Rule 22.Commenced by Petition
Last verified June 28, 2026
In one sentenceRule 22 starts a civil suit in a district or county court with one act: filing a petition in the clerk's office.
Full Text of Rule 22
A civil suit in the district or county court shall be commenced by a petition filed in the office of the clerk.
End
Plain-English Summary
Rule 22 marks where a Texas civil case begins. A suit in a district or county court is commenced by filing a petition with the clerk. The petition is the plaintiff's first pleading, and filing it sets the case in motion.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you start a civil lawsuit in Texas?
By filing a petition in the clerk's office of the district or county court, as Rule 22 provides.
What is a petition under Rule 22?
The document that opens a lawsuit. Filing this petition with the clerk of the district or county court is the act that commences the suit.
Does Rule 22 cover courts other than district and county court?
No. Rule 22 addresses suits commenced in the district or county court. Other courts, such as justice courts, follow their own rules for how a case begins.
Source & verification. Rule text and the official Notes and Comments are reproduced verbatim from the
Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (Tex. R. Civ. P. 22), 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: commenced by petitionhow to start a lawsuitfiling a petitionoriginal petitionTRCP 22