Texas: Small Claims Court Dollar Limits

Requirements one by one

Governing law

Two layers of law set up Texas's system. The Government Code establishes the Justice Court's basic jurisdiction: § 27.031(a)(1) gives it authority over civil matters up to $20,000. Separately, § 27.060 hands off the procedural details for a "small claims case" specifically to the Texas Supreme Court, which has written them into Rules 500-507 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, Part V. Rule 500.1(a) is where the small claims case type is actually defined.

Dollar limit

$20,000 is the ceiling, and it applies uniformly, "excluding statutory interest and court costs but including attorney fees, if any," per Rule 500.1(a). The Government Code's version of the number, in § 27.031(a)(1), phrases it slightly differently ("not more than $20,000, exclusive of interest") but the two are describing the same jurisdictional line.

Limit for businesses/entities

There's no separate, lower number for a business plaintiff in Texas the way some states set one. The $20,000 figure in § 27.031(a)(1) and Rule 500.1(a) applies regardless of whether the plaintiff is an individual or an entity. (Texas does draw a related but different line for a "debt claim case", a lawsuit by an assignee, debt collector, or lender specifically, which shares the same $20,000 cap but follows an additional set of rules, Rule 508, layered on top of the ordinary small claims rules.)

Court name and where to file

Look for the Justice Court, sometimes called the Justice of the Peace Court, Texas doesn't have a standalone "small claims court" building or division. The small claims case type is simply one of the tracks that court hears, alongside evictions, debt claims, and repair-and-remedy cases against a landlord.

Can you bring a lawyer?

Yes, if you want one, though nothing requires it. Section 27.031(d) confirms that "a corporation need not be represented by an attorney in justice court", meaning representation is optional, not that it's forbidden. Nothing in the Rules of Civil Procedure's small claims provisions bars an attorney from appearing, a real contrast with states that exclude them from the hearing entirely.

Limit on how many claims you can file

None. Neither Government Code Chapter 27 nor the small claims rules in TRCP Part V (Rules 500-507) impose any cap on how many claims a person or business can file in a year, unlike states that limit repeat high-dollar filers.

Can you appeal?

Yes, and unlike some states, either side can. Rule 506.1(a) lets "a party", not just the defendant, appeal a judgment by filing a bond, a cash deposit, or a sworn Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs with the justice court, within 21 days of the judgment (or the denial of certain post-judgment motions). If you're the plaintiff, a defendant can't take away your right to appeal by winning, and if you're the defendant, you have the same option. Rule 506.3 spells out what happens next: "The case must be tried de novo in the county court. A trial de novo is a new trial in which the entire case is presented as if there had been no previous trial." Bond amounts differ by side, a plaintiff posts a flat $500 bond, while a defendant's bond must equal twice the judgment amount.

What you can sue for

Primarily money damages, civil penalties, or personal property, Rule 500.1(a)'s own definition. The same Justice Court handles two other, separately defined case types that some states fold into "small claims" and Texas keeps distinct: an eviction case (Rule 500.1(d), also capped at $20,000 for any joined unpaid-rent claim) and, under the Government Code directly, foreclosure of a mortgage or enforcement of a lien on personal property when the amount fits within the court's jurisdiction (§ 27.031(a)(3)). These follow their own procedural rules, not the small-claims track.

What trips people up

"Small claims court" isn't a place you can look up separately. If you're searching for where to file, you want your local Justice Court (organized by precinct within each county), not a search for a distinct "small claims" building or division.

The $20,000 figure excludes interest and court costs but includes attorney fees. If your claim is close to the line, remember any attorney fees you're seeking count toward the cap, while the interest and costs you might also recover don't.

Appeal deadlines are tight and side-dependent. You have 21 days to appeal, and the bond you post is a flat $500 if you're the plaintiff but doubles the judgment amount if you're the defendant, budget for that difference before deciding whether to appeal a loss.

Common questions

Do I need to send a demand letter before filing? Nothing in the statutes or rules discussed here requires one, though it's common practice and some courts' local guidance recommends it.

Can I still sue if my claim is worth more than $20,000? You can, but not in this track, a claim above $20,000 has to go through the ordinary civil docket in county or district court instead, which involves more formal procedure.

What happens if I don't post the appeal bond in time? Under Rule 506.1(a), the appeal isn't perfected and the original justice court judgment stands.

Statutes and sources

• Tex. Gov't Code § 27.031, "In addition to the jurisdiction and powers provided by the constitution and other law, the justice court has original jurisdiction of: (1) civil matters in which exclusive jurisdiction is not in the district or county court and in which the amount in controversy is not more than $20,000, exclusive of interest; (2) cases of forcible entry and detainer; and (3) foreclosure of mortgages and enforcement of liens on personal property in cases in which the amount in controversy is otherwise within the justice court's jurisdiction. ... (d) A corporation need not be represented by an attorney in justice court.", https://tcss.legis.texas.gov/resources/gv/pdf/gv.27.pdf, accessed 2026-07-09
• Tex. Gov't Code § 27.060, "A justice court shall conduct proceedings in a small claims case, as that term is defined by the supreme court, in accordance with rules of civil procedure promulgated by the supreme court to ensure the fair, expeditious, and inexpensive resolution of small claims cases.", https://tcss.legis.texas.gov/resources/gv/pdf/gv.27.pdf, accessed 2026-07-09
• Tex. R. Civ. P. 500.1(a), "A small claims case is a lawsuit brought for the recovery of money damages, civil penalties, personal property, or other relief allowed by law. The claim can be for no more than $20,000, excluding statutory interest and court costs but including attorney fees, if any.", https://www.jp.hctx.net/files/TEXAS%20RULES%20OF%20CIVIL%20PROCEDURE%201.1.26.pdf, accessed 2026-07-09
• Tex. R. Civ. P. 506.1(a), "A party may appeal a judgment by filing a bond, making a cash deposit, or filing a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs with the justice court within 21 days after the judgment is signed or the motion to reinstate, motion to set aside, or motion for new trial, if any, is denied.", https://www.jp.hctx.net/files/TEXAS%20RULES%20OF%20CIVIL%20PROCEDURE%201.1.26.pdf, accessed 2026-07-09
• Tex. R. Civ. P. 506.3, "The case must be tried de novo in the county court. A trial de novo is a new trial in which the entire case is presented as if there had been no previous trial.", https://www.jp.hctx.net/files/TEXAS%20RULES%20OF%20CIVIL%20PROCEDURE%201.1.26.pdf, accessed 2026-07-09