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Texas Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy laws and resources vary from state to state. The following page provides information and resource links for the state of Texas.
If you are not looking for information regarding Texas, please use the links on the right to find information for your state.
- Courts - Location and Contact Information
- Bankruptcy Laws
- Approved Credit Counseling/Debtor Education Agencies
- Texas Attorneys
- Other Bankruptcy Texas Resources
Texas Bankruptcy Courts - Location & Contact Information
Texas bankruptcy courts are divided into two districts, which are further divided into several divisions. Generally, the debtor’s county of residence will determine which district and division the bankruptcy petition is filed. It may also be determined by the location of the debtor’s principal place of business or principal assets.
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
COUNTIES OF JURISDICTION:Abilene Office - Callahan, Eastland, Fisher, Haskell, Howard, Jones, Mitchell, Nolan, Shackelford, Stephens, Stonewall, Taylor and Throckmorton Counties
Amarillo Office - Armstrong, Briscoe, Carson, Castro, Childress, Collingsworth, Dallam, Deaf Smith, Donley, Gray, Hall, Hansford, Hartley, Hemphill, Hutchinson, Lipscomb, Moore, Ochiltree, Oldham, Parmer, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Sherman, Swisher and Wheeler Counties
Dallas Office - Dallas, Ellis, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro and Rockwall Counties
Fort Worth Office - Comanche, Erath, Hood, Jack, Palo Pinto, Parker, Tarrant and Wise Counties
Lubbock Office - Bailey, Borden, Cochran, Crosby, Dawson, Dickens, Floyd, Gaines, Garza, Hale, Hockley, Kent, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Motley, Scurry, Yoakum and Terry Counties
San Angelo Office - Brown, Coke, Coleman, Concho, Crockett, Glasscock, Irion, Menard, Mills, Reagan, Runnels, Schleicher, Sterling, Sutton and Tom Green Counties
Wichita Falls Office - Archer, Baylor, Clay, Cottle, Foard, Hardeman, King, Knox, Montague, Wichita, Wilbarger, and Young
| DIVISION | STREET ADDRESS | MAILING ADDRESS | TELEPHONE |
Abilene Office |
Cases and pleadings need to be filed at the Lubbock office (information below). | ||
Amarillo Office |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court 624 South Polk - Suite 100 Amarillo, TX 79101-2389 |
Same | (806) 324-2302 |
| Dallas Office |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Earle Cabell Building, U.S. Courthouse 1100 Commerce Street Room 1254 Dallas, TX 75242-1496 |
Same |
(214) 753-2000 |
Fort Worth Office |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Eldon B. Mahon U.S. Courthouse 501 W. Tenth Street Fort Worth, TX 76102-3643 |
Same |
(817) 333-6000 |
| Lubbock Office |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court
306 Federal Building 1205 Texas Avenue Lubbock, TX 79401-4002 |
Same | (806) 472-5000 |
| San Angelo Office |
Cases and pleadings need to be filed at the Lubbock office (information above). | ||
| Wichita Falls Office |
Cases and pleadings need to be filed at the Dallas office (information above). | ||
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
COUNTIES OF JURISDICTION:Brownsville Division - Cameron and Willacy Counties
Corpus Christi Division - Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Duval, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces and San Patricio Counties
Galveston Division - Brazoria, Chambers, Galveston and Matagorda Counties
Houston Division - Austin, Brazos, Colorado, Fayette, Fort Bend, Grimes, Harris, Madison, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Walker, Waller and Wharton Counties
Laredo Division - Jim Hogg, La Salle, McMullen and Zapata Counties
McAllen Division - Hidalgo and Starr Counties
Victoria Division - Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Jackson, Lavaca, Refugio and Victoria Counties
| DIVISION | STREET ADDRESS | MAILING ADDRESS | TELEPHONE |
| Brownsville Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court U.S. Courthouse 600 E. Harrison Street Suite 101 Brownsville, TX 78520 |
Same |
(956) 548-2500 |
| Corpus Christi Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court 1133 N. Shoreline Blvd. Corpus Christi, TX 78401 |
Same | (361) 888-3484 |
| Galveston Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court 601 Rosenberg, Room 411 Galveston, TX 77550 |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court PO Drawer 2300 Galveston, TX 77553 |
(409) 766-3530 |
| Houston Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court 515 Rusk Avenue Houston, TX 77002 |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court PO Box 61010 Houston, TX 77208 |
(713) 250-5500 |
| Laredo Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court U.S. Courthouse 1300 Victoria Street, Suite 1131 Laredo, TX 78040 |
Same | (956) 723-3542 |
| McAllen Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Bentsen Tower 1701 W. Bus. Hwy. 83 Suite 1011 McAllen, TX 78501 |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court PO Box 5059 McAllen, TX 78501 |
(956) 618-8065 |
| Victoria Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Building 312 S. Main, Room 406 Victoria, TX 77901 |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court PO Box 1638 Victoria, TX 77902 |
(361) 788-5009 |
WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
COUNTIES OF JURISDICTION:Austin Division - Bastrop, Blanco, Burleson, Burnet, Caldwell, Gillespie, Hays, Kimble, Lampasas, Lee, Llano, Mason, McCulloch, San Saba, Travis, Washington and Williamson Counties
El Paso Division - El Paso County
Midland Division - Andrews, Brewster, Crane, Culberson, Ector, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Loving, Martin, Midland, Pecos, Presidio, Reeves, Upton, Ward and Winkler Counties
San Antonio Division - Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Dimmit, Edwards, Frio, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kenney, Kerr, Maverick, Medina, Real, Terrell, Uvalde, Val Verde, Wilson and Zavala Counties
Waco Division - Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Falls, Freestone, Hamilton, Hill, Leon, Limestone, McLennan, Milam, Robertson and Somervell Counties
| DIVISION | STREET ADDRESS | MAILING ADDRESS | TELEPHONE |
| Austin Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Homer J. Thornberry Federal Judicial Bldg. 903 San Jacinto Blvd., Suite 322 Austin, TX 78701 |
Same | (512) 916-5237 |
| El Paso Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court 8515 Lockheed El Paso, TX 79925 |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court PO Box 971040 El Paso, TX 79997 |
(915) 779-7362 |
| Midland Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court U.S. Post Office Annex 100 East Wall Street Room P-163 Midland, TX 79701 |
Same | (432) 683-1650 |
| San Antonio Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court U.S. Courthouse 615 East Houston Street, Room 137 San Antonio, TX 78205 |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court PO Box 1439 San Antonio, TX 78295 |
(210) 472-6720 |
| Waco Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court 800 Franklin Avenue Suite 140 Waco, TX 76701 |
Same | (254) 750-1513 |
EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
COUNTIES OF JURISDICTION:Beaumont Division - Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Newton and Orange Counties
Lufkin Division - Angelina, Houston, Nacogdoches, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Trinity and Tyler Counties
Marshall Division - Camp, Cass, Harrison, Marion, Morris and Upshur Counties
Sherman Division - Collin, Cooke, Delta, Denton, Fannin, Grayson, Hopkins and Lamar Counties
Texarkana Division - Bowie, Franklin, Red River and Titus Counties
Tyler Division - Anderson, Cherokee, Gregg, Henderson, Panola, Rains, Rusk, Smith, Van Zandt and Wood Counties
| DIVISION | STREET ADDRESS | MAILING ADDRESS | TELEPHONE |
| Beaumont Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Suite 100 300 Willow Street Beaumont, TX 77701 |
Same | (409) 839-2617 |
| Lufkin Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Suite 100 300 Willow Street Beaumont, TX 77701 |
Same | (409) 839-2617 |
| Marshall Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court 9th Floor 110 North College Ave Tyler, TX 75702 |
Same | (903) 590-3200 |
| Sherman Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Suite 300B 660 North Central Expressway Plano, TX 75074 |
Same | (972) 509-1240 |
| Texarkana Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Suite 300B 660 North Central Expressway Plano, TX 75074 |
Same | (972) 509-1240 |
| Tyler Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court 9th Floor 110 North College Ave Tyler, TX 75702 |
Same | (903) 590-3200 |
Texas Bankruptcy Laws and Exemptions
Texas Exemptions
The U.S. Bankruptcy Code allows individual debtors to exempt certain property from creditor claims based on exemptions under either federal law or state law. Exemptions vary from state to state. Some states have adopted their own set of bankruptcy exemptions that are used in place of the federal exemptions. However, other states give debtors an option to choose between either state or federal exemptions.
Arkansas bankruptcy law allows residents to use either the federal set of exemptions or state exemptions.
Click here to view federal bankruptcy exemptions under 11 U.S.C. 522(d).
Following are common state exemptions in Texas:
Homestead |
100% homestead exemption |
Automobile |
One vehicle 100% exempt (value included in the personal property exemption of $60,000) |
Other Property |
Personal property in the aggregate amount of $60,000 |
Contact a Texas bankruptcy lawyer for more information regarding Texas bankruptcy exemptions.
Texas Means Test
The new bankruptcy laws enacted in 2005 also require that debtors pass a means test before filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. There are two ways to pass the means test:
1. the debtor's annual income (calculated using the average gross income for the six month period prior to filing) must be below the state median. Census Bureau statistics for state median income by family size can be found here.
2. If income exceeds the median income, individuals may still file Chapter 7 bankruptcy based on results ofForm 22A: Chapter 7 Statement of Current Monthly Income and Means-Test Calculation.
Texas Credit Counseling & Debtor Education Agencies
Pursuant to the new bankruptcy laws enacted in 2005, individuals who file personal bankruptcy (with limited exceptions) in Texas must:
1. take a credit counseling course from an approved Texas credit counseling provider within six months before filing bankruptcy; and
2. complete a debtor education course from an approved Texas debtor education agency prior to receiving a bankruptcy discharge.
Texas Personal Bankruptcy Attorneys
To find Texas bankruptcy lawyers in your area, you may want to contact your local county bar association or the State Bar of Texas:
State Bar of Texas
1414 Colorado St.
Austin, TX 78701
Telephone:
(512) 427-1463
Toll Free: (800) 204-2222
Based on income, free bankruptcy advice and representation may also be obtained from the following organizations: See the Texas Lawyers Help's website for a list of organizations that provide legal services to low income clients in Texas.
If you are concerned about the representation provided to you by an Texas bankruptcy attorney, see the State Bar of Texas' Q&A webpage regarding grievances.
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Resources for Texas Bankruptcy Laws
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas - administrative and procedural information for Northern District of Texas bankruptcy filings
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas - administrative and procedural information for Southern District of Texas bankruptcy filings
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas - administrative and procedural information for Western District of Texas bankruptcy filings
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Texas - administrative and procedural information for Eastern District of Texas bankruptcy filings
Office of the U.S. Trustee for Region 6 - oversees the administration of Texas personal bankruptcy cases and case trustees
State Bar of Texas - information about the Texas bar, membership, ethics, continuing legal education, and resources for the public.
       
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