Texas / Pleadings
Texas answer deadline (Monday rule)
In Texas district and county courts, a defendant’s answer is due by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday next after the expiration of 20 days from the date of service (Tex. R. Civ. P. 99(b)), the "Monday rule."
Estimates based on standard Texas rules and court-holiday closures. For use by licensed attorneys only. This calculator is for informational purposes, is not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Verify every deadline and citation against the applicable rules and court orders before relying on it. See our Terms.
How the deadline works
Under Tex. R. Civ. P. 99(b), the answer is due "by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday next after the expiration of twenty days" after the defendant was served with citation. In practice you count 20 calendar days from service, then the deadline is the following Monday. If the twentieth day is itself a Monday, the answer is due the next Monday after that. This calculator returns that Monday; if it is a court holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.
The Monday rule applies in district and county courts. Justice (small claims) courts are different: the answer is due by the end of the 14th day after service, with no Monday rule (Tex. R. Civ. P. 502.5).
- It is always a Monday The deadline is not "20 days"; it is the Monday after the 20 days run, by 10:00 a.m.
- Justice court is different In Justice Court the answer is due 14 days after service with no Monday rule (Rule 502.5).
Questions
- When is an answer due in Texas?
- By 10:00 a.m. on the first Monday after 20 days from service, under Tex. R. Civ. P. 99(b). If the 20th day is a Monday, the answer is due the following Monday.