Potter County Texas Landlord-Tenant Law: Amarillo’s Dual-County Filing Rule, Pantex Tenants, and the Zoom Eviction Court
Amarillo is one of Texas’s most distinctive rental markets — not because of its size, though at 273,100 metro residents it is the state’s 16th-largest city, but because of the unusual combination of industries that underpin its economy. Most Texas cities this size are anchored by healthcare, retail, and a university. Amarillo has those, but it is also home to the nation’s primary nuclear weapons assembly and maintenance facility (CNS Pantex), one of the country’s largest beef processing plants (Tyson Foods), and a military helicopter production line (Bell Textron). The result is a working-class and skilled-trades tenant base that is stable, well-employed, and consistently able to pay rent — and a rental market that offers genuinely affordable prices to investors, with one-bedroom apartments averaging $838–$929/month, about 48% below the national average.
The Amarillo Two-County Rule: Potter vs. Randall
The most critical local fact for any Amarillo landlord is that the city straddles two counties. North Amarillo — including the downtown core, most of the established residential neighborhoods, and the Pantex/Bell area to the northeast — is in Potter County. South Amarillo and the nearby city of Canyon are in Randall County. The county line runs roughly along I-40. A landlord with properties in both parts of town may have evictions pending in two different county court systems simultaneously. Filing a Potter County property’s eviction at a Randall County JP court, or vice versa, results in dismissal. Before filing any eviction, confirm your property’s county using the Potter Randall Appraisal District at potterrandall.com or by reviewing your property tax statement, which will identify the correct county.
Potter County’s Four JP Courts — Including One That Hears Cases by Zoom
Potter County operates four JP courts. JP Precinct 1, under Judge Debbie Horn, is located at 900 S. Polk, Suite 418, in downtown Amarillo (phone 806-349-4880). JP Precinct 2, under Judge Robert J. Taylor, is at 500 S. Fillmore, Suite 502 (phone 806-379-2390, hours 8 AM–4:30 PM). Precinct 2 currently conducts all eviction, small claims, and debt claim hearings virtually via Zoom, with only non-jury traffic bench trials held in person. If your Precinct 2 eviction is filed and scheduled, contact the court at (806) 379-2390 to obtain the Zoom link and understand the virtual procedures before your hearing date. JP Precinct 3, under Judge Gary L. Jackson, is physically located at 13651 I-40 West in western Amarillo (phone 806-355-3070, hours 8 AM–5 PM), serving the western portion of Potter County. JP Precinct 4 is at 500 S. Fillmore, Suite 302A (phone 806-379-2817, hours 8 AM–5 PM).
CNS Pantex: America’s Nuclear Tenants
CNS Pantex, located 17 miles northeast of downtown Amarillo, is the U.S. Department of Energy’s primary facility for the final assembly, disassembly, and maintenance of nuclear weapons. It is managed by Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC (a private contractor) under DOE oversight, encompasses 18,000 acres and 650 buildings, and employs approximately 4,600 people as of 2025. Every Pantex employee holds an active Department of Energy security clearance — one of the most comprehensive background investigation processes in the federal system. From a landlord’s perspective, this translates into one of the lowest-risk tenant segments anywhere in the country. DOE clearance investigations cover criminal history, financial responsibility, foreign contacts, and personal conduct in exhaustive detail. A Pantex employee who passes that investigation is, on paper, among the most thoroughly vetted renters a landlord could attract.
Pantex workers tend to be long-tenure employees — the facility is a career destination, not a starting point — with stable federal contractor wages and strong incentives to maintain clean personal records. Income verification is straightforward through pay stubs or offer letters from CNS. These tenants are an ideal target for landlords in northeast Amarillo and properties near Hwy 60 east of the city.
Tyson Foods, Bell Textron, and the Blue-Collar Tenant Pool
Tyson Foods’ Amarillo beef processing plant is one of the largest in the country, employing approximately 4,000 workers. This plant generates a large segment of working-class renters who need affordable, stable housing near the plant on the city’s eastern side. Rental turnover among plant workers can be higher than among Pantex employees, making careful screening — including employment verification and eviction history checks — essential. Bell Textron (Bell Helicopter) produces military UH-1Y Venom helicopters at its Amarillo facility and employs approximately 900 workers, representing a mid-level skilled-trades tenant profile. BSA Health System, Amarillo’s major hospital network, adds healthcare workers to the mix. Taken together, these employers create a rental market unusually dominated by large industrial employers — which means stable, predictable demand and relatively low vacancy.
Security Deposits and the January 2026 Law Changes
Texas Property Code § 92.103 requires the return of the security deposit within 30 days of the tenant surrendering the property, with an itemized written accounting of any deductions. The bad-faith penalty — $100 plus three times the wrongfully withheld amount plus attorney’s fees — applies throughout Potter County. At Amarillo’s average rent of $900/month, a typical one-month deposit creates bad-faith exposure of approximately $2,800 before legal fees — modest compared to metro Texas markets, but still significant. Document all deductions with photographs, use certified mail for the accounting, and always send within the 30-day window. Major changes to Texas eviction law took effect January 1, 2026, under SB 38. Verify current notice language and filing forms with the appropriate Potter County JP court before initiating any eviction after that date.
This page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Amarillo straddles Potter County (north) and Randall County (south) — confirm your property’s county before filing. Evictions filed in the wrong county or wrong precinct will be dismissed. JP Precinct 2 conducts eviction hearings via Zoom — contact (806) 379-2390 before your hearing. Major changes to Texas eviction law (SB 38) took effect January 1, 2026. Consult a licensed Texas attorney for specific guidance. Last updated: March 2026.
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