<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0203</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-11-15</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000822083</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PLAINSCAPITAL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NONE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001504840</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Huffines James R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O PLAINSCAPITAL CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2323 VICTORY AVENUE, SUITE 1400</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75219</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President and COO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Original Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>184592</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Original Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6921</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By ESOP</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>6.6937</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-01-02</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Original Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2592</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>6.6937</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-02-20</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Original Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5184</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>10.8806</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-04-01</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Original Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5400</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 30,000 shares of restricted stock awarded to the reporting person on December 31, 2008. These shares vest in equal installments, rounded down to the nearest whole number to avoid the issuance of any fractional shares, over a seven-year period, beginning with the first anniversary of the date of grant, December 31, 2009, and continuing each 31st day of December until December 31, 2015. Vesting of these shares accelerates in full upon a &quot;change in control&quot; or &quot;initial public listing&quot; of the common stock of PlainsCapital Corporation.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 8,000 restricted stock units granted to the reporting person on April 1, 2010. Subject to the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, as it has been or may hereafter be amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, such restricted stock units will vest, and an equal number of shares of Original Common Stock will be deliverable to the reporting person, upon the fifth anniversary of the date of grant, April 1, 2015, or immediately upon the earlier occurrence of events specified in the reporting person's restricted stock unit award agreement, including a &quot;change in control&quot; of PlainsCapital Corporation.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents shares allocated to the account of the Reporting Person pursuant to the Plains Capital Corporation Employee Stock Ownership Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Option is currently fully exercisable.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ James R. Huffines</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-11-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
