Being sued - that's one pitfall of online dating that a woman in Texas did not anticipate when she agreed to go out with Brandon Vezmar.

Vezmar, 37, has filed a petition in small claims court on May 11 to seek compensation for the cost of a movie ticket or US$17.31 (S$24), reports say.

He claims that his date "activated her phone at least 10-20 times in 15 minutes to read and send text messages" during a screening of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2, The Austin America-Statesman reported this week.

"While damages sought are modest, the principle is important as defendant's behaviour is a threat to civilised society," the petition said.

When contacted, the 35-year-old woman, who asked not to be named, said: "Oh my God. This is crazy."

She said that she held her phone low, texted two or three times, and "wasn't bothering anybody". She was messaging a friend who was having a fight with her boyfriend, she added.

She and Vezmar had met online and went on the date on May 6.

Vezmar, who runs a communications consultation company, said the woman's behaviour was one of his "pet peeves".

"It was kind of a first date from hell," he said.

Vezmar said he asked her to stop but she refused. He said he told her that maybe she could go outside to text. She left the theatre and never came back.

She drove, so he was left without a ride home.

He then asked her to pay him back but she refused. He reportedly contacted her friends and family to get her address.

The woman said that she planned to file a protective order against Vezmar for contacting her younger sister to get the money for the movie ticket.

The CEO of the cinema has offered to compensate Vezmar with the amount in a gift certificate if he drops the lawsuit.

The bizarre case has made international news, and caught the attention of James Gunn, who wrote and directed Guardians.

"Why stop at suing? She deserves jail time!" Gunn joked in a tweet.