Judgment against me for a debt in Texas: what to do

Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026

In Texas:

Claim an exemption after a garnishment or bank levy
Within 3 business days after it learns your property was frozen or seized, the creditor must serve you the Notice of Protected Property Rights and a Protected Property Claim Form. If you file the…
How much of your pay can be taken
Current wages cannot be garnished for ordinary consumer debts such as credit cards or medical bills.
Do this now
Get a copy of the judgment from the court clerk, and note the date, the amount, any interest and costs, and the creditor's lawyer.

Make this letter for Texas →

General legal information, not legal advice. RobinClaim is not a law firm.

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Choose your state and answer 3 quick questions. The plan below changes as you answer: steps that don't fit your answers are hidden, and your state's deadlines appear. Your answers stay in the page address.

Your plan for Texas

Do now

  1. Get a copy of the judgment from the court clerk, and note the date, the amount, any interest and costs, and the creditor's lawyer.

    Why: These show how much you owe now and when each deadline starts.

  2. If you didn't answer because you never got the papers or had a good reason, see the default judgment plan: there is a short deadline to ask the court to set it aside.

    Why: If the judgment is set aside, the case reopens and you can defend it.

  3. If you went to court and lost, ask the clerk right away about the deadline to appeal or to ask for a new trial.

    Why: These deadlines are short and count from the date of the judgment.

  4. If you agreed to the judgment, read the agreement again for the payment terms and what happens if a payment is late.

    Why: A judgment, even an agreed one, is a court order the creditor can enforce under its terms.

  5. Check your state's deadline to claim an exemption, and the deadline on the garnishment or levy notice, and mark it.

    Claim an exemption after a garnishment or bank levy

    Texas: Within 3 business days after it learns your property was frozen or seized, the creditor must serve you the Notice of Protected Property Rights and a Protected Property…

    Why: If you miss it, money the law protects can be paid to the creditor.

This week

  1. Read your state's rules below on wage garnishment, bank levies and exemptions.

    How much of your pay can be taken

    Texas: Current wages cannot be garnished for ordinary consumer debts such as credit cards or medical bills.

    Why: For an ordinary debt, federal law lets a creditor take at most 25% of your take-home pay, or the part above 30 times the federal minimum wage if that is less, and many states protect more.

  2. File the claim of exemption with the court or officer named on the garnishment papers; see the wage garnishment plan.

    Why: You can ask to keep pay you need to support yourself and your family.

  3. File the claim of exemption for the money in the frozen account that the law protects; see the bank levy plan.

    Why: Exempt money must be released, but often only after you claim it.

  4. Tell your bank and the court that the account receives federal benefits. The bank must protect two months of directly deposited federal benefits automatically, and you can claim other protected benefit money.

    Why: Federal rules make banks protect up to two months of directly deposited federal benefits, and Social Security can't be garnished by a private creditor.

  5. If you can pay something, contact the creditor's lawyer about a payment plan or a lump-sum settlement, and get the agreement in writing before you pay.

    Why: A written agreement can stop or avoid a garnishment and proves what you agreed to.

If it's not resolved

  1. Keep records of every payment and every amount taken, and ask for a written payoff amount.

    Why: So you know when the judgment is paid and collection must stop.

  2. Note how long the judgment lasts in your state and whether it can be renewed.

    Texas: If no writ of execution is issued within 10 years after the judgment (or within 10 years after the last writ), the judgment becomes dormant.

    Why: A judgment may not go away on its own; creditors can often renew it.

  3. When the judgment is paid in full, ask the creditor's lawyer for written proof and ask the clerk how the court records that the judgment is paid.

    Why: The court record should show the debt is paid, so it doesn't come back later.

  4. If you have several judgments or can't cover basic needs, ask legal aid about bankruptcy.

    Why: A bankruptcy filing stops most garnishments and collection while the case is open.

Deadlines

Claim an exemption after a garnishment or bank levy

General rule: see state; the deadline is also printed on the notice

In Texas:

Within 3 business days after it learns your property was frozen or seized, the creditor must serve you the Notice of Protected Property Rights and a Protected Property Claim Form. If you file the claim form (a sworn statement), the court must hold a hearing and decide your claim within 10 days (the judge can extend this for good cause), and nothing can be sold or paid out until then; exempt property must be released within 3 business days. Property cannot be sold for 14 days after you are served (17 if by mail). You can also file a motion to dissolve or modify the writ, or post a replevy bond.

Law: Tex. R. Civ. P. 663a; 679b · checked Oct 2026 · Official source · From Debt Suit Map: Texas

How much of your pay can be taken

General rule: Federal: lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the amount above 30 x federal minimum wage per week; state may protect more

In Texas:

Current wages cannot be garnished for ordinary consumer debts such as credit cards or medical bills. The Texas Constitution allows wage garnishment only for court-ordered child support and spousal maintenance; federal debts can still be taken under federal law (Tex. Const. art. XVI, § 28; Tex. Prop. Code § 42.001(b)(1)).

Law: Tex. R. Civ. P. 663a; 679b · checked Oct 2026 · Official source · From Debt Suit Map: Texas

Freezing a bank account

General rule: see state; two months of directly deposited federal benefits are protected automatically

In Texas:

The creditor can get a writ of garnishment that freezes your bank account. You must be served a copy of the writ, which tells you in English and Spanish that your money may be exempt. Texas has no fixed dollar amount protected in a bank account, but exempt money (such as current wages and federal benefits) can be protected. Personal property is protected up to $100,000 for a family or $50,000 for a single adult (Tex. Prop. Code § 42.001(a)).

Law: Tex. R. Civ. P. 663a; 679b · checked Oct 2026 · Official source · From Debt Suit Map: Texas

How long the judgment lasts

General rule: see state

In Texas:

If no writ of execution is issued within 10 years after the judgment (or within 10 years after the last writ), the judgment becomes dormant. A dormant judgment can be revived within 2 years after it becomes dormant.

Law: Tex. Fin. Code §§ 304.002, 304.003; Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §§ 34.001, 31.006 · checked Oct 2026 · Official source · From Debt Suit Map: Texas

Interest on the judgment

General rule: see state

In Texas:

If the contract provides for interest, the lesser of the contract rate or 18% a year. Otherwise, the prime rate set monthly by the Consumer Credit Commissioner, but no lower than 5% and no higher than 15% a year.

Law: Tex. Fin. Code §§ 304.002, 304.003; Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §§ 34.001, 31.006 · checked Oct 2026 · Official source · From Debt Suit Map: Texas

Key facts for Texas

Debt Suit Map

Time to answer a debt lawsuit
as few as 14 days
Shortest time to ask to cancel a default judgment
14 days
Official answer form
No official form found
How long a judgment lasts
10 years

Debt Suit Map: Texas · checked Oct 2026

Debt Collector Map

Time limit to sue on a debt
4 years
Wage garnishment limit
Not for most consumer debts
State license for collectors
No statewide license

Debt Collector Map: Texas · checked Oct 2026

Documents to gather

  • A copy of the judgment
  • Garnishment or bank levy notices and any exemption claim form
  • Recent pay stubs
  • Bank statements showing federal benefit deposits
  • Proof of household expenses (rent, utilities, child care)
  • Records of every payment you made

Where to go

Costs

Filing a claim of exemption is often free; ask the clerk. While the judgment is unpaid, interest and collection costs can keep adding up, at the rate your state sets.

Talk to a lawyer if

  • You never knew about the lawsuit
  • More than the legal limit is being taken
  • You can't pay for rent or food
  • You have more than one judgment
  • The creditor is trying to take your home or car

Free help

Free civil legal aid for people with low income: find your local program through the Legal Services Corporation (lsc.gov/about-lsc/what-legal-aid/get-legal-help) or LawHelp.org (lawhelp.org). Many legal aid offices handle debt collection lawsuits, default judgments, garnishment and bankruptcy. Servicemembers can use their base legal (JAG) office. Some courts have free volunteer-lawyer programs or self-help centers for debt cases; ask the clerk.

Guides for your state

Guides for every state

Questions

Claim an exemption after a garnishment or bank levy in Texas: what is the rule?

Within 3 business days after it learns your property was frozen or seized, the creditor must serve you the Notice of Protected Property Rights and a Protected Property Claim Form. If you file the claim form (a sworn statement), the court must hold a hearing and decide your claim within 10 days (the judge can extend this for good cause), and nothing can be sold or paid out until then; exempt property must be released within 3 business days. Property cannot be sold for 14 days after you are served (17 if by mail). You can also file a motion to dissolve or modify the writ, or post a replevy bond. (Tex. R. Civ. P. 663a; 679b)

How much of your pay can be taken in Texas: what is the rule?

Current wages cannot be garnished for ordinary consumer debts such as credit cards or medical bills. The Texas Constitution allows wage garnishment only for court-ordered child support and spousal maintenance; federal debts can still be taken under federal law (Tex. Const. art. XVI, § 28; Tex. Prop. Code § 42.001(b)(1)). (Tex. R. Civ. P. 663a; 679b)

Freezing a bank account in Texas: what is the rule?

The creditor can get a writ of garnishment that freezes your bank account. You must be served a copy of the writ, which tells you in English and Spanish that your money may be exempt. Texas has no fixed dollar amount protected in a bank account, but exempt money (such as current wages and federal benefits) can be protected. Personal property is protected up to $100,000 for a family or $50,000 for a single adult (Tex. Prop. Code § 42.001(a)). (Tex. R. Civ. P. 663a; 679b)

How long the judgment lasts in Texas: what is the rule?

If no writ of execution is issued within 10 years after the judgment (or within 10 years after the last writ), the judgment becomes dormant. A dormant judgment can be revived within 2 years after it becomes dormant. (Tex. Fin. Code §§ 304.002, 304.003; Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §§ 34.001, 31.006)

Interest on the judgment in Texas: what is the rule?

If the contract provides for interest, the lesser of the contract rate or 18% a year. Otherwise, the prime rate set monthly by the Consumer Credit Commissioner, but no lower than 5% and no higher than 15% a year. (Tex. Fin. Code §§ 304.002, 304.003; Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §§ 34.001, 31.006)

When should I talk to a lawyer?

You never knew about the lawsuit; More than the legal limit is being taken; You can't pay for rent or food; You have more than one judgment; The creditor is trying to take your home or car.

How much does it cost?

Filing a claim of exemption is often free; ask the clerk. While the judgment is unpaid, interest and collection costs can keep adding up, at the rate your state sets.

Plans by state

Open the plan with one state's rules filled in:

Sources

Plan checked Oct 2026. Independently fact-checked 2026-10-25.

This plan is general legal information, not legal advice. RobinClaim is not a law firm. Laws and deadlines change and have exceptions: check with the official source or a lawyer or legal aid office about your own case. How we research.