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The small-claims court in Hartley County handles money disputes up to $20,000, with simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
Here you will find the claim limit that applies in Hartley 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.
These cases are heard at the single courthouse below. Hartley County confirms the venue from the defendant's address or where the events happened.
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.
The nearest counties to Hartley County are Oldham County and Dallam County. Small claims filings from Hartley County are handled at Hartley County Justice of the Peace Court: Small Claims in Dalhart.
This court takes small-claims filings on paper, in person or by mail. Squabble prepares everything so your packet arrives filing-ready.
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.
Residents of Hartley County, Texas, which has a population of 4,996 and includes the towns of Channing and Hartley along with the ZIP codes 79018 and 79044, can file small claims cases through the Justice Court of Texas system. The Hartley County Justice of the Peace Court: Small Claims is located at 1401 Walnut Ave in Dalhart, 79022, and can be reached at (806) 244-2939 or online at https://www.co.hartley.tx.us/page/hartley.Justice. The court handles claims up to $20,000. Its office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM and Friday from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, and it is closed Saturday and Sunday. Electronic filing is not available for this court, so filings are handled in person or by other non-electronic means. Hartley County lies near Oldham County, Dallam County, and Moore County, each of which operates its own courts for matters arising within its boundaries.
A case filed here usually comes from one of these 2 communities:
Channing, Hartley.
ZIP codes:
With about 4,996 residents, Hartley County ranks 201st by population among the 254 counties of Texas. From Dalhart, Hartley County Justice of the Peace Court: Small Claims is roughly 17 miles from the Moore County courthouse in Dumas.
If the other side lives just over the county line, the case may belong next door:
Everyday disputes over money belong in the small claims division, where the rules are simplified, and the sum in question has an upper bound.
Maximum claim
Filing is generally possible in the county of the events or the county of the defendant.
One dispute cannot be broken into several cases to slip under the cap.
Judgments take the form of money owed; other kinds of relief are heard elsewhere.
Texas allows attorneys at the hearing, but none is required. The procedures are designed for self-representation.
Minors take part through a guardian appointed by the court.
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.
These are the limits for Hartley County, population about 4,996. Hartley County Justice of the Peace Court: Small Claims is the courthouse listed for Hartley County.
Small claims exists for money owed, up to $20,000. The categories below come up more than any others.
Hartley County takes in Channing and Hartley and the rest of the county. Hartley County Justice of the Peace Court: Small Claims is the Hartley County courthouse listed below.
It's built to be navigable without a lawyer. Here's the shape of a case from start to finish.
Fill in the claim, pick the courthouse that covers the dispute, and pay what the court charges.
The defendant receives the papers through formal service and can reply or negotiate an end to it.
The hearing is informal and quick, sometimes by video, and the judge decides on the spot or sends the outcome later.
Hartley County Justice of the Peace Court: Small Claims lists (806) 244-2939 as its number. This is the route a Hartley County case takes, whether it starts in 79018 or anywhere else among the county ZIP codes.
The defendant must be given formal notice after filing. This is service of process, and as a rule you are not permitted to serve the papers yourself.
The options usually include a sheriff or constable, a licensed process server, certified mail sent by the clerk, or any adult with no stake in the case. What is allowed, and what it costs, differs from county to 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.
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.
A Hartley County address carries one of its 2 ZIP codes, 79018 and 79044 among them. Oldham County and Dallam County are the counties nearest to Hartley County.
Every claim carries a filing window that opens when the dispute happens. Once it closes, the court can turn the case away.
| Type of claim | 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 Hartley County ZIP code to another, 79018 included. Hartley County, population about 4,996, 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).
The Squabble interest calculator shows what the accrued figure comes to on top of the principal.
It is the same rate across all 2 Hartley County ZIP codes. Hartley County is under the same state rate as nearby Oldham County and Dallam County.
Check that the amount is within the limit and that you're inside the statute of limitations for your claim type.
Use the other side's correct legal name, describe the dispute, and show how the money adds up.
File with the Hartley 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.
Gather the paperwork and label your exhibits so each point can be shown quickly.
Turn up on the day, in person or remotely where offered, present what happened, and take the decision.
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 →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.
Hartley County has a population of about 4,996. Hartley County takes in filings from 2 ZIP codes, 79018 first in the list.
Hearings are short and plainly run. Questions come from the judge, and most parties appear without help.
Hearings in Hartley County cases are listed at Hartley County Justice of the Peace Court: Small Claims in Dalhart. Channing and Hartley are among the Hartley County places a hearing can draw parties from.
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 court-ordered levy allows funds to be taken from the debtor's bank account.
Lodging the judgment with the county can create a lien over property the debtor owns.
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.
The judgment in a Hartley County case comes from Hartley County Justice of the Peace Court: Small Claims in Dalhart. Channing and Hartley are among the Hartley County places a judgment debtor may live in.
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 Hartley County case for you.
