When must a Texas jury request and applicable jury fee be filed?

Obtain the actual nonjury trial setting and any applicable scheduling order.

Identify the filed written jury request and applicable fee or inability procedure.

Assess reasonable timing separately from the thirty-day minimum and preserve docket evidence.

1. Obtain the actual nonjury trial setting and any applicable scheduling order.
2. Rule 216(a) requires both reasonable time and not less than thirty days before the nonjury setting. Rule 216(b) places the fee deposit within the same request period unless law provides otherwise. A date subtraction does not decide the reasonableness condition.
3. Read the actual order and confirm every stated condition.
4. Complete the act required by the rule, not merely a date calculation.

Rule 4 excludes the triggering act or event and includes the last computed day. Periods longer than five days count intermediate weekends and holidays. Do not automatically move a backward latest date forward toward trial and shorten the required interval. Read the current rule, actual court calendar and order. This guide applies no automatic backward closed-day adjustment.

The thirty-day preset cannot decide reasonable timing, the applicable fee or inability process, actual trial setting or jury entitlement. It also does not resolve a backward closed-day last date. This guide publishes no calculated result.

Reasonable time is separate

The rule requires reasonable time in addition to its thirty-day minimum. Establish the actual trial setting and circumstances instead of treating the minimum as an automatic entitlement.

Fee and governing law

Rule 216(b) requires deposit within the request period unless law provides otherwise. Rule 216(b) states $10 in district court and $5 in county court unless otherwise provided by law. Verify the actual applicable fee and preserve the docket notation; do not rely on the repealed statute named in the 1990 comment.

Inability to make the deposit

Rule 217 addresses a timely inability oath in place of the deposit and the court’s jury-docket order. Rule 145(b) separately requires the Supreme Court-approved Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs or another sworn document containing the same information. Its sworn statement may be notarized or made under penalty of perjury. Rule 145(f) requires notice, an evidentiary hearing and detailed findings before ordering costs paid after a Statement is filed. Preserve the actual inability filing and jury-docket record.

Later docket withdrawal

Rule 220 addresses withdrawal from the jury docket over an adversely interested party’s objection and states the appearance-related waiver. A timely request does not decide those later acts.

• This guide does not establish the actual pleadings, service, calendar, legal entitlement or terms of a signed order.
• The current consolidation date does not decide historical applicability of an individual amendment.

• Obtain the actual nonjury trial setting and any applicable scheduling order.
• Identify the filed written jury request and applicable fee or inability procedure.
• Assess reasonable timing separately from the thirty-day minimum and preserve docket evidence.
• The rule requires reasonable time in addition to its thirty-day minimum. Establish the actual trial setting and circumstances instead of treating the minimum as an automatic entitlement.
• Rule 216(b) requires deposit within the request period unless law provides otherwise. Rule 216(b) states $10 in district court and $5 in county court unless otherwise provided by law. Verify the actual applicable fee and preserve the docket notation; do not rely on the repealed statute named in the 1990 comment.
• Rule 217 addresses a timely inability oath in place of the deposit and the court’s jury-docket order. Rule 145(b) separately requires the Supreme Court-approved Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs or another sworn document containing the same information. Its sworn statement may be notarized or made under penalty of perjury. Rule 145(f) requires notice, an evidentiary hearing and detailed findings before ordering costs paid after a Statement is filed. Preserve the actual inability filing and jury-docket record.
• Rule 220 addresses withdrawal from the jury docket over an adversely interested party’s objection and states the appearance-related waiver. A timely request does not decide those later acts.
• File the written request with the clerk and complete the applicable jury fee or lawful inability process within the required time. Preserve both the filing receipt and payment or inability record. Rule 216(b) states a $10 district-court or $5 county-court deposit unless law provides otherwise. Check the actual governing fees. The 1990 comment’s Government Code 51.604 example was repealed effective January 1, 2022 by SB 41 sections 5.01(c)(8) and 6.01; it is not a current additional jury-fee authority. Rule 21(f)(5) ordinarily requires electronic filing before midnight in the court time zone; Rule 21a addresses service separately.