DRS North Texas Disputes, Rights & Settlements
Free legal help Advertise

Legal Help in Arlington, Texas

Fact-checked against primary sources

Arlington has a justice court of its own downtown and a city complaint process that steers neighbors toward mediation. Everything else runs through the county: the city's contract forms describe Arlington as "a municipal corporation located in Tarrant County, Texas," and Tarrant County lists Arlington among its incorporated areas, so Tarrant County's courts, mediation program and law library are the ones that apply here. This page starts with the parts that are specific to Arlington, then covers the countywide options.

The justice court on East Abram Street

Justice of the Peace Precinct 2, Judge Mary Tom Curnutt, is at the Southeast Subcourthouse, 700 East Abram Street, Suite 200, Arlington 76010 (817-548-3925). It is one of eight Tarrant County justice courts, which the county says hear civil cases up to a jurisdictional limit of $20,000.

Having a court in town does not settle which precinct handles a given Arlington address. The county publishes no table matching cities to justice precincts. It sends residents to a finder: type an address into the "What is my precinct" lookup, or open the countywide JP and constable precinct map (a large PDF with boundaries drawn but no list of cities).

Filing online with Precinct 2

The Precinct 2 court page describes two electronic routes. With eFile Texas, the court says you can "file new cases and add additional documents to existing Small Claim, Evictions, and Debt Claims cases." With eFile Guide and File you can open a new small claim, eviction or debt claim case and "will be guided step-by-step." Questions about either system go to eFile Texas customer service at 1-855-839-3453.

Case types, limits and filing fees

Countywide, the justice courts take four kinds of civil suit: small claims, debt claims, evictions, and repair and remedy cases brought by residential tenants. The county caps each at $20,000; attorney fees count toward that cap, while court costs and statutory interest sit outside it. Opening a justice suit or an eviction suit against one defendant costs $54 under the county's filing fee schedule, and that figure leaves out what the constable charges to serve papers. How these cases run is covered in our guides to small claims and eviction in Texas.

Barking dogs and neighbor disputes: the city's mediation reference

The clearest local pointer to mediation sits on Arlington Animal Services' Barking Dogs Complaint Process page. For a first complaint, the city "recommends neighbors attempt to resolve the problem through open communication," and residents may ask Animal Services to forward a Notice of Complaint Letter and a training tips brochure to the dog's owner.

For a second or later complaint, the page says: "The City of Arlington recommends the use of mediation as an alternative means of resolving disputes without government intervention." The mediation reference on that page links to Tarrant County's Dispute Resolution page, described below.

Residents may also file a notarized Noise Complaint Affidavit with Arlington Animal Services, 1000 S.E. Green Oaks Blvd., Arlington 76018. After reviewing it, Animal Services may recommend a citation. On what follows, the city's page adds: "If the case is heard before the municipal court, a judge may require mediation services."

Countywide mediation and what it costs

The program Arlington's page points to is run by the county itself: Tarrant County Dispute Resolution, reachable at 817-884-2257 or DR@tarrantcountytx.gov, weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Texas Judicial Branch directory lists its office on East Weatherford Street in Fort Worth. Neighbor and nuisance issues and landlord and tenant disputes are on its list of mediated disputes.

A neighbor dispute with no lawsuit on file falls under the county's community or non-court rate of $30 per party. Once a case is pending in a justice court, the rate is $60 per party. The county places no eligibility limits on either. Mediations tied to district court, county court at law and family cases cost more and carry income limits; our Fort Worth page sets out the full county schedule. Whatever the rate, the mediator collects it before the session starts, in cash or by cash app.

Unless a court has ordered it, mediation here is voluntary. After someone sends in a request form, the department reaches out to the other party and schedules a session only if both sides agree or a judge has required it. For the general picture, see how mediation works.

Research, legal aid and lawyer referral for Arlington residents

The county's law library, the Dell DeHay Law Library, is in Fort Worth at 100 W. Weatherford, Room 420, with weekday hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For anyone who cannot make the drive, the library offers remote access to its LexisNexis Digital Library of eBooks once you register. In person, the four subscription databases cost nothing to search, though printing is charged by the page. The library notes that "Staff cannot provide legal advice."

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas covers Tarrant County from its Fort Worth office (600 East Weatherford St., 817-336-3943), and eligible applicants may also apply by phone through its Legal Aid Line, 888-529-5277, or online. Requirements include a low income and a civil matter rather than a criminal or personal injury case; our find help directory lists every requirement. The organization says "You likely qualify for legal aid if you participate in one of these assistance programs: SNAP, Medicaid, Public or subsidized housing, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), WIC." Its site lists a separate number for landlord and tenant issues, 855-548-8457.

The certified lawyer referral service for Tarrant County is run by the Tarrant County Bar Association; the State Bar of Texas certified list shows it at (817) 336-4101. The bar's help site describes the service as the sole certified one in the county, dating from 1992. We could not confirm its referral fee. Other guides on DRS North Texas cover topics the Arlington offices touch, from deposits to debt.

Where to start in Arlington

Sources

  1. City of Arlington, Barking Dogs Complaint Process
  2. City of Arlington, Three Party Contract Form (surety bond language)
  3. Tarrant County, Cities, Towns, Municipalities
  4. Tarrant County, Justice of the Peace Courts
  5. Tarrant County, Justice of the Peace Court 2
  6. Tarrant County Justice Courts, Forms Online
  7. Tarrant County, 2024 Justice of the Peace Filing Fee Schedule
  8. Tarrant County Dispute Resolution
  9. Tarrant County Dispute Resolution, Request a Mediation (fee schedule)
  10. Dell DeHay Law Library, Law Library Services
  11. State Bar of Texas, Certified Lawyer Referral Services