Lawsuits to collect debts are usually filed in state courts—and may be filed in small claims courts, depending on the amount of the debt and the small claims court’s jurisdictional limits (the maximum amount of a claim that can be filed in the court).
In Texas, lawsuits to collect debts are typically filed in state courts, and the court in which a lawsuit is filed depends on the amount of the debt. Small claims courts, known as Justice Courts in Texas, handle cases involving claims for small amounts of money. As of 2023, the jurisdictional limit for small claims in Texas is $20,000. This means that if the debt amount is $20,000 or less, the creditor may file the lawsuit in a Justice Court. If the amount exceeds this limit, the lawsuit would need to be filed in a county court or district court, depending on the amount of the debt and the specific jurisdictional thresholds of these courts. It's important for creditors to file in the appropriate court to ensure that the case is heard and to avoid the case being dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.
