Texas / Post-judgment & appeal
Texas motion for new trial deadline
In Texas, a motion for new trial or to modify, correct, or reform a judgment must be filed within 30 days after the judgment is signed (Tex. R. Civ. P. 329b(a)).
Estimates based on standard Texas rules and court-holiday closures; not legal advice. Confirm against your specific case, local administrative orders, and the current rules.
How the deadline works
Rule 329b(a) runs the clock from the date the judgment is SIGNED — not from rendition, entry, or notice. The 30-day period is one of the few in Texas practice that cannot be enlarged: Rule 5 expressly withholds the power to extend it.
A timely motion does more than seek relief. It extends the trial court’s plenary power and pushes the notice-of-appeal deadline from 30 days to 90 (Tex. R. App. P. 26.1). If the court does not rule by written order within 75 days after the judgment is signed, the motion is overruled by operation of law.
- Signed, not served The period runs from the date the judgment is signed, so the Rule 21a mail add-on does not apply.
- It buys you the 90-day appeal clock A timely motion extends the notice-of-appeal deadline from 30 to 90 days under Tex. R. App. P. 26.1.
- Overruled by operation of law at 75 days If no written order rules on it within 75 days of the signing, the motion is overruled automatically.
Questions
- How long do I have to file a motion for new trial in Texas?
- 30 days after the judgment is signed, under Tex. R. Civ. P. 329b(a). The deadline cannot be extended, and a timely motion moves the appeal deadline to 90 days.
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