Information about Tow Hearings
The owner or operator of a vehicle that has been removed (towed) and placed in a vehicle storage facility without consent of the owner or operator of the vehicle, or booted without consent of the owner or operator of the vehicle, is entitled to a hearing on whether probable cause existed for the removal and placement or booting of the vehicle. Any Justice Court in the county in which the vehicle was towed or booted may hear the case; however, the Harris County Justice Courts have enacted a local rule to govern the filing of these hearings.

 

Local Rule 2.3.3. Rights of Owners and Operators of Stored Vehicles to Hearing

All written requests for hearings under Chapter 2308 of the Texas Occupations Code to determine whether probable cause existed for the removal and placement of a vehicle in a vehicle storage facility following the vehicle’s removal without the consent of the owner or operator, or for the booting of a vehicle without the consent of the owner or operator of the vehicle, shall be filed in a Justice of the Peace Court in Precinct 2, 3, 6, or 8. 

Requests for hearing must be accompanied by the filing fee required by law.

In the event that such requests for hearings are presented for filing in any other Justice of the Peace Court, that Justice of the Peace shall immediately direct the filing and all fees to a Justice of the Peace Court in Precinct 2, 3, 6, or 8 for docketing.

Adopted August 2, 2005
Amended November 6, 2013
Amended November 10, 2015
Amended November 15, 2017
Amended November 9, 2021

Pursuant to this local rule, a person entitled to request a hearing must deliver a written request for the hearing to a Harris County Justice Court in Precinct 2, 3, 6, or 8.

Hon. Jo Ann Delgado
Justice of the Peace
Precinct 2 Place 1
10851 Scarsdale, Ste 500
Houston, TX 77089
(281) 481-9630
 
Hon. Dolores Lozano
Justice of the Peace
Precinct 2 Place 2
101 S Richey, Ste B
Pasadena, TX 77506
(713) 274-6100
Hon. Joe Stephens
Justice of the Peace
Precinct 3 Place 1
14350 Wallisville Rd, Ste 102
Houston, TX 77049
(713) 274-0760
 
 
Hon. Lucia Bates
Justice of the Peace
Precinct 3 Place 2
701 W Baker Rd
Baytown, TX 77521
(281) 427-7449
 
 
 
Hon. Victor Trevi�o III
Justice of the Peace
Precinct 6 Place 1
333 Lockwood
Houston, TX 77011
(713) 274-3985
 
Hon. Angela D. Rodriguez
Justice of the Peace
Precinct 6 Place 2
1001 SSGT Macario Garcia
Houston, TX 77011
(713) 921-6141
 
 
Hon. Holly Williamson
Justice of the Peace
Precinct 8 Place 1
7330 Spencer Hwy
Pasadena, TX 77505
(281) 479-6900
 
Hon. Louie Ditta
Justice of the Peace
Precinct 8 Place 2
16603 Buccaneer
Houston, TX 77062
(281) 488-8780
 
 
A request form is available here.

The Request for Hearing form must be delivered before the 14th day after the date the vehicle was removed and placed in the vehicle storage facility or booted (not counting Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays), or the right to a hearing is waived. The Request for Hearing form must be completed with the specified information.
A filing fee of $54 must be paid at the time of filing the request for hearing ($21 state consolidated civil fee and $33 local consolidated civil fee). The fee must be paid to the Justice of the Peace at the time of filing. Contact the court in which you intend to file for more information on the type of payment accepted.

Instructions for Requesting a Tow Hearing

 

 



For More Information

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR):
http://www.license.state.tx.us/towing/towing.htm

Nonconsent towing fee schedules: Tow Rates

Harris County Wrecker Ordinance: https://harriscountyso.org/Documents/Services/Harris%20County%20Tow%20Truck%20Ordinance1.pdf.

City of Houston SAFEClear program: http://www.houstontx.gov/safeclear/index.html

City of Houston Ordinances: http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=10123

Texas Occupations Code. Chapter 2303. Vehicle Storage Facilities

Texas Occupations Code. Chapter 2308. Vehicle Towing


Information about each Harris County Justice Court: http://www.jp.hctx.net