The Harris County JP court for Precinct 7, Place 1 is a justice of the peace court located at 5737 Cullen Blvd. in Houston.1Harris County Justice of the Peace Courts. Harris County Justice of the Peace Pct 7, Place 1 It handles civil disputes up to $20,000, eviction cases, traffic citations, and Class C misdemeanors for residents and businesses within the county’s seventh justice precinct. The “7” identifies the geographic precinct; the “Place 1” identifies the specific judge’s seat within that precinct.
What This Court Can Hear
Texas justice courts have original jurisdiction over civil cases where the amount in dispute is $20,000 or less, not counting interest.2State of Texas. Texas Government Code 27.031 – Jurisdiction That covers debt collection, property damage claims, breach-of-contract suits, and other money disputes between individuals or businesses. Corporations may represent themselves without hiring an attorney, which is unusual for Texas courts.
Eviction cases, formally called forcible entry and detainer suits, make up a large share of the daily docket.2State of Texas. Texas Government Code 27.031 – Jurisdiction On the criminal side, the court handles Class C misdemeanors and traffic tickets, offenses punishable only by a fine. Justices of the peace also perform marriages, issue search and arrest warrants, and administer oaths.
What It Cannot Hear
Justice courts cannot handle divorce, defamation or slander claims, disputes over who owns land, or enforcement of liens against real property.2State of Texas. Texas Government Code 27.031 – Jurisdiction If your claim exceeds $20,000 or involves one of those excluded categories, you need to file in county court or district court instead. Filing in the wrong court wastes the filing fee and delays your case.
Confirming You Are in Precinct 7
Before filing, verify that your home or the dispute’s location actually falls within Precinct 7. Harris County commissioners redraw precinct boundaries after each census to keep populations roughly equal, and your neighborhood can shift from one precinct to another between redistricting cycles. The county’s online precinct locator will return your precinct number from an address lookup. Filing in the wrong precinct can get your case dismissed outright, so confirming the boundary is worth the two minutes.
Call the Precinct 7, Place 1 clerk’s office before your first visit to confirm hours, document requirements, and whether the court accepts your filing electronically. JP court schedules can be more limited than those of larger courts.
Filing a Civil Claim
Starting a case means completing a petition. The petition identifies you, identifies the person or business you are suing, describes what happened, and states how much money you want. You will need the defendant’s full legal name and a physical address where they can be served. If you are suing a business, use the entity’s registered name rather than a trade name or nickname. Getting the name wrong is one of the easiest ways to derail a case before it starts.
Petition forms are available at the clerk’s office. Your description of the dispute does not need to read like a legal brief. A clear, factual account of what the other party did and how much it cost you is enough. Attach copies of supporting documents, such as contracts, invoices, photographs of damage, or text messages, when you file. Keep the originals for trial.
Filing Fees and Service Costs
Harris County’s 2025 fee schedule sets the total for filing a civil petition and serving the defendant at $139. That breaks down into $33 in local fees, $21 in state fees, and $85 for constable service. Additional costs accumulate if you need to serve multiple defendants, file a counterclaim, or pursue post-judgment collection. A writ of garnishment, for example, costs $184 in combined fees.3Harris County Justice of the Peace Courts. Harris County Justice Courts Civil Filing Fees and Court Costs
If you cannot afford the fees, Texas allows you to file an affidavit of inability to pay and request a waiver.
After You File
Once the clerk accepts the petition, the court issues a citation, the formal document notifying the defendant of the suit. A sheriff, constable, or person authorized by the court delivers it, in person or by certified mail with a return receipt. If standard methods fail because the defendant is dodging service, you can ask the court to authorize alternative service, including electronic delivery through email or social media.4Texas Courts. Texas Rules of Civil Procedure – March 1, 2026
After being served, the defendant has 14 days to file a written answer.5Texas State Law Library. Filing an Answer – Small Claims Cases A defendant who answers and raises defenses forces the case to trial. A defendant who does nothing opens the door to a default judgment.
Default Judgments
If the defendant misses the 14-day deadline, the judge enters a default judgment once the plaintiff proves damages. A hearing is not always required; the judge can enter default on written evidence alone, such as a sworn statement with supporting documents. The evidence must show the defendant owes the money, that the account or agreement was breached, and the amount due after credits and payments. When the judgment is signed, the clerk mails notice to the defendant at the last known address.
If a default judgment is entered against you, you can file a motion for new trial within 14 days, but the court is not obligated to grant it.6Texas State Law Library. Trial – Small Claims Cases Ignoring the citation does not make a case go away; it virtually guarantees you lose.
Trial
Once the defendant answers, the judge sets a trial date. Both sides present evidence and may call witnesses. Justice court trials are less formal than district court proceedings. There is no jury unless a party specifically requests one, and the rules of evidence are relaxed. The judge still expects organized, relevant proof, so a box of unsorted papers and a vague story will not go well.
At the end of trial, the judge issues a written judgment identifying the winning party, the amount awarded, and the assignment of court costs. The judgment is a legally enforceable order.
Eviction Cases
Evictions follow a faster, more rigid timeline than other civil claims. Before filing, a landlord must deliver a written notice to vacate giving the tenant at least three days to leave, unless the lease specifies a different period. For tenants not previously delinquent, the notice must be a “pay or vacate” notice giving a chance to catch up before losing possession.7State of Texas. Texas Property Code 24.005 – Notice Required
After filing, the tenant must be served at least four days before the hearing. The hearing is scheduled no earlier than 10 days and no later than 21 days after the filing date.8Texas State Law Library. The Eviction Process – Landlord/Tenant Law A tenant is not required to file a written answer in eviction cases, though they can. Either side can request a jury trial at least three days before the hearing.
If no appeal is filed, the landlord may request a writ of possession six days after judgment. The constable then has five days to serve the writ, giving the tenant a final 24 hours to leave before forced removal.8Texas State Law Library. The Eviction Process – Landlord/Tenant Law
Appealing a Judgment
For most civil cases, you have 21 days after the judge signs the judgment to file an appeal. The appeal goes to the county court at law. The county court does not review the JP’s decision for errors; it starts the case over, hears new evidence, and reaches its own conclusion. A separate filing fee is paid to the county clerk.
Eviction appeals operate on a compressed five-day deadline. Missing either deadline, 21 days for civil or 5 days for evictions, means the judgment stands. If you are considering an appeal, speak with the clerk’s office the day the judgment is signed so you know when your window closes.
Collecting What You Win
Winning a judgment and getting paid are two different things. If the losing party does not voluntarily pay, you have to go back to the court and request enforcement tools. The most common is a writ of execution, which allows a constable to seize the debtor’s non-exempt property and sell it to satisfy what is owed. A writ of garnishment can intercept wages or bank account funds, though it carries its own filing fee and procedural requirements.
For larger judgments, recording an abstract of judgment with the county clerk creates a lien against any real property the debtor owns in that county. The lien attaches to the property and must be satisfied before the debtor can sell or refinance. None of these tools are automatic. You have to request each one, pay the associated fees, and follow the process. The court does not collect for you.