Stephenville is in Erath County and is one of several communities in the state that are collectively called the Cowboy Capital of the World. As such, it is the leading producer of cow’s milk and agricultural products in the area, hence its other claim to be the Dairy Capital of Texas.

The town was founded in 1856 on the eve of the American Civil War. Economic hardship increased when Texas voted for secession and joining the Confederacy. In 1886, coal mining started in Stephenville, attracting new settlers. With a humid subtropical climate, agriculture and cattle farming started booming around the same time. Today, the town is home to a population of around 21,000.

Stephenville is also home to the largest agricultural university in the United States, Tarleton State University. It was founded in 1899 through an endowment from wealthy local rancher John Tarleton. It presently has around 13,000 undergraduate and post-graduate students, many of whom are internationals seeking excellent agricultural education.

However, Tarleton State offers only pre-law or legal studies programs, including paralegal courses. If you are interested in getting a law degree, the nearest universities offering it are:

• SMU Dedman School of Law in Dallas;
• Texas A&M University School of Law in Fort Worth; and
• South Texas College of Law in Houston.

For legal research, you may check out the Stephenville Public Library, open Tuesdays to Saturdays. From time to time, it hosts free legal advice clinic sessions. There is also the Stephenville TX Family Law Clinic, held every second Tuesday of the month, and hosted by the Texas Legal Services Center.

If you feel that your case does not require legal services or you are just studying your options, you may check out the Legalmatch Online Law Library. It has over 4,000 articles for you to browse from, whether you are a student or any citizen requiring legal services.

One of the more famous lawsuits you can read about would be the trial of Iraq war veteran Eddie Ray Routh, who killed his fellow soldier Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. The latter is famed for being one of the most lethal snipers in US history, whose story is told in the Oscar-nominated film “American Sniper”. Routh shot Kyle to death during target practice in 2013. He is now serving a life sentence without parole.

In a more recent lawsuit, resident Russell McElyea sued Atmos Energy Corporation for damages after he was severely injured in a gas leak explosion at a friend’s house in Stephenville. The case is ongoing.

If you have any legal issues, good litigation lawyers are available in Stephenville. Top lawyers in the town have strong experience in Criminal Law, Family Law and Divorce, Business, Personal Injury and Products Liability, among others. If you need more information, LegalMatch will help you find a lawyer that is suitable to your legal needs. Use the search form below.