Harlingen is Cameron County's second-largest city, with about 72,234 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 estimate), and it sits well north of the county seat in Brownsville. For someone sued over a debt, that distance matters. A smaller case may be heard close to home at the county's Harlingen Annex. A larger one is usually filed in Brownsville, where the County Courts at Law and district courts are.

Texas Debt Law defends Harlingen residents in credit card, debt buyer and collection lawsuits for flat fees, in English or Spanish. Because we handle most of the work by phone, text, email and e-filing, a case in Brownsville doesn't have to mean repeated drives down the highway.

Free Case Evaluation(214) 945-0000

Close to Home: Justice of the Peace Precinct 5

Cameron County's Justice of the Peace page lists nine justice courts in five precincts. Precinct 5 has three places. Places 1 and 2 are both at the Harlingen Annex, 3302 W. Wilson Rd., and Place 3 lists a mailing address in La Feria. Neighboring Precinct 3 has two places in San Benito.

Justice courts hear civil cases up to $20,000 (Gov't Code § 27.031), so most credit card suits start in one of them. Where you live inside the county decides the precinct, and the county draws those lines, not the city. If your papers name a court in San Benito or La Feria instead of Harlingen, that may still be correct. If they name a court across the county from your home, call us.

When the Case Goes to Brownsville

Claims too big for justice court, or ones the plaintiff chooses to file higher, go to Brownsville. The county lists County Courts at Law No. 1, 2, 3 and 5 in the Judicial Building at 974 E. Harrison St., and nine district courts. These courts use formal rules of evidence and procedure, and the plaintiff's lawyers often use written discovery and summary judgment motions.

Answer Deadlines at a Glance

Harlingen Annex or any other justice court: by the end of the 14th day after service (Tex. R. Civ. P. 502.5).
County Court at Law or district court in Brownsville: by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday after 20 days have passed since service (Rule 99(b)).
Summary judgment response (county or district court, for motions filed on or after March 1, 2026): 21 days after the motion is filed (Rule 166a).

Start with our answer deadline calculator. Missing the first deadline can lead to a default judgment without a hearing on your side of the story.

Looking Up Your Case

Cameron County runs a public court records portal where you can search case information. Having your case number from the citation makes it easier. If anything on the portal doesn't match your papers, or if you find a case you never knew about, send it to us.

Our Approach

We file your answer first. Then we make the plaintiff show its work:

The original agreement or terms, and the account statements
The documents transferring your specific account to a debt buyer, if one is suing
Proof that the suit was filed within four years (Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004); debt buyers can't sue on time-barred consumer debt (Fin. Code § 392.307)
Support for every fee and interest charge in the balance

We have had hundreds of debt lawsuits dismissed over the years, but every case turns on its own facts. When settling serves you better, we negotiate written terms and make sure the court file is closed.

Flat-Fee Pricing

We charge a flat fee based on the amount of the lawsuit, starting at $400, with payment plans available.

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 for Harlingen Residents

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid has a Harlingen office on East Harrison Avenue and serves Cameron County. Applications go through its intake line, (956) 996-8752 or (833) 329-8752 toll-free, on weekdays. Eligibility rules apply.
Cameron County Law Library, the Judge Myrlin O. Johnson Law Library in Brownsville, offers legal books and two free public computers. Staff can't give legal advice.
TexasLawHelp.org, linked from the county's website, has free forms and guides in English and Spanish.

These are independent services; we don't control them.

Harlingen FAQs

Both Precinct 5, Place 1 and Place 2 are at the Harlingen Annex. Which is mine?

They are two separate courts with different judges in the same building. Your citation names one. Your answer must be filed in that court and sent to the plaintiff.

My case is in a Brownsville County Court at Law. Do I have to go there?

Not to answer, and not for most of what follows. We e-file and negotiate remotely. If the judge orders you to appear, we'll let you know well ahead of time.

¿Pueden atenderme en español?

Sí. We can handle your whole case in Spanish. Read this page en español.

They already got a judgment. What can they take?

Texas doesn't allow wage garnishment for consumer debt (Tex. Const. art. XVI, § 28), and it protects your homestead and up to $50,000 in personal property for a single adult or $100,000 for a family (Prop. Code chs. 41 and 42). Bank accounts can be frozen, so act fast. See post-judgment debt settlement; it uses the same flat fees.

A collector lied about what would happen if I didn't pay. Can I do anything?

Possibly. False threats can violate the FDCPA and the Texas Debt Collection Act. Those claims are a separate service from defending the lawsuit.

Talk to Us Today

Call or text (214) 945-0000, any day of the week, or start your free case evaluation. We also serve Brownsville and Weslaco. More answers are in our debt lawsuit Q&A.

Helpful guides

General information, not legal advice for your case.