Rachel Monroe A breakdown of what it costs to file a small claims case in Texas justice court as of 2026: the petition filing fee, per-defendant service fees, jury and appeal charges, and how to proceed without paying up front using a Statement of Inability.
A default judgment in a Texas justice court can be entered when a defendant who was properly served does not file an answer by the deadline. This article explains when the judge can enter one, how a defendant asks the court to set it aside, the deadlines that apply, and how a plaintiff collects.
An eviction in Texas leaves two records: the tenant-screening report and the public court file. How each is cleared, corrected, or aged off under Texas and federal law.
How to get a California writ of execution (Form EJ-130): what it does, the $40 issuance fee, the 180-day validity period, and how the sheriff enforces it.
Texas gives tenants specific ways to slow an eviction: appealing to county court within 5 days, filing a Statement of Inability instead of an appeal bond, and the built-in delay before a writ of possession can be executed.
A step-by-step walkthrough of filing a small claims case in California: eligibility, choosing the court, form SC-100, current fees, and serving the defendant.
Texas shields wages from most creditors. A judgment for an ordinary debt cannot reach a paycheck; only child support, spousal maintenance, and federal debts can. Here is the constitutional rule, the exceptions, and how creditors collect instead.
What “squatters’ rights” means in Texas: the adverse possession time limits that can lead to title, and how a property owner removes an unauthorized occupant through the eviction process, including the faster track added by SB 38.
How to file a small claims case in a Texas justice court: what qualifies, where to file, completing the petition, fees and service costs, and the deadlines for answering and appealing.
An abstract of judgment, recorded with a Texas county clerk, creates a lien on the debtor’s non-exempt real property. How to obtain, record, and maintain it.
A writ of execution is how a Texas judgment creditor collects: a constable seizes and sells the debtor’s nonexempt property. When it issues and what is exempt.
Winning a Texas small claims case comes down to proof. How the justice court hearing works, the burden of proof, and the evidence and witnesses that decide it.