squabbleapp.com is now squabble.ai. Your account and any active cases are unchanged.
Erath County resolves money disputes up to $20,000 in the small-claims court: simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
This page sets out the ceiling on claims, what the court charges, the courthouse that covers Erath 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.
Erath 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.
Check the filing location first. The court's small-claims page lists where papers are taken today, and Squabble confirms it for your case as part of filing.
Erath County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, in Stephenville, is the courthouse listed for Erath County. About 44,496 people live in Erath County.
This court works from paper filings, delivered in person or posted in. Squabble builds the packet so nothing is missing.
Small claims are heard at the courthouse, in person.
Bring copies of your evidence for the judge and the other side; some courts also accept electronic submission ahead of the hearing.
Erath County in Texas is home to 44,496 residents. Small claims cases are heard at Erath County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 in Stephenville at 298 S. Graham. The court system is the Justice Court of Texas. The claim limit is $20,000. The county covers 5 towns and cities, among them Bluff Dale, Dublin, Lingleville, Morgan Mill, Stephenville. 6 ZIP codes fall inside the county. Filings are made on paper at the court.
A case filed here usually comes from one of these 5 communities:
Bluff Dale, Dublin, Lingleville, Morgan Mill, Stephenville.
ZIP codes:
Erath County is the 77th most populous of Texas's 254 counties, with about 44,496 residents. Erath County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 in Stephenville lies around 17 miles from the Hood County courthouse in Granbury.
If the other side lives just over the county line, the case may belong next door:
The small claims track exists for routine money disputes: fewer formalities, and a cap on what can be claimed.
Maximum claim
Two venues are usually open: where events took place, or where the other side is based.
A single argument stays a single case; it cannot be carved up to fit the limit.
What this court awards is a sum of money, not an instruction to act or to hand something back.
An attorney may appear at the hearing in Texas, though nobody has to have one. The process assumes you will speak for yourself.
Under-18s are represented by a guardian the court appoints.
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 6 Erath County ZIP codes, from 76401 onward. Erath County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 is the courthouse listed for Erath County.
If someone owes you money, up to $20,000, small claims is built for it. These are the disputes residents bring most often.
Erath County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 is the Erath County courthouse listed below. Erath County takes in Bluff Dale, Dublin and Lingleville 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.
Complete the claim form, choose the right court, and pay the filing 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.
Everything below applies to a case filed in Erath County, at the Stephenville courthouse. Erath County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 lists (254) 965-1489 as its number.
A filed case still has to reach the defendant. Formal notice, known as service of process, does that, and delivering it personally is generally not allowed.
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.
There is a deadline, counted backwards from the hearing, by which the defendant must have the papers. Ask the clerk for it when the date is assigned.
Whoever serves the papers completes a proof of service, which is filed with the court before 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 Erath County include places such as Bluff Dale, Dublin and Lingleville. Hood County and Somervell County are the counties nearest to Erath County.
There is a cut-off for bringing a case, counted from when the dispute began. Miss it and the claim can be barred entirely.
| Kind of claim | Filing deadline |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 4 years |
| Oral contract | 4 years |
| Property damage | 2 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
The same periods apply in Erath County as in nearby Hood County and Somervell County, which are in the same state. Erath County, population about 44,496, is covered by the table above.
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.
It is the same rate across all 6 Erath County ZIP codes. The rate above is the one for Erath County, population about 44,496.
Two checks first: the amount must fall within the ceiling, and the claim must still be in time.
State the party's full legal name, explain the events, and set out the calculation.
File with the Erath 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.
Sort the documents and exhibits in advance so they can be handed up in order.
Come to the hearing in person or remotely where permitted, present the facts, and get the ruling.
Describe the dispute to Eleanor. Squabble drafts the paperwork, puts it through a Triple-Check™ for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and lodges it with the court.
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.
Erath County takes in filings from 6 ZIP codes, 76401 first in the list. Erath County papers go to Erath County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 in Stephenville.
Expect a short, informal hearing in which the judge asks the questions. Most people present their own case.
Erath County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 sits at the 76401 address shown above. Erath County has about 44,496 residents.
A judgment says what is owed. Getting hold of the money is the next stage, and the enforcement options open to you depend on the state.
Part of the debtor's earnings may be redirected toward the judgment where state law provides for it.
With a bank levy, the court reaches funds held in the debtor's account directly.
Lodging the judgment with the county can create a lien over property the debtor owns.
There is also an examination procedure: the debtor is ordered to attend and give sworn answers about earnings and assets. Interest normally accrues at the statutory rate until payment.
Bluff Dale, Dublin and Lingleville are among the Erath County places a judgment debtor may live in. Hood County and Somervell County are the counties nearest to Erath County.
Last reviewed August 2026. Court fees, limits, and procedures change. Verify current details with the court 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 Erath County case for you.
