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Hays 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 Hays 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.
Hays County hears small claims at several hub courthouses. The right one depends on where the defendant lives or where your dispute happened. The court matches your ZIP code to a courthouse.
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.
About 292,029 people live in Hays County. Hays County covers 8 ZIP codes, including the Austin, Buda and Driftwood areas.
Filings here are on paper, brought to the counter or posted. Squabble assembles the packet so it is complete when it arrives.
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.
Small claims cases in Hays County, Texas are heard in the Justice Court of Texas system, which handles claims up to $20000. The county has a population of 292,029 and includes communities such as Buda, Driftwood, Kyle, San Marcos, and Wimberley, along with ZIP codes including 78610, 78640, 78666, and 78737. It lies near Travis County, Blanco County, and Comal County. Three justice courts accept filings. The Hays County Justice Court Precinct 3 in Wimberley is located at 200 Stillwater and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and closed Saturday and Sunday. The Hays County Justice Court Precinct 4 in Dripping Springs sits at 195 Roger Hanks Pkwy and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The Hays County Justice of Peace: Precinct 2 in Kyle, at 5458 FM2770, is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM and Friday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Electronic filing is not available in this county.
More than one location takes small claims here. The court matches a case to a location by address.
A case filed here usually comes from one of these 7 communities:
Austin, Buda, Driftwood, Dripping Springs, Kyle, San Marcos, Wimberley.
ZIP codes:
Hays County is the 19th most populous of Texas's 254 counties, with about 292,029 residents. Hays County Justice Court Precinct 3 in Wimberley lies around 11 miles from the Travis County courthouse in Austin and 11 miles from the Comal County courthouse in New Braunfels.
Counties nearest to this one:
This is the part of the court built for ordinary money arguments. The procedure is stripped back, and there is a ceiling on the amount at stake.
Maximum claim
You can generally file where the dispute happened or where the other party lives.
You can't divide one dispute into several smaller cases to get around the limit.
The remedy here is money. Orders telling someone to do or stop something sit with higher courts.
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? Two routes exist: reduce the claim to the cap and stay here, or take the full sum to regular civil court. Reducing it normally forfeits the difference.
These are the limits for Hays County, population about 292,029. They are the same across all 8 Hays County ZIP codes, from 78610 onward.
Debts up to $20,000 belong in this court. These are the arguments people bring most frequently.
Hays County takes in Austin, Buda and Driftwood and the rest of the county. Hays County has about 292,029 residents.
It's built to be navigable without a lawyer. Here's the shape of a case from start to finish.
Prepare the claim form, work out which court covers it, and pay the court's charge.
The defendant receives the papers through formal service and can reply or negotiate an end to it.
Expect a brief session rather than a trial, in person or by video where available, with a decision at the end or soon after.
Hays County Justice Court Precinct 3 publishes its counter hours; they are listed on this page. This is the route a Hays County case takes, whether it starts in 78610 or anywhere else among the county ZIP codes.
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.
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.
Travis County and Blanco County are the counties nearest to Hays County. A Hays County address carries one of its 8 ZIP codes, 78610, 78619 and 78620 among them.
You have a limited window to file, measured from when the dispute arose. File after it closes and your claim can be barred.
| Kind of claim | How long you have |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 4 years |
| Oral contract | 4 years |
| Property damage | 2 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
They do not change from one Hays County ZIP code to another, 78610 included. The same periods apply in Hays County as in nearby Travis County and Blanco 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).
The Squabble interest calculator shows what the accrued figure comes to on top of the principal.
Hays County is under the same state rate as nearby Travis County and Blanco County. It is the same rate across all 8 Hays County ZIP codes.
Verify the figure is inside the limit and that you are still within the deadline for this claim type.
State the party's full legal name, explain the events, and set out the calculation.
File at the Hays County hub courthouse for your dispute's ZIP code, or on paper, by mail or at the counter, and pay the $45–$100 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
After the hearing date is issued, arrange delivery of the papers and file the proof with the court.
Arrange your evidence and number the exhibits so nothing has to be searched for on the day.
Appear in person or, where available, remotely, present your case, and receive the court's decision.
Go through the events with Eleanor. The documents are prepared, Triple-Checked™ for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and filed 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.
Hays County takes in filings from 8 ZIP codes, 78610 first in the list. Austin, Buda and Driftwood are among the places in Hays County that filings come from.
Hearings are short and plainly run. Questions come from the judge, and most parties appear without help.
Austin, Buda and Driftwood are among the Hays County places a hearing can draw parties from. Hays County has about 292,029 residents.
Winning and being paid are two different things. The judgment records what is owed; collecting it is its own process, backed by court remedies that vary from state to state.
Where the law allows, an employer can be directed to send part of the debtor's pay to the court.
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.
The court can additionally require the debtor to appear and answer under oath about what they earn and own. An unsatisfied judgment usually carries statutory interest until it is paid.
Travis County and Blanco County are the counties nearest to Hays County. Austin, Buda and Driftwood are among the Hays County places a judgment debtor may live in.
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 Hays County case for you.
