Brownsville, on the Rio Grande across from Matamoros, is the Cameron County seat and the county's largest city, with about 191,967 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 estimate). Because the county courts are here, a Brownsville resident sued over a credit card, personal loan or old account usually doesn't have far to go. Most debt cases against Brownsville residents land in one of three places: the justice courts on East Levee Street, the County Courts at Law, or the district courts in the Judicial Building on East Harrison Street.

Texas Debt Law defends Brownsville residents against credit card issuers, debt buyers and collection agencies for flat fees. We speak Spanish, and we handle most of the work by phone, text, email and e-filing. Our phones are answered seven days a week.

Free Case Evaluation(214) 945-0000

Cameron County's Justice Courts

Cameron County has nine justice of the peace courts in five precincts. Its Justice of the Peace page lists them like this:

Precinct 1: Port Isabel
Precinct 2, Places 1, 2 and 3: 835 E. Levee St., Brownsville
Precinct 3, Places 1 and 2: San Benito
Precinct 4: Los Fresnos
Precinct 5, Places 1, 2 and 3: Harlingen and La Feria

The county says its justices of the peace can hear most civil cases where the amount in controversy does not exceed $20,000. Credit card and debt buyer suits under that amount are filed as "debt claim cases," and Precinct 2's courts post debt claim petition forms for plaintiffs. If you live in Brownsville, a Precinct 2 court on Levee Street is the most common place to see your name on a docket, but your citation, not your zip code, tells you which one.

County Courts at Law and District Courts

Larger claims go to the County Courts at Law or the district courts. The county's pages list County Courts at Law No. 1, 2, 3 and 5 in the Judicial Building at 974 E. Harrison St., and nine district courts: the 103rd, 107th, 138th, 197th, 357th, 404th, 444th, 445th and 484th. Most of the district courts are also in the Judicial Building in Brownsville.

Two Different Deadlines

Which court you're in determines how long you have to answer:

Justice court (Levee Street or any other precinct): by the end of the 14th day after you were served (Tex. R. Civ. P. 502.5).
County Court at Law or district court: by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday after 20 days from service (Rule 99(b)).

Our answer deadline calculator works out the date. If the plaintiff later moves for summary judgment in a county or district court case, the response is due 21 days after the motion is filed (Rule 166a, for motions filed on or after March 1, 2026).

Your Case, in the Language You Choose

Lawsuits are filed in English, but you don't have to work through them in English. We explain the petition, your defenses and every offer in Spanish if you prefer, and we're glad to include a family member on calls. This page is also available en español.

Defenses We Test in Cameron County Debt Suits

Who owns the account? Debt buyers have to connect your account to their purchase. A generic bill of sale or a spreadsheet line without the documents behind it may not be enough.

When did you stop paying? Texas generally gives four years to sue (Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004). A debt buyer that sues on time-barred consumer debt violates Fin. Code § 392.307.

Is the balance real? We match the number in the petition against the statements and push back on charges that aren't supported.

Was the petition complete? Justice court debt claims must follow Rule 508, including specific information about the account and its history. Missing pieces can matter.

If a settlement makes sense for you, we negotiate one in writing and make sure the case is properly closed.

Flat Fees

Fees are flat, start at $400, and depend on the amount of the lawsuit. Payment plans are available. The same flat fees apply if we're helping you after a judgment.

Amount of the Lawsuit	Our Flat Legal Fee	Payment Plan
Less than $1,000	$400	Up to 2 months
$1,001 – $3,000	$500	Up to 2 months
$3,001 – $5,000	$750	Up to 3 months
$5,001 – $7,500	$1,000	Up to 4 months
$7,501 – $10,000	$1,250	Up to 6 months
$10,001 – $12,500	$1,500	Up to 6 months
$12,501 – $15,000	$1,750	Up to 6 months
$15,001 – $20,000	$2,000	Up to 6 months
Over $20,000	Call for Pricing

Free Resources in Brownsville

Judge Myrlin O. Johnson Law Library, the Cameron County Law Library in the Oscar Dancy Building, 1100 E. Monroe St. The county says it has two free public computers and that the librarians can point you to materials but can't give legal advice.
Self-help packet for debt claim defendants, posted on the county's justice court page. Written by the Texas Justice Court Training Center, it explains the 14-day answer and warns not to ignore a suit just because you don't recognize the company suing you.
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, which serves Cameron County and has an office on East Van Buren Street in Brownsville. Its intake line is (956) 996-8752, or (833) 329-8752 toll-free, on weekdays. Free help depends on eligibility.

These organizations are independent of Texas Debt Law.

Brownsville FAQs

My citation says "Precinct 2, Place 3." Is that different from Place 1 or 2?

Each place is a separate court with its own judge and staff, though all three Precinct 2 courts share the Levee Street building. File your answer in the exact court named on your citation.

I work in Matamoros or travel often. Can you still handle my case?

Yes. We file electronically and communicate by phone, text and email, so where you are on a given day doesn't stop the case from moving. If a judge requires you in person, we'll give you notice.

Can they take money from my paycheck?

Not for consumer debt. Current wages are protected in Texas (Tex. Const. art. XVI, § 28). Your homestead and personal property up to $50,000 for a single adult or $100,000 for a family are generally exempt too (Prop. Code chs. 41 and 42). Money sitting in a bank account is the main risk after a judgment; see post-judgment settlement.

A collector called my relatives about my debt. Is that allowed?

Debt collectors have strict limits on talking to third parties. You may have a claim under the FDCPA or the Texas Debt Collection Act. That is a separate service from defending the lawsuit.

Free Case Review

Call or text (214) 945-0000, in English or Spanish, or tell us about your case online. We also defend clients in Harlingen and McAllen. For general answers, see our debt lawsuit Q&A.

Helpful guides

General information, not legal advice for your case.