In one sentenceRule 500.8 keeps discovery light in justice court — pretrial discovery is allowed only as the judge considers reasonable and necessary and must be approved by the court, while post-judgment discovery need not be filed.
(a)Pretrial Discovery. Pretrial discovery is limited to that which the judge considers reasonable and necessary. Any requests for pretrial discovery must be presented to the court. Failure to comply with a discovery order can result in sanctions, including dismissal of the case or an order to pay the other party’s discovery expenses.
(b)Post-judgment Discovery. Post-judgment discovery is not required to be filed with the court. The party requesting discovery must give the responding party at least 30 days to respond to a post-judgment discovery request. The responding party may file a written objection with the court within 30 days of receiving the request. If an objection is filed, the judge must hold a hearing to determine if the request is valid. If the objection is denied, the judge must order the party to respond to the request. If the objection is upheld, the judge may reform the request or dismiss it entirely.
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Plain-English Summary
Rule 500.8 limits discovery in these small cases. Pretrial discovery is confined to what the judge considers reasonable and necessary, and a request must be approved by the court before it is served. Post-judgment discovery — used to collect on a judgment — does not have to be filed with the court; the requesting party serves it and gives the responding party time to respond.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there discovery in Texas justice court?
Limited. Rule 500.8 allows only pretrial discovery the judge finds reasonable and necessary and approves; post-judgment discovery is available to collect a judgment.
What happens if you ignore a discovery order in Texas justice court?
Rule 500.8 allows sanctions, including dismissal of the case or an order to pay the other party's discovery expenses.
How long do you have to respond to post-judgment discovery in Texas justice court?
At least 30 days. Rule 500.8 also lets the responding party file a written objection within that same 30-day period, which the judge resolves at a hearing.
Source & verification. Rule text and the official Notes and Comments are reproduced verbatim from the
Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (Tex. R. Civ. P. 500.8), 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:discovery justice courtpretrial discoverypost-judgment discoveryTRCP 500.8