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The small-claims court in Hidalgo County handles money disputes up to $20,000, with simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
This page sets out the ceiling on claims, what the court charges, the courthouse that covers Hidalgo 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.
Hidalgo County runs several hub courthouses for these cases. Assignment follows the ZIP code of the defendant or of the dispute itself.
Tap a courthouse to see its details in the list below.
Unsure where to file? The court publishes a locator that turns a ZIP code into a courthouse, and Squabble handles that step for you. Coverage is updated periodically, so verify before filing.
Hidalgo County has 2 courthouses listed above; Hidalgo County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2, Place 1 is one of them. About 914,820 people live in Hidalgo County.
You can open a small claims case here online, without travelling to the courthouse to hand the papers in.
Hearings in small claims are attended in person at the courthouse.
Copies of the evidence go to the judge and to the other party, and some courts allow it to be sent in electronically beforehand.
Small claims cases in Hidalgo County, Texas are heard in the Justice Court of Texas system, which handles claims up to $20,000. Hidalgo County has a population of 914,820 and includes communities such as Edinburg, Mcallen, Weslaco, Mission, Pharr, San Juan, Donna, and Alamo, along with ZIP codes including 78501, 78539, 78572, and 78576. Two locations are listed for this county. The Hidalgo County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2, Place 1 sits in Pharr at 300 W. Hall Acres, Suite F, 78577, and can be reached at (956) 784-3540. The Hidalgo County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3, Place 1 is in Mission at 730 N. Breyfogle Rd, Suite C, 78572, with a phone number of (956) 519-8422. The Mission court is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM and is closed Saturday and Sunday. Electronic filing is not available in this county. Hidalgo County lies near Willacy County, Starr County, and Brooks 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 21 communities:
Alamo, Donna, Edcouch, Edinburg, Elsa, Hargill, Hidalgo, La Blanca, La Joya, La Villa, Linn, Los Ebanos, Mcallen, Mercedes, Mission, Penitas, Pharr, Progreso, San Juan, Sullivan City, Weslaco.
Of Texas's 254 counties, Hidalgo County is 9th by population at roughly 914,820 people. Hidalgo County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2, Place 1 sits about 17 miles from the Willacy County courthouse in Raymondville and 21 miles from the Starr County courthouse in Rio Grande City.
Counties nearest to this one:
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
The county where it happened and the county where they live are both generally available.
Splitting a single claim across multiple filings to dodge the ceiling is not permitted.
A small-claims judge generally orders one side to pay money; other kinds of orders belong in higher courts.
Texas permits lawyers at the hearing without requiring them. Everything is built around people presenting their own case.
A claim involving a minor is brought by a court-appointed guardian.
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 31 Hidalgo County ZIP codes, from 78501 onward. Hidalgo County has 2 courthouses listed on this page.
Debts up to $20,000 belong in this court. These are the arguments people bring most frequently.
Hidalgo County takes in Alamo, Donna and Edcouch and the rest of the county. Hidalgo County has about 914,820 residents.
It's built to be navigable without a lawyer. Here's the shape of a case from start to finish.
Set out the claim on the court's form, identify the correct courthouse, and pay the fee.
Service puts the papers in the defendant's hands and starts their time to answer or settle.
The hearing is informal and quick, sometimes by video, and the judge decides on the spot or sends the outcome later.
Hidalgo County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2, Place 1 lists (956) 784-3540 as its number. This is the route a Hidalgo County case takes, whether it starts in 78501 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.
How long before the hearing notice must be given is set by the court. That deadline arrives with your hearing date.
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.
Addresses in Hidalgo County include places such as Alamo, Donna and Edcouch. A Hidalgo County address carries one of its 31 ZIP codes, 78501, 78502 and 78503 among them.
The law fixes how long you have, counted from the dispute itself. A case brought later can be refused outright.
| Claim type | How long you have |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 4 years |
| Oral contract | 4 years |
| Property damage | 2 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
The same periods apply in Hidalgo County as in nearby Willacy County and Starr County, which are in the same state. Hidalgo County, population about 914,820, 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 31 Hidalgo County ZIP codes. The rate above is the one for Hidalgo County, population about 914,820.
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 at the Hidalgo County hub courthouse for your dispute's ZIP code, or e-file, and pay the $46 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
Arrange service once your hearing date is set and file the proof of service with the court.
Organize documents and exhibits so you can present them clearly at the hearing.
Attend, in the courtroom or by video where the court allows it, put your case, and hear the ruling.
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.
Hidalgo County has a population of about 914,820. Hidalgo County takes in filings from 31 ZIP codes, 78501 first in the list.
Expect a short, informal hearing in which the judge asks the questions. Most people present their own case.
Hidalgo County has about 914,820 residents. Alamo, Donna and Edcouch are among the Hidalgo County places a hearing can draw parties from.
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.
Where the law allows, an employer can be directed to send part of the debtor's pay to the court.
Money in the debtor's bank account can be seized under a levy the court orders.
Registering the judgment at county level can fix a lien on real estate the debtor holds.
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.
Alamo, Donna and Edcouch are among the Hidalgo County places a judgment debtor may live in. A Hidalgo County judgment comes from one of its 2 listed courthouses.
Last checked in August 2026. Court fees, limits and procedures move; verify them with the court first.
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 Hidalgo County case for you.
