Small Claims Court Venue
The action is generally filed in the County and Precinct where the defendants reside (where they live) or where location where the Defendants contracted themselves to perform. (Texas Government Code Section 28.011).
Are there appeals in small claims court?
A party can appeal a ruling if the amount of the judge’s award is in excess of $250.00.
Types of Cases
A variety of cases are handled in small claims court. 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. However, small claims court cannot handle assignments of claims (where one person transfers their interest in an action to another), a divorce proceedings, and cases filed by collection agencies or agents.
Waller County Court Clerk
The clerk at the courthouse can be an excellent resource for your case. 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. Small Claims actions are heard in 4 courthouses throughout Waller County. 
Who is the judge in a Small Claims Court case?
The justice of the peace for Waller County presides over small claims court actions for Waller County.
Can I hire an attorney?
Small claims court litigants in Texas normally 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.
How are trials conducted?
Small claims court trials are very informal compared to a regular civil trial. This allows the trials to be conducted in a much more informal fashion. Additionally, the judge is allowed to ask questions of the parties and witnesses, and generally takes a more proactive role in determining the facts of a case. A small claims court trial is much quicker, often lasting between 15-20 minutes. A jury trial will likely last longer, probably a few hours.
Can I file my case in small claims court?
You cannot demand or ask for more than $10,000 in a small claims court case. (Government Code 28.093). Another restriction of small claims court is that a plaintiff can only seek monetary relief (an award of money). The court has no authority to issue an injunctive or equitable award. Say your landscaper breaks a sprinkler head. You can ask the court for money to replace the sprinkler head, but you cannot ask the court for an order requiring the landscaper to physically replace the sprinkler head. This type of relief would be injunctive relief.
Waller County Court Locations
Precinct 1 Place 1 Courthouse in the City of Hempstead
This courthouse is located at:
This courthouse handles cases for Precinct 1 Place 1. The court’s website can be found here. The phone number for the court is (979)826-7745. And you can email the court by clicking here.
Precinct 2 Place 1 Courthouse in the City of Waller
This courthouse is located at:
27388 Fields Store Rd Waller, TX 77484This courthouse handles cases for Precinct 2 Place 1. The court’s website can be found here. The phone number for the court is (936)372-2193. And you can email the court by clicking here.
Precinct 3 Place 1 Courthouse in the City of Hempstead
This courthouse is located at:
12620 FM 1887 Hempstead, TX 77445This courthouse handles cases for Precinct 3 Place 1. The court’s website can be found here. The phone number for the court is (979)826-7637. And you can email the court by clicking here.
Precinct 4 Place 1 Courthouse in the City of Pattison
This courthouse is located at:
P O Box 7 Pattison, TX 77466-0007This courthouse handles cases for Precinct 4 Place 1. The court’s website can be found here. The phone number for the court is (281)375-5233. And you can email the court by clicking here.