Houston Courthouse Guide for Personal Injury Claims

Texas venue rules (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ch. 15) generally require you to file in the county where the accident happened or where the defendant resides. For crashes in Houston, this means the Harris County Civil Courthouse at 201 Caroline Street, Houston, TX 77002. The building houses both the Harris County District Courts and the County Civil Courts at Law.

Harris County District Clerk — 201 Caroline Street, Houston, TX 77002. Phone: (832) 927-5800. The District Clerk handles all district court filings, including personal injury lawsuits seeking more than $200,000 in damages. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Harris County County Clerk — Civil Courts Division, 201 Caroline Street, 4th Floor, Suite 460, Houston, TX 77002. Phone: (713) 274-8600. The County Clerk handles county court at law filings for cases between $20,000 and $200,000. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Harris County Justice Courts handle small claims cases up to $20,000. There are 16 justice of the peace precincts across Harris County. The precinct where the accident occurred or where the defendant lives determines which JP court you use. Find your precinct at jp.hctx.net.

Texas requires mandatory electronic filing for all civil cases. You must e-file through the statewide eFileTexas.gov system using an approved Electronic Filing Service Provider (EFSP). Attorneys are required to e-file; self-represented litigants are strongly encouraged to e-file but may submit paper filings in limited circumstances. Create an account with an approved EFSP, select Harris County as the filing location, choose the correct case category (Civil — Personal Injury/Tort), upload your petition and citation, and pay the filing fee electronically.

Your petition (called an Original Petition in Texas) must state the facts of the accident, identify each defendant, explain the legal basis for liability under Texas law, and specify the relief you seek. Texas is a fact-pleading state (Tex. R. Civ. P. 47) — your petition must state whether you seek monetary relief of $250,000 or less, or over $250,000. Include the date and location of the accident, what the defendant did wrong, how it caused your injuries, and a description of your damages.

After filing, the court assigns a cause number. You must serve each defendant with the citation and petition. In Texas, service is made by a sheriff, constable, authorized process server, or any person authorized by court order (Tex. R. Civ. P. 103). The defendant has until 10:00 a.m. on the first Monday after 20 days from the date of service to file an answer (Tex. R. Civ. P. 99). If the defendant fails to answer, you can seek a default judgment.

For technical support with e-filing in Harris County, contact the Harris County District Clerk's e-filing help desk at (832) 927-5800 or visit hcdistrictclerk.com/common/civil/EFiling.aspx.

Filing fees in Harris County vary by court and case type. For a personal injury lawsuit filed in district court, expect to pay approximately $300 to $400 for the initial filing, which includes the base filing fee, courthouse security fee ($20), law library fee ($35), court reporter service fee ($25), and dispute resolution fee ($15). The Harris County District Clerk publishes the current fee schedule at hcdistrictclerk.com.

County court at law filing fees are slightly lower — approximately $250 to $350 depending on the specific fees assessed. Justice court (small claims) filing fees range from approximately $54 to $175 depending on the claim amount and the specific JP court. Contact the appropriate clerk's office for the exact current amount before filing.

If you cannot afford the filing fee, Texas provides an inability-to-pay process. File a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs (Tex. R. Civ. P. 145) with your petition. The court will review your financial situation. Beyond the filing fee, expect additional costs: service of process fees ($75 to $150 for constable or private process server), deposition transcript fees, and expert witness fees. Most personal injury attorneys in Houston work on contingency — they advance these costs and recover them from your settlement or verdict.

Texas justice courts handle civil disputes where the amount in controversy is $20,000 or less, exclusive of interest and court costs (Tex. Gov't Code 27.031). If your personal injury damages — medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering combined — exceed $20,000, you cannot use justice court.

Texas organizes civil cases into tiers by claim amount. Justice Court (small claims) covers claims of $20,000 or less. County Courts at Law cover claims from $20,001 to $200,000 (though exact limits vary by county — in Harris County, county courts at law have concurrent jurisdiction with district courts up to $200,000). District Courts handle cases over $200,000 and have no upper limit on claim amounts.

Justice court is faster and more informal — hearings are typically scheduled within 30 to 60 days, the rules of evidence are relaxed, and many people represent themselves. However, the $20,000 cap is strict. Most personal injury cases involving even a single ER visit and follow-up care will exceed $20,000 in medical bills alone in Houston, making district court or county court at law the appropriate venue. If your damages are modest and clearly under $20,000, justice court can be a cost-effective option.

Harris County offers online systems for looking up court cases. For district court cases, use the Harris County District Clerk's online case search at hcdistrictclerk.com. You can search by cause number, party name, or attorney name to find filing dates, hearing schedules, and docket entries.

For county court at law cases, use the Harris County County Clerk's civil case search at cclerk.hctx.net/Civil.aspx. The system shows the docket for your case, including every filing, hearing date, and court order.

These systems show the complete case history for your case. For personal injury cases, this is useful for tracking deadlines, monitoring motions, and confirming hearing dates. If you cannot find your case online, contact the Harris County District Clerk at (832) 927-5800 or the County Clerk at (713) 274-8600.

Since Texas mandates e-filing, most of your interaction with the court will be electronic. However, you may need to appear at the courthouse for hearings, case management conferences, mediations, and trial. When you arrive at the Harris County Civil Courthouse at 201 Caroline Street, expect security screening — empty your pockets, remove belts, and send bags through the X-ray machine. Cell phones are allowed but must be silenced in courtrooms. No weapons are permitted.

Arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled hearing. Check the court's docket or the kiosk in the lobby to confirm your courtroom assignment. Dress professionally — business casual at minimum. Address the judge as 'Your Honor.' If you are self-represented, the judge may explain procedures, but you are expected to follow the same rules as attorneys.

Parking near the Harris County Civil Courthouse is available in nearby garages and metered street parking. The METRORail Red Line stops at the Preston/Main Street station, about a 5-minute walk from the courthouse. The Harris County courthouse complex is ADA accessible. Check the court's website at justex.net for specific courtroom locations and accessibility information.

If your injury was caused by a government entity — the City of Houston, Harris County, a school district, or the State of Texas — you face additional requirements under the Texas Tort Claims Act (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ch. 101). You must provide formal notice of your claim before filing suit. For the City of Houston, you must file written notice within 90 days of the incident with the mayor and city council. The notice must describe the damage or injury, the time and place of the incident, and the incident itself.

For other local government entities in Texas, the general notice deadline under the Texas Tort Claims Act is 6 months after the incident (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 101.101). The notice must be given to the governmental unit. However, formal notice is not required if the government unit has actual notice that a death, injury, or property damage has occurred.

The Texas Tort Claims Act caps damages against government entities: $250,000 per person and $500,000 per occurrence for bodily injury or death, and $100,000 per occurrence for property damage (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 101.023). Government tort claims are complex because of sovereign immunity, shorter deadlines, damage caps, and specific procedural requirements. If a government entity may be responsible for your accident — a pothole on a city street, a defective traffic signal, an accident with a government vehicle — consult an attorney immediately to preserve your rights.

If you were injured in Houston and you are considering filing a lawsuit, take our free 2-minute assessment. You will answer a few quick questions about your accident and injuries, and we will give you a personalized report that includes Texas's filing deadline for your specific claim, whether your case would likely land in justice court or district court, and whether connecting with a personal injury attorney makes sense for your situation.

Filing a lawsuit is a big step — but understanding your options should not be. Our assessment is free, confidential, and gives you the information you need to make an informed decision about what comes next.