Filing a small claims case in Texas
You start by filing a claim in the Justice Court (Small Claims) for the county where the other party lives or where the dispute happened, then pay a small filing fee and serve the other side. Hearings are informal — you tell the judge what happened and show your evidence (contracts, photos, texts, receipts). If your claim is worth more than $20,000, you can lower it to fit the cap and give up the rest, or file in a regular civil court where a lawyer is usually worth it.