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In justice-court eviction cases: the citation sets a personal-appearance trial day not less than 10 nor more than 21 days after the petition is filed; a written answer is permitted but NOT required (appearing on the trial day is what matters); no trial may be held until 4 days after service; and an appeal must be perfected within 5 days after the judgment is signed.
Texas > Justice courts (eviction cases)
510.8(b)(10) — (10) state the day the defendant must appear in person for trial at the court issuing citation, which must not be less than 10 days nor more than 21 days after the petition is filed; 510.11 — RULE 510.11. ANSWER (a) Not Required. The defendant may, but is not required to, file a written answer with the court on or before the day set for trial in the citation. 510.15 — RULE 510.15. TRIAL (a) Trial Date. The defendant must appear for trial on the trial day listed in the citation or later trial notice. (b) Trial. An eviction case will be docketed and tried as other cases. No eviction trial may be held until 4 days has passed after service under Rule 510.8. 510.19(a) — (a) How Taken; Time. A party may appeal a judgment in an eviction case by filing a bond, making a cash deposit, or filing a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs under (c) with the justice court within 5 days after the judgment is signed.
Reviewer note: The justice-court 500-series is RESTRUCTURED in the current compilation (510.1-510.24): the trial window anchors to the petition FILING date and a written answer is optional - older descriptions of a service-anchored window or a required answer are superseded.
Policy Regarding Pro Se Applicants — Harris County Probate Courts (Probate Court No. 1 posting) — posted on the court's own website — the court-procedure tier (standing procedures, policies, and preferences the court itself publishes), distinct from the TOPICs-registered local-rules tier (TRCP 3a registration applies to local rules). Operative requirements quoted verbatim; the posted document is the controlling text.
Policy Regarding Pro Se Applicants — Harris County Probate Courts (Probate Court No. 5 posting) — posted on the court's own website — the court-procedure tier (standing procedures, policies, and preferences the court itself publishes), distinct from the TOPICs-registered local-rules tier (TRCP 3a registration applies to local rules). Operative requirements quoted verbatim; the posted document is the controlling text.