Texas Court Rules (2026)
We publish six Texas rule sets covering 3225 rules. These govern civil litigation, appellate practice, the admissibility of evidence, and both the duties and the discipline of lawyers in Texas state courts, along with the Code of Criminal Procedure — Texas promulgates no separate rules of criminal procedure, so criminal practice in its courts is statutory. Each rule includes the full text, a plain-English summary, committee notes, amendment history, and cross-references to related rules.
Texas Court Rules & Rules of Practice
How this jurisdiction's courts and rules are organized, written for lawyers new to it: the court system, every ruleset a litigator touches, and how a case actually moves. Last verified September 2, 2026. For informational purposes only.
- Court System Overview
- The Ruleset Map
- Civil Litigation Mechanics
- Criminal Practice Mechanics
- Evidence
- Appellate Mechanics
- Rules of Professional Conduct
- Attorney Discipline & Enforcement
- Newcomer Orientation Notes
- Sources & Verification
Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
The Texas Rules of Civil Procedure govern the practice and procedure in civil district courts, county courts at law, and justice courts in Texas, covering pleadings, service, discovery, trial, and judgment.
Updated 2026 Edition
BrowseTexas Rules of Appellate Procedure
The Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure govern practice in the Texas Courts of Appeals, the Texas Supreme Court, and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, covering appeals, original proceedings, and discretionary review.
Updated 2026 Edition
BrowseTexas Code of Criminal Procedure
The Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, 85 chapters and 2,255 articles. Texas promulgates no separate rules of criminal procedure — criminal practice in its courts is statutory, so this code is where those rules live. Coverage runs from the general provisions and the rights of the accused through arrest, search and seizure, bail, examining trials, indictment and information, pretrial motions, discovery under article 39.14 (the Michael Morton Act), jury selection, trial, verdict and judgment, sentencing, community supervision, appeal, habeas corpus, sex offender registration, and the rights of crime victims. Articles are cited as Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 39.14.
Updated 2026 Edition
BrowseTexas Rules of Evidence
The Texas Rules of Evidence govern the admissibility of evidence in Texas courts, covering relevance, privileges, witnesses, opinions, hearsay, authentication, and the contents of writings and recordings.
Updated 2026 Edition
BrowseTexas Rules of Disciplinary Procedure
The Texas Rules of Disciplinary Procedure, 142 rules across seventeen parts. Where the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct state what a lawyer's duties are, these rules are the procedure that enforces them: the classification and investigation of grievances, the district grievance committees and their evidentiary panels, election of the trial forum, trial in district court, the Commission for Lawyer Discipline, the chief disciplinary counsel, public information and access, the Board of Disciplinary Appeals, compulsory discipline on conviction of an intentional crime, reciprocal discipline, resignation in lieu of discipline, reinstatement after disbarment or resignation, disability suspension, the sanction guidelines, and the grievance referral program. Rules are cited as Tex. R. Disciplinary P. 1.01.
Updated 2026 Edition
BrowseTexas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct
The Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct govern the professional obligations of every lawyer licensed in Texas: competence and diligence, confidentiality of information, conflicts of interest, duties to former clients and to organizations, the lawyer as advocate and as counselor, dealings with non-clients, the responsibilities of firms and supervising lawyers, advertising and solicitation, and the reporting of professional misconduct. Texas numbers these rules on its own scheme rather than the ABA Model Rules' — candor toward the tribunal is Rule 3.03, not Rule 3.3, and fees are Rule 1.04, not Rule 1.5.
Updated 2026 Edition
Browse