Rule 13.Effect of Signing Pleadings, Motions and Other Papers; Sanctions
Last amended September 1, 1990 · Last verified June 28, 2026
In one sentenceRule 13 treats a signature on a pleading or motion as a certificate that, after reasonable inquiry, the paper is not groundless and filed in bad faith or for harassment — and it lets a court impose sanctions, only after notice and hearing and only for good cause stated in the order.
Full Text of Rule 13
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The signatures of attorneys or parties constitute a certificate by them that they have read the pleading, motion, or other paper; that to the best of their knowledge, information, and belief formed after reasonable inquiry the instrument is not groundless and brought in bad faith or groundless and brought for the purpose of harassment. Attorneys or parties who shall bring a fictitious suit as an experiment to get an opinion of the court, or who shall file any fictitious pleading in a cause for such a purpose, or shall make statements in pleading which they know to be groundless and false, for the purpose of securing a delay of the trial of the cause, shall be held guilty of a contempt. If a pleading, motion or other paper is signed in violation of this rule, the court, upon motion or upon its own initiative, after notice and hearing, shall impose an appropriate sanction available under Rule 215-2b, upon the person who signed it, a represented party, or both. Courts shall presume that pleadings, motions, and other papers are filed in good faith. No sanctions under this rule may be imposed except for good cause, the particulars of which must be stated in the sanction order. "Groundless" for purposes of this rule means no basis in law or fact and not warranted by good faith argument for the extension, modification, or reversal of existing law. A general denial does not constitute a violation of this rule. The amount requested for damages does not constitute a violation of this rule.
End
Notes and Comments
Comment to 1990 change: To require notice and hearing before a court determines to impose sanctions, to specify that any sanction imposed be appropriate, and to eliminate the 90-day "grace" period provided in the former version of the rule.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 13 attaches meaning to a signature. When an attorney or party signs a pleading, motion, or other paper, they certify that they read it and that, to the best of their knowledge after reasonable inquiry, it is not groundless and brought in bad faith, and not groundless and brought to harass. Filing a fictitious suit to fish for an advisory opinion, or making knowingly groundless and false statements to delay trial, can be punished as contempt.
If a paper is signed in violation of the rule, the court — on a party’s motion or on its own — must, after notice and a hearing, impose an appropriate sanction available under Rule 215 on the signer, the represented party, or both. Several guardrails protect litigants: courts presume papers are filed in good faith, no sanction may issue except for good cause whose particulars are stated in the order, a general denial does not violate the rule, and the amount of damages requested does not either.
The rule defines “groundless” as having no basis in law or fact and not warranted by a good-faith argument for extending, modifying, or reversing existing law.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does signing a pleading certify under Rule 13?
That the signer read the paper and believes, after reasonable inquiry, that it is not groundless and brought in bad faith or groundless and brought for harassment.
Can a Texas court impose Rule 13 sanctions without a hearing?
No. Sanctions require notice and a hearing, and may be imposed only for good cause, the particulars of which must be stated in the sanction order.
What does “groundless” mean under Rule 13?
No basis in law or fact and not warranted by a good-faith argument for the extension, modification, or reversal of existing law.
Is a general denial a violation of Rule 13?
No. The rule states that a general denial does not violate it, and neither does the amount requested for damages.
Source & verification. Rule text and the official Notes and Comments are reproduced verbatim from the
Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (Tex. R. Civ. P. 13), published by the Texas Judicial Branch (txcourts.gov).
Promulgated by the Supreme Court of Texas. The plain-English summary is original and draws on official sources. Last verified June 28, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as:effect of signing pleadingssanctionsgroundless pleadingsbad faithfrivolous filingRule 13 sanctionsTRCP 13