Court Preparation Tool

Procedure guides

Small Claims Filing Checklist for Texas Justice Court

A page-by-page checklist of what a Texas justice court expects in a self-prepared small claims filing, and the reasons clerks most often return one.

Texas

How it works

  1. Write the caption: court name, county, precinct, your full name and street address, and the respondent's full name and street address.
  2. Set the page: Letter paper, 1 inch margins on all four sides, 12 point type, double spaced.
  3. Number the paragraphs continuously from 1, one event per paragraph, in date order.
  4. Sign the petition in ink, print your name, address and telephone number beneath the signature, and add a certificate of service for anything filed after the petition.
  5. Prepare one copy per respondent plus one copy for the court file, and number attachments continuously from 1 with an index page.

Next

How many copies of a small claims petition does a Texas justice court need?

One signed original plus one copy for each respondent and one copy for the court file. The court serves the respondent copies; you keep a stamped copy for your records.

Does a small claims petition in Texas have to be typed?

It must be legible and written on paper, in ink if handwritten. Typewritten filings at 12 point with 1 inch margins are the format clerks process without questions, and this tool produces that format.

What happens if I file without the correct filing fee?

The clerk will not issue service. You either pay the fee or file a completed Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs so the fee can be waived or deferred.

Format requirements for this court

Filing paper is Letter size, 8.5 by 11 inches. Texas Judicial Branch: court rules, forms and self-help pages
Margins of 1 inch are left on all four sides of the page. Texas Judicial Branch: court rules, forms and self-help pages
Paragraphs are numbered continuously from 1 through the whole petition. Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 45 (Pleading form)
Justice court civil jurisdiction is generally limited to 20,000 US dollars, excluding interest and costs. Texas Government Code, Section 27.031 (Jurisdiction of justice courts)
The petition must be signed by the party filing it. Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 57 (Signing of pleadings)

Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.

Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.