.
Locations change. The court publishes its current small-claims address on its own page; Squabble confirms the courthouse for your case when you file.
About 170,022 people live in Ector County. Small claims filings from Ector County are handled at Ector County Justice of Peace 4 in Odessa.
Paper filing is the route at this court, either in person or by post. Squabble puts the documents together in the form the clerk expects.
Small claims hearings are held in person at the courthouse.
Bring copies of your evidence for the judge and the other side; some courts also accept electronic submission ahead of the hearing.
Residents of Ector County, Texas, bring small claims cases through the Justice Court of Texas system, which handles disputes up to $20,000. In Ector County, these cases are filed at the Ector County Justice of Peace 4, located at 300 N. Grant Rm. 208 in Odessa, ZIP code 79761. The court is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM and from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, and it is closed on Saturday and Sunday. Electronic filing is not available for this court, and it can be reached by telephone at (432) 498-4202. Information is also posted at https://www.co.ector.tx.us/page/ector.justice. The county has a population of 170,022 and includes the communities of Odessa, Gardendale, Goldsmith, Notrees, and Penwell, along with ZIP codes such as 79760, 79762, 79763, and 79766. Ector County lies near Midland County, Winkler County, and Andrews County, each of which maintains its own justice courts for matters arising there.
Ector County covers these 5 towns and cities:
Gardendale, Goldsmith, Notrees, Odessa, Penwell.
ZIP codes:
Ector County is the 32nd most populous of Texas's 254 counties, with about 170,022 residents. Ector County Justice of Peace 4, in Odessa, is about 10 miles from the Midland County courthouse in Midland.
Neighbouring counties and the courts that serve them:
Small claims is the court's track for everyday money disputes: simplified rules, and limits on how much you can sue for.
Maximum claim
You can generally file where the dispute happened or where the other party lives.
Splitting a single claim across multiple filings to dodge the ceiling is not permitted.
Judgments take the form of money owed; other kinds of relief are heard elsewhere.
An attorney may appear at the hearing in Texas, though nobody has to have one. The process assumes you will speak for yourself.
Where a party is under 18, the court appoints a guardian to act.
Over the limit? Claims over the cap can go two ways: cut to the limit and stay, or move to regular civil court at full value. Cutting it normally waives the excess.
They are the same across all 13 Ector County ZIP codes, from 79741 onward. These are the limits for Ector County, population about 170,022.
This court handles money claims to a ceiling of $20,000. Below are the kinds of case filed most often.
Ector County takes in Gardendale, Goldsmith and Notrees and the rest of the county. Ector County has about 170,022 residents.
It's built to be navigable without a lawyer. Here's the shape of a case from start to finish.
Write up what is owed on the claim form, select the courthouse, and settle the filing fee.
Papers are delivered to the defendant, who may answer them or settle the matter first.
The hearing is informal and quick, sometimes by video, and the judge decides on the spot or sends the outcome later.
Ector County Justice of Peace 4 publishes its counter hours; they are listed on this page. Ector County Justice of Peace 4 lists (432) 498-4201 as its number.
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.
Depending on the court: the sheriff or constable, a professional process server, the clerk by certified mail, or another adult who isn't part of the case. Methods and costs vary by county.
How long before the hearing notice must be given is set by the court. That deadline arrives with your hearing date.
The person who delivered the papers signs a proof of service. That document goes to the court ahead of the hearing.
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 Ector County include places such as Gardendale, Goldsmith and Notrees. An Ector County address carries one of its 13 ZIP codes, 79741, 79758 and 79759 among them.
There is a cut-off for bringing a case, counted from when the dispute began. Miss it and the claim can be barred entirely.
| Claim type | Time limit to file |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 4 years |
| Oral contract | 4 years |
| Property damage | 2 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
Ector County, population about 170,022, is covered by the table above. The same periods apply in Ector County as in nearby Midland County and Winkler County, which are in the same state.
Money owed under a contract in Texas generally accrues interest at 6% per year before judgment (Tex. Fin. Code §302.002).
To see what interest has added so far, the Squabble interest calculator works out the running total.
Ector County is under the same state rate as nearby Midland County and Winkler County. The rate above is the one for Ector County, population about 170,022.
Confirm the sum sits under the cap and that the time limit for this kind of claim has not run out.
Name the correct party, describe what happened, and show how the amount is calculated.
File with the Ector County small-claims court on paper, by mail or at the counter, and pay the $45–$100 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
Service comes after the date is set. File the server's proof once the papers have been delivered.
Arrange your evidence and number the exhibits so nothing has to be searched for on the day.
Attend, in the courtroom or by video where the court allows it, put your case, and hear the ruling.
Talk with Eleanor about what happened. Squabble prepares the documents, runs a Triple-Check™ for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and files your case for you.
Start for FREE →Claim form starts the case · Proof of service shows the defendant was notified · Fee waiver if you qualify. Exact form names vary by court; Squabble prepares the right ones for your courthouse.
Gardendale, Goldsmith and Notrees are among the places in Ector County that filings come from. Ector County has a population of about 170,022.
Hearings are short and plainly run. Questions come from the judge, and most parties appear without help.
Ector County Justice of Peace 4 sits at the 79761 address shown above. Ector County has about 170,022 residents.
The decision settles who owes what. Turning it into money is a separate stage, and the tools the court makes available differ by state.
Wage garnishment, where the state permits it, sends part of the debtor's pay toward the judgment.
A levy lets the court reach money sitting in the debtor's bank account.
Filing the judgment with the county can attach a lien to land or buildings the debtor owns.
Courts can also summon the debtor to answer questions about income and property under oath. Until the balance is paid, interest usually continues to run at the statutory rate.
Gardendale, Goldsmith and Notrees are among the Ector County places a judgment debtor may live in. Midland County and Winkler County are the counties nearest to Ector County.
Checked August 2026. Because courts revise fees, limits and procedures, confirm the current position 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 Ector County case for you.
