Texas Deadline Calculator

Texas Civil Procedure Deadline Calculator

Based on Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (TRCP) Rule 4

Defendant's Answer (Monday Rule) Discovery Responses (30 Days) Summary Judgment Notice (21 Days) Motion for New Trial (30 Days) Custom Day Count

Calculated Deadline:

Understanding Texas Deadline Rules

In the Texas legal system, calculating deadlines is governed primarily by Rule 4 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. Failure to meet these deadlines can result in default judgments or the waiver of critical legal rights.

The "Monday at 10:00 AM" Rule

Unique to Texas, the deadline for a defendant to file an answer in District or County court is the first Monday after the expiration of 20 days from the date of service. If that Monday is a legal holiday, the answer is due the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

Counting Days (TRCP Rule 4)

When calculating time periods:

• The day of the act or event (service) is not included.
• The last day of the period is included, unless it is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.
• If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, it extends to the next day that is not a weekend or holiday.

Examples of Common Deadlines

Action	Time Period
Discovery Responses	30 Days (standard)
SJ Hearing Notice	21 Days before hearing
Motion for New Trial	30 Days after judgment signed

Disclaimer: This calculator is for educational purposes and should not be considered legal advice. Always consult the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and local court rules.

document.getElementById('deadlineType').onchange = function() { var customDiv = document.getElementById('customDaysContainer'); if (this.value === 'custom') { customDiv.style.display = 'block'; } else { customDiv.style.display = 'none'; } }; function calculateTexasDeadline() { var dateInput = document.getElementById('eventDate').value; var type = document.getElementById('deadlineType').value; var resultBox = document.getElementById('deadlineResult'); var finalDateDisplay = document.getElementById('finalDate'); var explanation = document.getElementById('ruleExplanation'); if (!dateInput) { alert("Please select an event or service date."); return; } var start = new Date(dateInput + 'T12:00:00'); var resultDate = new Date(start); var note = ""; if (type === 'answer') { // Rule: Monday next following the expiration of 20 days resultDate.setDate(resultDate.getDate() + 20); // Move to next Monday var day = resultDate.getDay(); var daysUntilMonday = (8 – day) % 7; if (daysUntilMonday === 0) daysUntilMonday = 7; // If 20th day is Monday, it's the following Monday resultDate.setDate(resultDate.getDate() + daysUntilMonday); note = "Calculated as the Monday next following 20 days after service. If this is a holiday, the deadline is the next business day."; } else { var daysToAdd = 0; if (type === 'discovery') daysToAdd = 30; else if (type === 'sj_notice') daysToAdd = 21; else if (type === 'new_trial') daysToAdd = 30; else if (type === 'custom') daysToAdd = parseInt(document.getElementById('customDays').value) || 0; resultDate.setDate(resultDate.getDate() + daysToAdd); // Adjust for weekends per Rule 4 var dayOfWeek = resultDate.getDay(); if (dayOfWeek === 0) { // Sunday resultDate.setDate(resultDate.getDate() + 1); note = "Adjusted from Sunday to Monday per TRCP Rule 4."; } else if (dayOfWeek === 6) { // Saturday resultDate.setDate(resultDate.getDate() + 2); note = "Adjusted from Saturday to Monday per TRCP Rule 4."; } else { note = "Calculated using standard day count. Ensure no legal holidays fall on this date."; } } var options = { weekday: 'long', year: 'numeric', month: 'long', day: 'numeric' }; finalDateDisplay.innerHTML = resultDate.toLocaleDateString('en-US', options); explanation.innerHTML = note; resultBox.style.display = 'block'; }