Rule 510.20.Record on Appeal; Docketing; Trial De Novo
Last verified June 28, 2026
In one sentenceRule 510.20 has the justice court send the record on a perfected eviction appeal, the county clerk docket the case and notify the parties, and the county court hold a trial de novo no later than the 21st day after the transcript is filed.
(a)Preparation and Transmission of Record. Unless otherwise provided by law or these rules, when an appeal has been perfected, the judge must stay all further proceedings on the judgment and the court must forward to the county court, by electronic means or otherwise, not earlier than 4 p.m. on the sixth day or later than 4 p.m. on the 10th day after the date the tenant files the appeal, the transcript and the original papers of the case, together with any money in the court registry. If the court confirms that the tenant has timely paid the initial rent payment into the justice court registry in accordance with Rule 510.19(d)(2)(A), the court may forward the transcript and original papers immediately.
(b)Docketing; Notice. The county clerk must docket the case and must immediately notify the parties of the date of receipt of the transcript and the docket number of the case. If the appellant did not perfect the appeal with a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs, the county clerk must also immediately notify the appellant of the requirement to pay a filing fee or file a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs.
(c)Trial De Novo. The county court shall hold a trial not later than the 21st day after the date the transcript and original papers are delivered to the county court. The case must be tried de novo in the county court. The case must be tried de novo in the county court. A trial de novo is a new trial in which the entire case is presented as if there had been no previous trial. The trial, as well as any hearings and motions, is entitled to precedence in the county court.
(d)Nonlawyer Representation. In an appeal of an eviction suit for nonpayment of rent, an owner of a multifamily residential property may be represented by the owner’s authorized agent, who need not be an attorney.
End
Plain-English Summary
Rule 510.20 moves the eviction appeal to the county court. Once the appeal is perfected, the justice court prepares and transmits the record. The county clerk dockets the case and immediately notifies the parties. The county court must hold a trial de novo — a new trial of the whole case — no later than the 21st day after the transcript is filed. In an appeal of a nonpayment eviction, an owner of a multifamily property may be represented by a non-lawyer agent.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast is an eviction appeal heard in Texas?
The county court must hold a trial de novo no later than the 21st day after the transcript is filed (Rule 510.20).
When does the justice court send the eviction case file to the county court?
Rule 510.20 sets a window of not earlier than 4 p.m. on the 6th day nor later than 4 p.m. on the 10th day after the tenant files the appeal — though the court may forward the record immediately once it confirms the tenant timely paid the initial rent into the registry.
Can a multifamily property owner use a non-lawyer representative on an eviction appeal?
Yes, in a nonpayment case. Rule 510.20 lets an owner of a multifamily residential property be represented by an authorized agent who need not be an attorney.
Source & verification. Rule text and the official Notes and Comments are reproduced verbatim from the
Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (Tex. R. Civ. P. 510.20), 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:record on appeal evictiontrial de novo evictiontwenty-one daysTRCP 510.20