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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.

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).

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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Bankruptcy Information by State


Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
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