Answer to petition (district and county court)
Monday after 20 days, 10:00 AM date the citation and petition were served on the defendant, under Tex. R. Civ. P. 99(b), (c).
Rule text
The citation shall direct the defendant to file a written answer to the plaintiff's petition on or before 10:00 a.m. on the Monday next after the expiration of twenty days after the date of service thereof.
Calculate this deadline
- Trigger (Date the citation and petition were served on the defendant): Friday, November 6, 2026.
- Exclude the trigger day and count 20 calendar days: Thursday, November 26, 2026.
- The answer is due on the Monday next after that period expires: Monday, November 30, 2026.
Tex. R. Civ. P. 99(b), (c)
The citation shall direct the defendant to file a written answer to the plaintiff's petition on or before 10:00 a.m. on the Monday next after the expiration of twenty days after the date of service thereof.Official source
Tex. R. Civ. P. 4
In computing any period of time prescribed or allowed by these rules, by order of court, or by any applicable statute, the day of the act, event, or default after which the designated period of time begins to run is not to be included. The last day of the period so computed is to be included, unless it is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, in which event the period runs until the end of the next day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday. Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays shall not be counted for any purpose in any time period of five days or less in these rules, except that Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays shall be counted for purpose of the three-day periods in Rules 21 and 21a, extending other periods by three days when service is made by mail.Official source
- Compute day 20 after service (service day excluded), then the answer is due by 10:00 a.m. on the next Monday after day 20 expires. If day 20 is itself a Sunday, the Monday is the next day; if day 20 is a Monday, the answer is due the FOLLOWING Monday (the Monday next after expiration). If that Monday is a legal holiday, Rule 4 carries the deadline to the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday; whether the 10:00 a.m. time still applies on that day is not stated in the rule (assume yes, conservatively). Rule 21a mail extension does not apply to citation. Service by publication and other special citation methods may have different answer dates (not covered). Defendants in suits governed by special statutes may have different deadlines.
- If the clerk's office is closed or inaccessible on the last day (weather, emergency or local closure orders), the deadline may be extended. Check local orders.
This calculator applies the cited rules to the dates you enter. It is not legal advice. Court orders, local rules, and case-specific facts can change a deadline; verify before relying on it. Rule set pending attorney review.
Worked example
Date the citation and petition were served on the defendant on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Monday, April 5, 2027, 10:00 AM.
- Trigger (Date the citation and petition were served on the defendant): Monday, March 15, 2027.
- Exclude the trigger day and count 20 calendar days: Sunday, April 4, 2027.
- The answer is due on the Monday next after that period expires: Monday, April 5, 2027.
Notes
Compute day 20 after service (service day excluded), then the answer is due by 10:00 a.m. on the next Monday after day 20 expires. If day 20 is itself a Sunday, the Monday is the next day; if day 20 is a Monday, the answer is due the FOLLOWING Monday (the Monday next after expiration). If that Monday is a legal holiday, Rule 4 carries the deadline to the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday; whether the 10:00 a.m. time still applies on that day is not stated in the rule (assume yes, conservatively). Rule 21a mail extension does not apply to citation. Service by publication and other special citation methods may have different answer dates (not covered). Defendants in suits governed by special statutes may have different deadlines.
Related deadlines
- Answer in justice court (justice court only) (14 days after)
- Answer in justice court when served by publication (justice court only) (42 days after)
- Responses to requests for production, interrogatories, and requests for admissions (30 days after)
- Initial disclosures (30 days after)
- Initial disclosures for a party served or joined after the first answer (30 days after)
- Pretrial disclosures (trial witnesses and exhibits) (30 days before)
- Rule 91a motion to dismiss: filing deadline (60 days after)
- Rule 91a motion to dismiss: must be filed before hearing (21 days before)
Rules current as of 2026-10-23. Confirm against the official source and any local rule or court order before relying on a date. Rules changelog.