Rule 274.Objections and Requests

Last amended January 1, 1988 · Last verified June 28, 2026

In one sentenceRule 274 requires a party objecting to the charge to point out distinctly the objectionable matter and the grounds, and makes objections or requests untenable when they are buried in voluminous unfounded ones.

Full Text of Rule 274

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A party objecting to a charge must point out distinctly the objectionable matter and the grounds of the objection. Any complaint as to a question, definition, or instruction, on account of any defect, omission, or fault in pleading, is waived unless specifically included in the objections. When the complaining party's objection, or requested question, definition, or instruction is, in the opinion of the appellate court, obscured or concealed by voluminous unfounded objections, minute differentiations or numerous unnecessary requests, such objection or request shall be untenable. No objection to one part of the charge may be adopted and applied to any other part of the charge by reference only.

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Plain-English Summary

Rule 274 polices how charge complaints are made. A party objecting to the charge must point out distinctly the objectionable matter and the grounds of the objection, and any complaint about a defect, omission, or fault in pleading is waived unless specifically included. The rule also discourages obstruction: when a good objection or request is, in the appellate court's view, obscured or concealed by voluminous unfounded objections, minute differentiations, or numerous unnecessary requests, it is untenable. An objection to one part of the charge cannot be adopted and applied to another part by reference only.

Frequently Asked Questions

How specific must a jury-charge objection be in Texas?

Distinctly. Rule 274 requires the objecting party to point out the objectionable matter and the grounds; a complaint buried in voluminous unfounded objections is untenable.

Can a Texas litigant raise a pleading defect through a jury-charge objection?

Only if raised specifically. Rule 274 waives any complaint about a defect, omission, or fault in pleading unless it is specifically included in the objections to the charge.

Can one jury-charge objection in Texas be applied to another part of the charge?

No. Rule 274 provides that no objection to one part of the charge may be adopted and applied to any other part by reference only — each objection must stand on its own.

Source & verification. Rule text and the official Notes and Comments are reproduced verbatim from the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (Tex. R. Civ. P. 274), 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: objections and requestspoint out distinctlyvoluminous objectionsTRCP 274