Before the eviction hearing, before the notice on the door, before the tenant even knows there’s a case, a landlord sits down and picks a judge. The choice is right there in a dropdown on efiletexas.gov: In Harris County, the location of the eviction determines the Justice of the Peace precinct. Most counties in Texas … Read more
Imagine opening your mailbox to find a letter from a debt collector claiming you owe $2,000 for an old credit card debt. The document looks official. There’s a summons, a complaint, legal language about judgments and garnishment. But something’s off. There’s no court case number. You do what any reasonable person would do: you try … Read more
In the summer of 2023, Keisha missed her rent. The Maryland mom was taking care of her daughter’s life threatening illness, and the rental assistance didn’t arrive in time. The landlord filed an eviction. As soon as Keisha showed up to the courthouse, she met an attorney from Maryland Legal Aid in the hallway. Immediately, … Read more