Rule 56.Special Damage
Last verified June 28, 2026
In one sentenceRule 56 requires items of special damage to be specifically stated in the pleading.
Full Text of Rule 56
When items of special damage are claimed, they shall be specifically stated.
End
Plain-English Summary
Rule 56 sets a pleading requirement for special damages — losses that do not flow automatically from the wrong alleged. When a party claims them, the items of special damage must be stated specifically, not folded into a general damages allegation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are special damages and how are they pleaded?
Special damages are losses that do not necessarily follow from the wrong. Under Rule 56, they must be specifically stated in the pleading.
Can you lump special damages into a general damages claim in Texas?
No. Rule 56 requires items of special damage to be stated specifically — a general damages allegation does not give notice of them.
Do ordinary damages need the same detail as special damages under Rule 56?
No. Rule 56 singles out special damages — those that do not flow automatically from the wrong — for specific statement. General damages carry no matching itemization requirement.
Source & verification. Rule text and the official Notes and Comments are reproduced verbatim from the
Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (Tex. R. Civ. P. 56), 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: special damagespecial damagesspecifically statedTRCP 56