Brad Burnett
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 7

Judge Brad Burnett
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 7

Judge Brad Burnett serves as the Justice of the Peace for Precinct 7 in Jefferson County, presiding over the county’s highest-volume and most productive court. Elected in 2002, he has earned the distinction of being the longest serving elected official in Jefferson County.

Before his judicial career, Judge Burnett worked as a Plant Manager and owned two businesses—experiences that contributed to a uniquely effective court operation. His public service began with three terms on the Port Neches Groves ISD Board of Trustees, where he discovered his true passion for working with and inspiring young people.

Judge Burnett’s has received widespread recognition for his impactful programs from many organizations. Most notably, he received a national award at the National Association of Counties Convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for creating a program that reduces truancy and eases the burden of absenteeism in schools. He was also recognized for a system his office developed to improve the collection of outstanding fines and warrants. His work not only brought national attention to Jefferson County but was also featured in a national magazine as a model program for counties across the United States. He later presented this work at the Texas Association of School Boards Convention in Dallas.

A licensed Texas Real Estate Broker and a recognized expert on eviction cases, Judge Burnett is celebrated for his progressive policies and creative leadership.

A lifelong resident of Jefferson County, he graduated from PNG High School, where he met his high school sweetheart, Teresa. They have been married for 51 years. He is also a proud Texas A&M University Alumnus, having attended on a football scholarship.

Above all, Judge Burnett is a proud father and grandfather who cherishes time with his family. He is an active member of ST Elizabeth’s Catholic Church in Port Neches.

Justice Court

The jurisdictional limit for civil suits in the Justice Court is $20,000. The Plaintiff, person filing suit, will file a sworn petition and pay a filing fee and service fee. The petition will include the name of the plaintiff and defendant, address for both parties, reason for suit, and amount being sought.

The filing fee is Civil Suits is $54.00 and for Evictions is $54.00. For Debt Claims and Small Claims, the service fee is $100.00 for serving one Defendant in Jefferson County, each additional Defendant will be $100.00 more. If the defendant will be served in another county, the service fee could be different. The Plaintiff will be provided a copy of the petition along with the citation to send to the constable in the proper county. In an Eviction suit, the service fee is $100.00 for each defendant.

Civil cases may be filed Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday by 3:30 p.m. to allow time to enter cases and at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Answer dates are generally on Mondays at 10:00 a.m., except for Eviction cases. Once the defendant is served in a debt or small claim, the court will notify both parties with the court date. In Evictions, the Plaintiff is given the court date upon filing and Defendant's notice is on the citation.

If the Defendant chooses not to appear, a Default Judgment may be granted against them. If Judgment is found for the Plaintiff, the Judgment will include the court costs paid to file the case. Please do not include the amount of costs in the amount you are filing for.

In the State of Texas, there is no guarantee that you will collect the Judgment from your Defendant.

If the Defendant has not satisfied the Judgment with the Plaintiff, the Plaintiff may file for an 'Abstract of Judgment' 21 days after Judgment, at the cost of $5.00 payable to the court, which puts a lien against any real property (such as their house or any land the Defendant may own) for 10 years and is renewable every 10 years. The Plaintiff will file the Abstract of Judgment with the County Clerk's office. You should call the County Clerk's office for the filing fee. This abstract may be filed in as many counties as the Defendant owns property in. Once the Judgment has been satisfied, the Plaintiff should remove the Abstract by filing a 'Release of Judgment' with the County Clerk’s office.