When must a non-eviction Texas justice-court appeal be perfected?

Obtain the signed judgment and the actual history of any listed Rule 505.3 motion.

Determine the eligible trigger and whether denial occurred by actual ruling or the separate operation-of-law provision.

Choose and prepare the required compliant bond, cash deposit or inability Statement with the justice court.

1. Obtain the signed judgment and the actual history of any listed Rule 505.3 motion.
2. Determine the eligible trigger and whether denial occurred by actual ruling or the separate operation-of-law provision.
3. Choose and prepare the required compliant bond, cash deposit or inability Statement with the justice court.
4. Exclude the established eligible event and count twenty-one calendar days under Rule 500.4. A motion filing is not motion denial. Actual denial can require separate Rule 505.3(e) review before selecting this start.
5. Check the actual court calendar and complete the required act.

Rule 500.4 excludes the triggering day and counts every intermediate day, including Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, even for periods of five days or less. A final Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday moves to the next eligible day. If the last filing day is a day the court closes before 5:00 p.m., filing moves to the court’s next business day. Establish that actual closure separately. Do not import Rule 4’s short-period exclusion or the distinct Rule 510 eviction procedure.

Fictitious example

Fictitious facts. Judgment signing when no listed motion changes the start, or actual denial of the applicable Rule 505.3 motion occurred August 11, 2027. The stated ordinary branch applies without another effective event, service addition, controlling order or early court closure.

Fictitious ordinary facts. Actual case, service, signing, legal holidays, court closure before 5:00 p.m. and orders require checking.

Covered case and actual court directions

Rules 500.1(a)–(c) identify the covered small-claims, debt and repair-and-remedy cases and any controlling special rule. Rule 500.1(d) places eviction under Rule 510. Other Civil Rules and Evidence Rules apply only as specified by law or these rules, or as the judge determines necessary for fairness under .1(e).

Good-cause extension has exclusions

Rule 500.4(c) permits good-cause extensions except periods relating to new trial and appeal. A request alone does not grant relief, and this general provision does not authorize extending those excluded periods.

Actual perfection instrument

Rule 506.1(a), (h) requires a compliant bond, cash deposit or inability Statement. A notice alone does not establish ordinary perfection. Rule (d)(1) specifies the approved form or required equivalent information for a Statement, which may be the one filed with the petition.

Motion denial and notice differ

Rule 505.3(e) states the automatic denial condition and 5:00 p.m. boundary. Rule 506.1(a) uses denial of the listed motion, not merely motion filing or receipt of the judgment. Preserve the eligible motion and actual denial record.

Service and court notice depend on the instrument

For bond or cash, Rule 506.1(e) requires appellant service of written appeal notice on all other parties within seven days. For an inability Statement, the court must notify all other parties by the next business day. Appeal costs remain governed by (i) and Rule 143a.

• Actual service, receipt, signing, historical editions, legal holidays and court instructions require separate assessment.
• This guide does not establish a favorable ruling or automatically extend an excluded period.

• Obtain the signed judgment and the actual history of any listed Rule 505.3 motion.
• Determine the eligible trigger and whether denial occurred by actual ruling or the separate operation-of-law provision.
• Choose and prepare the required compliant bond, cash deposit or inability Statement with the justice court.
• Rules 500.1(a)–(c) identify the covered small-claims, debt and repair-and-remedy cases and any controlling special rule. Rule 500.1(d) places eviction under Rule 510. Other Civil Rules and Evidence Rules apply only as specified by law or these rules, or as the judge determines necessary for fairness under .1(e).
• Rule 500.4(c) permits good-cause extensions except periods relating to new trial and appeal. A request alone does not grant relief, and this general provision does not authorize extending those excluded periods.
• Rule 506.1(a), (h) requires a compliant bond, cash deposit or inability Statement. A notice alone does not establish ordinary perfection. Rule (d)(1) specifies the approved form or required equivalent information for a Statement, which may be the one filed with the petition.
• Rule 505.3(e) states the automatic denial condition and 5:00 p.m. boundary. Rule 506.1(a) uses denial of the listed motion, not merely motion filing or receipt of the judgment. Preserve the eligible motion and actual denial record.
• For bond or cash, Rule 506.1(e) requires appellant service of written appeal notice on all other parties within seven days. For an inability Statement, the court must notify all other parties by the next business day. Appeal costs remain governed by (i) and Rule 143a.
• File a compliant bond, make the required cash deposit or file the approved or equivalent-information inability Statement with the justice court. Rule 506.1(b) states the plaintiff’s $500 bond or defendant’s bond at twice judgment, with approved sureties and the specified conditions. Cash follows (c). Complete distinct notices, costs and any contest procedure. Rule 502.1 generally requires the actual written, signed document filed with the justice court. It permits personal or commercial delivery, mail, or electronic filing if allowed by the court. Electronic filing is governed by Rule 21, including its ordinary before-midnight court-time-zone boundary. Read the actual court’s allowed method, hours, specific orders and receipt. Filing is separate from service under Rule 501.4.