Texas court deadline
How long do I have to answer discovery requests in Texas?
Written responses to requests for production, interrogatories and requests for admissions are generally due 30 days after the requests were served — 3 days more if they were served by mail.
- What the date means
- The last day to serve your written responses to requests for production, interrogatories or requests for admissions.
- The clock starts
- Requests for disclosure, production, interrogatories, or admissions. Check how they were served: by mail, or by e-mail / e-filing.
- Applies to
- Written discovery served after your answer was due. A defendant served before the answer deadline has longer (50 days) under these rules.
- Rule
- Tex. R. Civ. P. 196.2, 197.2, 198.2; Tex. R. Civ. P. 21a(c); Tex. R. Civ. P. 4
How to count it
Do not count the starting day. Count 30 calendar days, including weekends and holidays. If the last day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the deadline moves to the next day that is not. If the papers were served by mail, add 3 days.
Worked example
Say the starting date was Monday, June 1, 2026. Here is each step:
- Start: Monday, June 1, 2026. That day itself is not counted.
- Count 30 calendar days: Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
- Wednesday, July 1, 2026 is not a weekend or legal holiday, so it stays.
Under Tex. R. Civ. P. 196.2, 197.2, 198.2, counting from Monday, June 1, 2026, the computed date is
Wednesday, July 1, 2026
This is an example only. Your own date depends on your starting date and your court.
Watch out for
- Requests for admissions you do not answer on time can be deemed ADMITTED. This can decide a case.
- If the requests were served by mail, 3 days are added. E-mail or e-filing service adds nothing.
- The parties or the court may have changed the deadline by agreement or order.
Not reviewed by an attorney. ProSeFiler’s deadline rules were written from the official rule text, but no lawyer has reviewed them. Read the rule yourself and confirm every date with the court clerk.
Count your own date.
ProSeFiler’s Deadlines tool counts this rule from your date, shows every step, and warns you about weekends and holidays.
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Common questions
How long do I have to answer discovery requests in Texas?
Written responses to requests for production, interrogatories and requests for admissions are generally due 30 days after the requests were served — 3 days more if they were served by mail. The last day to serve your written responses to requests for production, interrogatories or requests for admissions.
Does a weekend or holiday change the date?
Yes. If the last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the deadline moves to the next day that is not one (Tex. R. Civ. P. 4; Tex. R. App. P. 4.1; Tex. R. Civ. P. 500.4 in justice court). Courts also close for local reasons, so call the clerk ahead of time.
Who does this rule apply to?
Written discovery served after your answer was due. A defendant served before the answer deadline has longer (50 days) under these rules.
Where does this rule come from?
Tex. R. Civ. P. 196.2, 197.2, 198.2; Tex. R. Civ. P. 21a(c); Tex. R. Civ. P. 4. Read the official text yourself and confirm the date with the court clerk. ProSeFiler last checked this rule against the official text on Sunday, November 8, 2026.