When is a defendant’s answer due in a Texas justice-court case?

Obtain the citation, petition and actual service return or authorized alternative-service proof.

Identify when this defendant was validly served with both required papers.

Distinguish publication, court filing and citation issuance from actual nonpublication service.

1. Obtain the citation, petition and actual service return or authorized alternative-service proof.
2. Identify when this defendant was validly served with both required papers.
3. Distinguish publication, court filing and citation issuance from actual nonpublication service.
4. Exclude actual service and count fourteen calendar days under Rules 500.4 and 502.5(d). Check the final legal holiday and whether the court closes before 5:00 p.m. on the last filing day.
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. Actual valid nonpublication service of the citation and petition on the defendant occurred August 18, 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).

Filing and service remain separate

Rule 501.4 governs papers other than citation and generally requires service on all other parties and a signed written certificate describing method and date. Email requires an expressly provided address and written consent; email or fax after 5:00 p.m. recipient local time is deemed served the following day. Mail may add three days to a document-response period under .4(b). It does not automatically add time to every judgment-signing, court-order or filing-based period. Prove the actual method and event instead of silently assuming effective service.

Actual valid citation service

Rule 501.2 identifies who and how citation may be served, including court-authorized alternative service. Rule 501.3 requires the return and relevant proof. The calculator does not validate service, and Rule 502.5(e) has a separate publication trigger.

• 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 citation, petition and actual service return or authorized alternative-service proof.
• Identify when this defendant was validly served with both required papers.
• Distinguish publication, court filing and citation issuance from actual nonpublication service.
• 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 501.4 governs papers other than citation and generally requires service on all other parties and a signed written certificate describing method and date. Email requires an expressly provided address and written consent; email or fax after 5:00 p.m. recipient local time is deemed served the following day. Mail may add three days to a document-response period under .4(b). It does not automatically add time to every judgment-signing, court-order or filing-based period. Prove the actual method and event instead of silently assuming effective service.
• Rule 501.2 identifies who and how citation may be served, including court-authorized alternative service. Rule 501.3 requires the return and relevant proof. The calculator does not validate service, and Rule 502.5(e) has a separate publication trigger.
• File the written answer and serve the plaintiff. Rule 502.5(a) specifies defendant and attorney contact information and any email-service consent; a general denial satisfies (b) without waiving the ability to raise defenses at trial. 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.