Last amended September 1, 1990 · Last verified June 28, 2026
In one sentenceRule 216 makes a jury optional: a party must file a written request not less than 30 days before the trial setting and pay the jury fee within that same time, or the case is tried to the court.
a.No jury trial shall be had in any civil suit, unless a written request for a jury trial is filed with the clerk of the court a reasonable time before the date set for trial of the cause on the non-jury docket, but not less than thirty days in advance.
b.Jury Fee. Unless otherwise provided by law, a fee of ten dollars if in the district court and five dollars if in the county court must be deposited with the clerk of the court within the time for making a written request for a jury trial. The clerk shall promptly enter a notation of the payment of such fee upon the court's docket sheet.
End
Notes and Comments
Comment to 1990 change: Additional fees for jury trials may be required by other law, e.g., Texas Government Code § 51.604.
Plain-English Summary
A civil jury in Texas is not automatic — a party has to ask for one. Rule 216 requires a written request filed a reasonable time before the case is set on the non-jury docket, and in no event less than 30 days in advance. The party must also pay a jury fee within that same period: $10 in district court and $5 in county court, unless other law provides otherwise.
Miss the deadline or skip the fee, and the right to a jury can be lost for that setting. Other law may add further jury costs beyond the fee in this rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the deadline to request a jury trial in Texas?
A written request must be filed a reasonable time before trial and not less than 30 days before the case is set on the non-jury docket, with the jury fee paid in the same period.
How much is the jury fee in Texas?
$10 in district court and $5 in county court under Rule 216, unless other law provides otherwise. Additional jury fees may be required by other law.
Source & verification. Rule text and the official Notes and Comments are reproduced verbatim from the
Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (Tex. R. Civ. P. 216), 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:jury demandjury requestjury feerequest for jury trialTRCP 216