Short answer
In justice court, by the end of the 14th day after you were served. In county or district court, by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday after 20 days have passed since service. If a justice court deadline lands on a weekend or legal holiday, it moves to the next business day.
Use our answer deadline calculator for an estimate, and file early rather than on the last day.
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Updated November 2026. General information about Texas law, not legal advice for your case. Laws and court rules change; we review these answers regularly.