The Dallas County forms you need
Dallas County requires 2 forms to open a small claims case:
- Petition: Small Claim Case (Dallas County JP 1-1 Civil Information Packet, p.6)
- Justice Court Civil Case Information Sheet (OCA, Rule 502)
We keep the current Dallas County versions. The forms are not the hard part — filling them out is. The claim has to describe what happened in the language the court expects, and that is where most first-time filers get sent home to try again.
- Claim limit
- $20,000
- Filing fee
- $54
- Court
- Justice Court
- File online
- Yes
Where to file these forms
Dallas County Justice of the Peace Courts
8301 S. Polk St., Suite 2100, Dallas, TX 75232
972-228-0280
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday-Friday (excluding court-approved holidays)
- Electronically via eFileTexas.gov (Guide & File guided interview for self-represented filers, or standard e-filing)
- In person at the Justice Court of the precinct and place with proper venue
- By mail to that Justice Court, where the local precinct's rules still permit paper filing (some precincts, including Precinct 1 Place 1, mandate electronic filing of all new Small Claims and Debt Claims petitions, including for self-represented filers, and no longer accept paper filings — confirm with the specific precinct before mailing)
Walk-in filing is available at 5 locations: Precinct 1, Precinct 2, Precinct 3, Precinct 4, Precinct 5.
Common questions
What forms do I need for small claims in Dallas County?
Dallas County requires: Petition: Small Claim Case (Dallas County JP 1-1 Civil Information Packet, p.6); Justice Court Civil Case Information Sheet (OCA, Rule 502). File them at Dallas County Justice of the Peace Courts.
Where do I file small claims forms in Dallas County?
Dallas County Justice of the Peace Courts, 8301 S. Polk St., Suite 2100, Dallas. You may also be able to file online.
How much does it cost to file in Dallas County?
The filing fee is $54, plus $80 per defendant for service. Fees change — confirm with the clerk at 972-228-0280.
The Dallas County filing packet — $49
Everything above, assembled and filled in with your facts:
- Both Dallas County forms, completed with your claim in the language the court expects
- A demand letter built from the same facts
- A filing checklist with Dallas County Justice of the Peace Courts's address, hours, and fee
- What to bring to your hearing
Answer a few questions first. See your claim written out before you pay anything.
Reviewed by Small Claims Desk · Last reviewed 2026-08-20 · Sourced from dallascounty.org (Dallas County Justice of the Peace Courts, Precinct 1 Place 1, and Precinct 1 Place 2 / Precinct 4 Place 1 fee and FAQ documents used for cross-verification), txcourts.gov, and statutes.capitol.texas.gov and Tex. Gov't Code Ch. 27 (Justice Courts) — §27.031 (civil jurisdiction, $20,000), §27.031(d) (corporation need not be represented by attorney), §27.060 (small claims). See how we verify.