Last amended May 28, 2024 · Last verified June 28, 2026
In one sentenceRule 239a requires the party taking a default to certify the defaulting party's last known email and mailing address, and the clerk to send notice of the judgment, though failure to do so does not affect the judgment's finality.
Full Text of Rule 239a
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At or immediately prior to the time an interlocutory or final default judgment is rendered, the party taking the same or his attorney must certify to the clerk in writing the last known email address and mailing address of the party against whom the judgment is taken, which certificate shall be filed among the papers in the cause. Immediately upon the signing of a default judgment, the clerk must send written notice thereof to the party against whom the judgment was rendered as provided in Rule 21(f)(10) and to the mailing address shown in the certificate, and note the fact of such mailing on the docket. The notice must state the number and style of the case, the court in which the case is pending, the names of the parties in whose favor and against whom the judgment was rendered, and the date of the signing of the judgment. Failure to comply with the provisions of this rule does not affect the finality of the judgment.
End
Plain-English Summary
Rule 239a makes sure a defaulted party learns of the judgment. When a default judgment is rendered, the party taking it must certify to the clerk, in writing, the defaulting party's last known email address and mailing address. Immediately after the judgment is signed, the clerk sends written notice to that party — electronically as Rule 21 provides and to the certified mailing address — and notes the mailing on the docket. The notice identifies the case, the court, the parties, and the date the judgment was signed.
The requirement is a safeguard, not a condition of validity: failing to follow it does not affect the finality of the judgment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the clerk notify you of a default judgment in Texas?
Yes. Under Rule 239a, the party taking the default certifies the defaulting party's last known email and mailing address, and the clerk sends notice of the judgment immediately after it is signed.
Does a missing default-judgment notice undo the judgment?
No. Rule 239a states that failure to comply with the notice requirement does not affect the finality of the judgment.
Source & verification. Rule text and the official Notes and Comments are reproduced verbatim from the
Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (Tex. R. Civ. P. 239a), 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:notice of default judgmentdefault judgment noticecertificate of last known addressTRCP 239a