Rule 247.Tried when Set
Last amended April 1, 1984 · Last verified June 28, 2026
Full Text of Rule 247
Plain-English Summary
Rule 247 enforces trial settings. Every suit is tried when it is called, unless it is continued, postponed to a later day, or placed at the end of the docket to be called again in regular order. Once a case has been set on the court's trial docket for a date, it cannot be removed from that setting except by agreement of the parties or for good cause shown on motion with notice to the opposing party.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Texas trial setting be canceled?
Not freely. Under Rule 247, a case set on the trial docket can be taken off that setting only by agreement of the parties or for good cause on motion and notice to the other side.
What happens if a court cannot reach a case on its trial date?
Rule 247 gives the court three options: try the case when called, continue it, or place it at the end of the docket to be called again in its regular order. The docket entry, not a party's schedule, controls what happens next.
Does removing a case from a Texas trial docket require a written motion?
Yes, unless both sides agree. Rule 247 requires a motion and notice to the opposing party before a court takes a case off a trial setting, absent an agreement between the parties.