RulesofCivilProcedure.com Civil Procedure · Every State

Rule 115.Form of Published Citation in Actions Involving Land

Last verified June 28, 2026

In one sentenceRule 115 lets a published citation in a land suit describe the claim briefly — the kind of suit, the acreage or lot-and-block description, the survey and county, and any special pleas.

Full Text of Rule 115

Text size

In citations by publication involving land, it shall be sufficient in making the brief statement of the claim in such citation to state the kind of suit, the number of acres of land involved in the suit, or the number of the lot and block, or any other plat description that may be of record if the land is situated in a city or town, the survey on which and the county in which the land is situated, and any special pleas which are relied upon in such suit.
End

Plain-English Summary

Rule 115 eases the brief-statement requirement for land suits served by publication. The citation need only state the kind of suit; the number of acres, or the lot and block (or other recorded plat description, if the land is in a city or town); the survey and county where the land sits; and any special pleas relied on. It does not need the full particulars of the claim.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is land described in a published citation in Texas?

Under Rule 115, by the kind of suit, the acreage or lot-and-block (or plat) description, the survey and county, and any special pleas.

Does a published citation involving land need the full details of the claim?

No. Rule 115 lets the brief statement skip the particulars of the claim, so long as it gives the kind of suit, the land description, the survey and county, and any special pleas relied on.

What if the land in a Rule 115 citation sits inside a city or town?

Then the citation may use the recorded plat description — the lot and block, or another description of record — instead of an acreage figure.

Source & verification. Rule text and the official Notes and Comments are reproduced verbatim from the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (Tex. R. Civ. P. 115), 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: form of published citation involving landland descriptionbrief statement of land claimlot and block descriptionland suit citationTRCP 115