Mincha and Maariv

Ideally, a woman should pray both Shacharit and Mincha every day in accordance with the majority opinion.

When is the correct time to daven maariv? Why is there no repetition of shmoneh esrei for maariv? Must women daven maariv?

When is the earliest time a person is allowed to Daven Ma'ariv?

When I have the chance to daven Maariv only close to chatzot (astronomical midnight), dilemmas arise. Sometimes I have time to either recite Kri’at Shema or Shemoneh Esrei before chatzot, but not both; which has precedence? Other times, I can daven all of Maariv before chatzot at home, but if I go to our local “minyan factory,” the minyan misses chatzot; which is better?