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Hale County resolves money disputes up to $20,000 in the small-claims court: simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
Below is what you need for a small claims case in Hale County: the limit, filing fees, which courthouse to use, how to serve the other side, your deadlines, and how to file. When you're ready, Squabble prepares everything and files it for you.
Hale 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.
Confirm the courthouse before you file. The court's own small-claims page carries its current filing location and hours, and Squabble confirms the courthouse for your case when you file.
Hale County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, in Plainview, is the courthouse listed for Hale County. Hale County covers 7 ZIP codes, including the Abernathy, Cotton Center and Edmonson areas.
Small claims are filed here on paper, at the counter or through the mail. Squabble prepares the full packet before it goes.
Small claims hearings are held in person at the courthouse.
Evidence is copied for the judge and for the opposing side; electronic submission ahead of time is accepted at some courts.
Residents of Hale County, Texas, who wish to file a small claims case do so through the Justice Court of Texas system, which handles claims up to $20,000. The Hale County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, sits at 500 Broadway #10 in Plainview, 79072, and can be reached at (806) 291-5201 or online at http://www.halecounty.org/hale_co_courts/jp_1_court/index.php. The court is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM and from 1:00 to 5:00 PM, and it is closed on Saturday and Sunday. Electronic filing is not available, so filings are handled in person at the courthouse during those hours. The county has a population of 31,953 and includes the communities of Abernathy, Cotton Center, Edmonson, Hale Center, Petersburg and Plainview, along with ZIP codes such as 79021, 79032, 79041, 79073, 79250 and 79311. Hale County lies near Lamb County, Floyd County and Lubbock County, each of which is served by its own courts.
A case filed here usually comes from one of these 6 communities:
Abernathy, Cotton Center, Edmonson, Hale Center, Petersburg, Plainview.
ZIP codes:
Of Texas's 254 counties, Hale County is 91st by population at roughly 31,953 people. Hale County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1 sits about 21 miles from the Lubbock County courthouse in Lubbock.
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
The county where it happened and the county where they live are both generally available.
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.
Lawyers are allowed at a Texas hearing but are not needed. The procedure is written for self-representation.
Where a party is under 18, the court appoints a guardian to act.
Over the limit? You can lower your claim to fit and stay in small claims, or file the full amount in regular civil court. Lowering usually means giving up the excess, so weigh it carefully.
They are the same across all 7 Hale County ZIP codes, from 79021 onward. Hale County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1 is the courthouse listed for Hale County.
If someone owes you money, up to $20,000, small claims is built for it. These are the disputes residents bring most often.
Hale County has about 31,953 residents. Hale County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1 is the Hale County courthouse listed below.
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.
Service puts the papers in the defendant's hands and starts their time to answer or settle.
The hearing itself is short and informal. Some courts allow video. The ruling comes then or later in writing.
Everything below applies to a case filed in Hale County, at the Plainview courthouse. Hale County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1 lists (806) 291-5201 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.
Who may serve depends on the court: law enforcement, a paid process server, the clerk by certified mail, or a disinterested adult. Costs and rules are local.
Every court fixes a minimum number of days between service and the hearing. The clerk will tell you what it is for your case.
Service is proved on paper. The server completes and signs a form, and it is filed before the matter is heard.
Service is where many self-filed cases stall. Squabble can coordinate professional Service of Process so it's done correctly and on time.
A Hale County address carries one of its 7 ZIP codes, 79021, 79032 and 79041 among them. Lamb County and Floyd County are the counties nearest to Hale County.
The law fixes how long you have, counted from the dispute itself. A case brought later can be refused outright.
| Claim type | Time limit to file |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 4 years |
| Oral contract | 4 years |
| Property damage | 2 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
They do not change from one Hale County ZIP code to another, 79021 included. The same periods apply in Hale County as in nearby Lamb County and Floyd 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).
Interest can be calculated before filing using the Squabble interest calculator.
The rate above is the one for Hale County, population about 31,953. Hale County is under the same state rate as nearby Lamb County and Floyd County.
Confirm the sum sits under the cap and that the time limit for this kind of claim has not run out.
Get the defendant's legal name right, set out the events, and break down how the figure is reached.
File with the Hale 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).
With a hearing date in hand, organise service and lodge the completed proof 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.
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 →You will meet a claim form, a proof of service, and possibly a fee waiver. What each is called depends on the court, and Squabble matches them to your courthouse.
Hale County papers go to Hale County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1 in Plainview. Hale County has a population of about 31,953.
Expect a short, informal hearing in which the judge asks the questions. Most people present their own case.
Hale County has about 31,953 residents. Hale County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1 sits at the 79072 address shown above.
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.
Where state law allows it, a portion of the debtor's earnings can be redirected to pay what the court ordered.
A levy lets the court reach money sitting in the debtor's bank account.
Recording the judgment locally can place a lien against real property in the debtor's name.
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.
Abernathy, Cotton Center and Edmonson are among the Hale County places a judgment debtor may live in. Lamb County and Floyd County are the counties nearest to Hale 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 Hale County case for you.
