When a Travis County case needs a process server in Hornsby Bend, Texas, citations, petitions, subpoenas and notices to vacate can be delivered with the attempt within 5 business days, within 48 hours or within 24 hours, and you get a signed Return of Service by email afterward. Hornsby Bend has no city government: it is a Census-designated place, an unincorporated community of 12,168 people across 9.4 square miles, which leaves Travis County as the place every case is filed.
What a Process Server Costs in Hornsby Bend: Three Flat Tiers
Standard Service is $69 and reaches an attempt within 5 business days. Rush Service at $119 gets there within 48 hours, and 24-Hour Service at $169 within 24 hours. A Texas state-court citation or summons adds a $100 fee because only a sheriff, constable or certified process server may serve one. Tiers are compared on the pricing page, and Hornsby Bend jobs go in through the order form.
Travis County sheriff and constable fees are set yearly by the commissioners court (Local Government Code 118.131); a private server is another route.
Who May Serve Papers in Hornsby Bend: Certified Servers, Constables and Court Orders
Patrol and law enforcement in Hornsby Bend fall to the Travis County Sheriff's Office. Under Rule 103, its deputies, the Travis County constables, adults 18 or older authorized by law or written court order, and people certified by the Judicial Branch Certification Commission may serve process. Whoever is a party, or has a stake in the result, is not allowed to serve. The certification guide has more.
Where Hornsby Bend Cases Are Filed: Justice Court, County Court and District Court
Cases go to Austin, the county seat, where the Travis County Courthouse stands at 1000 Guadalupe Street, Austin, TX 78701, about 9.5 miles from Hornsby Bend. A Travis County justice court hears civil claims up to $20,000 excluding interest and evictions; divorce, defamation, slander, land title and lien-on-land suits are beyond it. County courts share claims above $200 to $20,000. Statutory county courts share $500 to $325,000 civil cases with the district court, excluding interest, damages, penalties, fees and costs.
The disputed address determines the justice precinct, and the Travis County justice court clerk can confirm it. See the Travis County hub.
Eviction Notices in Hornsby Bend: Notice to Vacate and the Justice Court Case
A landlord filing from January 1, 2026 must first give at least three days' written notice to vacate unless a written lease or agreement sets another period; nonpayment cases can use a notice to pay rent or vacate. The notice may be mailed, left inside the home in a conspicuous place, handed to a tenant 16 or older, or sent electronically if agreed in writing. Weekends and holidays count, with a weekend or holiday deadline moving to the next business day.
Private servers can deliver the notice, but the eviction citation is served only by the Travis County Sheriff's Office or a constable. After 5 business days unserved, the landlord may request an alias citation.
Divorce Papers, Citations and Substituted Service for Hornsby Bend Defendants
Respondents are served in person with the citation and petition, or by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested. If that fails, the court may grant a Rule 106(b) motion, supported by a sworn or penalty-of-perjury statement of the likely location and attempts, allowing delivery to someone over 16 there, or by email or social media. Without that order, a relative or a door is off limits. Read the Rule 106(b) guide.
Corporations are served through a registered agent or officer, with the Secretary of State as backup. Default judgment waits until proof of service has been on file ten days, excluding filing and judgment days.
Subpoena Service, Witness Fees and Records Near Hornsby Bend
Dell Children's Medical Center, 4900 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX 78723, is about 8.1 miles away. St David's Medical Center, 919 E 32nd St, Austin, TX 78705, and Dell Seton Med Center at the University of Tx, 601 E 15th Street, Austin, TX 78701, are each about 8.9 miles. Sheriff's records go through the Travis County Sheriff's Office.
The witness fee is $10 per day of attendance, paid when the subpoena is served, and a records custodian is owed $1. See the witness fee guide.
ZIP Codes and Neighboring Communities Around Hornsby Bend
Mail to Hornsby Bend carries ZIP 78724 or 78725, and Garfield, Manor and Wyldwood lie next to it.
Hornsby Bend Process Server FAQ
Can I serve the papers myself?
No. Rule 103 bars the people bringing or defending a case from serving it.
What if the person avoids service?
Document your attempts and request a Rule 106(b) order.
How soon after service can a default judgment be taken?
The return has to sit on file with the clerk for ten days first, and neither the filing day nor the judgment day counts.