Hale County Small Claims Court, Texas

Hale County Small Claims Court cases are heard in 2 courthouses in Hale County.

Do I need A Lawyer?

In Texas, small claims parties generally represent themselves without an attorney. This is largely because the amount at issue in the case is not large enough to justify the hiring of an attorney. However, you are allowed to retain one if you choose.

Are Appeals Allowed?

A party can appeal a ruling if the amount of the judge’s award is in excess of $250.00.

Can I file my small claims case in Hale County?

You should file your action in the County and specific Precinct where the defendants reside or where the defendant has contracted to perform. (Government Code Section 28.011).

What is the trial like?

The trial is relatively informal compared to a normal trial. This allows the trials to be conducted in a much more informal fashion. Generally the judge will ask questions to help develop the facts and understand the context and circumstances surrounding the case. Trials generally are pretty short (15-20 minutes). However, if a party wishes for a jury trial, it will likely last a few hours.

Hale County Court Clerk

We recommend contacting the Hale County court clerk before proceeding down to the courthouse to file your action. The clerk is an excellent resource for the procedure for small claims court cases in Texas but also any procedures specific to that County or courthouse. It is recommended that you contact the clerk’s office to ensure the courthouse is open during the hours you want to visit. While the clerk can help you with procedural issues, the clerk is not able to give legal advice. They will direct you to an attorney if answering your question would require that.

Can I file my case in small claims court?

The plaintiff’s demand for money cannot exceed $10,000. (Texas Government Code 28.093). Another restriction of small claims court is that a plaintiff can only seek monetary relief (an award of money). You are unable to seek injunctive or equitable relief. For example, you could sue a dry cleaner for ruining your clothes and ask for money to replace the clothes, but you cannot ask the judge for an order for the dry cleaner to repair your clothes. This type of relief would be injunctive relief.

Judges for Small Claims Court Cases in Hale County

Small claims cases in Hale County are heard in front of the justice of the peace for Hale County.

Small Claims Court Case Types

Small claims courts handle a wide variety of cases. This could be an action to get your security deposit back, or an action to recover money for damage done to your vehicle after a car accident. Under Texas law, collections cases and claim assignments cannot be heard in small claims court.

Hale County Court Locations

Precinct 1 Place 1 Courthouse in the City of Plainview

This courthouse is located at:

500 Broadway, Rm 10

Plainview, TX 79072-8050

This courthouse handles cases for Precinct 1 Place 1. The court’s website can be found here. The phone number for the court is (806)291-5201. And you can email the court by clicking here.

Precinct 3 Place 1 Courthouse in the City of Abernathy