What bond or cash option follows a sustained Texas justice-court inability contest?

Obtain the sustained contest order and actual appeal history.

Determine whether the no-appeal branch or county denial applies and establish the actual event.

Prepare the compliant bond or cash and check Rule 500.4’s every-day count and final filing-day court closure.

1. Obtain the sustained contest order and actual appeal history.
2. Determine whether the no-appeal branch or county denial applies and establish the actual event.
3. Prepare the compliant bond or cash and check Rule 500.4’s every-day count and final filing-day court closure.
4. Rule 500.4 counts all intermediate days even for five days. Rule 4’s exclusion of intermediate weekends and holidays must not be imported. This required short-period calculation is unavailable, so the guide publishes no computed date. Establish the actual no-appeal event separately instead of assuming it is the original contest order.
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.

The current engine uses the wrong short-period counting regime and cannot support a computed date. The actual outcome branch also requires proof.

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.

Two different outcome branches

Rule 506.1(d)(4) identifies failure to appeal the sustained contest or county denial of that appeal. The no-appeal branch requires the actual expired contest-appeal opportunity; the county denial branch requires its actual decision. Do not treat either as ordinary initial judgment signing.

Compliant bond or cash remains required

Rule 506.1(b) specifies the party-dependent bond amounts, approved sureties and stated conditions. Paragraph (c) provides cash in the required bond amount. The five-day date does not prove the chosen instrument complies.

• 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 sustained contest order and actual appeal history.
• Determine whether the no-appeal branch or county denial applies and establish the actual event.
• Prepare the compliant bond or cash and check Rule 500.4’s every-day count and final filing-day court closure.
• 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(d)(4) identifies failure to appeal the sustained contest or county denial of that appeal. The no-appeal branch requires the actual expired contest-appeal opportunity; the county denial branch requires its actual decision. Do not treat either as ordinary initial judgment signing.
• Rule 506.1(b) specifies the party-dependent bond amounts, approved sureties and stated conditions. Paragraph (c) provides cash in the required bond amount. The five-day date does not prove the chosen instrument complies.
• Post a compliant appeal bond or make the required cash deposit under Rule 506.1(b)–(c), and complete the separate notice under (e). Preserve the actual eligible event, filed bond or completed cash record and notice service. 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.