Rule 272.Requisites

Last amended January 1, 1988 · Last verified June 28, 2026

In one sentenceRule 272 requires the charge to be written, signed, and shown to the parties for objections, which must be made in writing or dictated to the reporter before the charge is read — or they are waived.

Full Text of Rule 272

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The charge shall be in writing, signed by the court, and filed with the clerk, and shall be a part of the record of the cause. It shall be submitted to the respective parties or their attorneys for their inspection, and a reasonable time given them in which to examine and present objections thereto outside the presence of the jury, which objections shall in every instance be presented to the court in writing, or be dictated to the court reporter in the presence of the court and opposing counsel, before the charge is read to the jury. All objections not so presented shall be considered as waived. The court shall announce its rulings thereon before reading the charge to the jury and shall endorse the rulings on the objections if written or dictate same to the court reporter in the presence of counsel. Objections to the charge and the court's rulings thereon may be included as a part of any transcript or statement of facts on appeal and, when so included in either, shall constitute a sufficient bill of exception to the rulings of the court thereon. It shall be presumed, unless otherwise noted in the record, that the party making such objections presented the same at the proper time and excepted to the ruling thereon.

End

Plain-English Summary

Rule 272 fixes the mechanics of the charge and the deadline for objecting to it. The charge must be in writing, signed by the court, and filed as part of the record. It is submitted to the parties for inspection, with a reasonable time to examine it and present objections outside the jury's presence.

The preservation rule is strict: objections must be presented in writing, or dictated to the court reporter in the presence of the court and opposing counsel, before the charge is read to the jury. All objections not so presented are considered waived. The court announces its rulings before reading the charge, and the objections and rulings serve as a sufficient bill of exception on appeal.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you object to a jury charge in Texas?

Under Rule 272, in writing or dictated to the court reporter in the presence of the court and opposing counsel, before the charge is read to the jury.

What happens if you do not object to the charge before it is read?

The objection is waived. Rule 272 provides that all objections not presented in the required way before the charge is read are considered waived.

Source & verification. Rule text and the official Notes and Comments are reproduced verbatim from the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (Tex. R. Civ. P. 272), 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: requisites of the chargecharge objectionsobjections waivedTRCP 272