How to File a Small Claim in a Dallas Texas Court
If you have a small claims lawsuit that you wish to file in one of Dallas' 11 small claims courts, you may hire a lawyer to represent you or you may decide to represent yourself. If you decide to represent yourself, you will need to prepare the lawsuit and appear in court on your own behalf.
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Things You'll Need
- Information on the defendant including address for service
- Evidence of the debt
Instructions
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Determine whether your case can be heard in small claims court. Dallas County small claims courts hear civil cases where the dollar amount in controversy does not exceed $10,000. You must be at least 18 years old to initiate a lawsuit. Make sure you have not exceeded the statute of limitations for filing your lawsuit.
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Decide which court to file your case in. Generally, you must file the case in the precinct where the defendant lives or does business. A list of the precincts can be found on the Dallas County, Texas website.
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Prepare a small claim statement form. You will need to have the defendant's name and address available. You will also need to give the court a brief description of your complaint against the defendant as well as the dollar amount you are claiming is owed to you. The form is available from the clerk in each of the small claims courts.
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File the statement of claim with the clerk of court and pay the appropriate filing fee and service of citation fee. The current filing fee amount can be ascertained by contacting the clerk in the precinct where you plan to file.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure you have a good address for the defendant. The defendant must be served to proceed with the claim.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit courthouse image by pearlguy from Fotolia.com
