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Money disputes up to $20,000 are settled in the Hood County small-claims court, which runs on simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
This page sets out the ceiling on claims, what the court charges, the courthouse that covers Hood 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.
One courthouse takes small claims for Hood County, shown below. The court checks the location against the defendant's address and the place of the dispute.
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.
Hood County covers 5 ZIP codes, including the Granbury, Lipan and Paluxy areas. The nearest counties to Hood County are Somervell County and Erath County.
Paper filing is the route at this court, either in person or by post. Squabble puts the documents together in the form the clerk expects.
Hearings in small claims are attended in person at the courthouse.
Have copies of your evidence for the bench and for the other party. Some courts take documents electronically before the hearing as well.
Residents of Hood County, Texas, a county of 69,126 people that includes the towns of Granbury, Lipan, Paluxy, and Tolar and the ZIP codes 76048, 76049, 76462, 76467, and 76476, can bring small claims cases through the Justice Court of Texas system. The Hood County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 courthouse is located in Granbury at 5417 Acton Highway, 76049, and can be reached at (817) 573-9528 or online at https://co.hood.tx.us/260/Precinct-Three. The claim limit in this court is $20,000. The courthouse is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM, and is closed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Electronic filing is not available, so filings are handled in person at the courthouse. Hood County lies near Somervell County, Erath County, and Parker County, and cases are heard by the justice court serving this county rather than those nearby jurisdictions.
A case filed here usually comes from one of these 4 communities:
Granbury, Lipan, Paluxy, Tolar.
ZIP codes:
Hood County is the 54th most populous of Texas's 254 counties, with about 69,126 residents. Hood County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 in Granbury lies around 17 miles from the Erath County courthouse in Stephenville and 18 miles from the Parker County courthouse in Springtown.
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
Either the place the dispute arose or the place the other party lives will usually work.
You can't divide one dispute into several smaller cases to get around the limit.
Judgments take the form of money owed; other kinds of relief are heard elsewhere.
An attorney may appear at the hearing in Texas, though nobody has to have one. The process assumes you will speak for yourself.
A claim involving a minor is brought by a court-appointed guardian.
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.
They are the same across all 5 Hood County ZIP codes, from 76048 onward. These are the limits for Hood County, population about 69,126.
Where money is owed and the sum is no more than $20,000, this is the right court. The following disputes are the common ones.
Hood County has about 69,126 residents. Hood County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 is the Hood 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.
Papers are delivered to the defendant, who may answer them or settle the matter first.
A short hearing, held in the courtroom or remotely where that is offered. A decision follows on the day or shortly afterwards.
This is the route a Hood County case takes, whether it starts in 76048 or anywhere else among the county ZIP codes. Hood County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 lists (817) 579-3202 as its number.
Filing is only half of it. The defendant has to receive formal notice, a step called service of process, and in most cases you cannot hand over the papers yourself.
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.
Each court sets how far before the hearing the defendant must be served. The clerk confirms your deadline when the hearing date is set.
The person who delivered the papers signs a proof of service. That document goes to the court ahead of 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.
A Hood County address carries one of its 5 ZIP codes, 76048, 76049 and 76462 among them. Addresses in Hood County include places such as Granbury, Lipan and Paluxy.
There is a cut-off for bringing a case, counted from when the dispute began. Miss it and the claim can be barred entirely.
| What the claim is about | 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 Hood County ZIP code to another, 76048 included. Hood County, population about 69,126, 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).
Want to estimate what interest adds to your claim? Use the Squabble interest calculator to see the running total before you file.
It is the same rate across all 5 Hood County ZIP codes. The rate above is the one for Hood County, population about 69,126.
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 Hood 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).
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.
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 →A claim form opens the case, a proof of service records that notice was given, and a fee waiver applies where you qualify. Titles differ between courts, and Squabble uses the ones your courthouse expects.
Hood County has a population of about 69,126. Hood County papers go to Hood County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 in Granbury.
Hearings are short and plainly run. Questions come from the judge, and most parties appear without help.
Granbury, Lipan and Paluxy are among the Hood County places a hearing can draw parties from. Hood County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 sits at the 76049 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.
Some states permit part of the debtor's wages to be diverted to the judgment until it is cleared.
Funds can be collected directly from the debtor's bank account through a court-ordered levy.
Filing the judgment with the county can attach a lien to land or buildings the debtor owns.
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.
Somervell County and Erath County are the counties nearest to Hood County. Granbury, Lipan and Paluxy are among the Hood County places a judgment debtor may live in.
Reviewed August 2026. Fees, limits and procedures are revised from time to time, so confirm them with the court before you file.
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 Hood County case for you.
