Rule 291.Form of Verdict
Last amended February 1, 1973 · Last verified June 28, 2026
Full Text of Rule 291
Plain-English Summary
Rule 291 favors substance over form. No special form of verdict is required, and a judgment will not be arrested or reversed for a mere want of form in the verdict if there has been substantial compliance with the requirements of law in rendering it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Texas verdict have to be in a particular form?
No. Rule 291 requires no special form and protects a judgment from reversal for mere want of form when the verdict substantially complies with the law.
Can a Texas verdict be reversed for a technical defect?
No, not on that ground alone. Rule 291 protects a judgment from being arrested or reversed for a mere want of form in the verdict, so long as the jury substantially complied with the law in reaching it.
What matters most when a Texas verdict's form is challenged?
Under Rule 291, the question is whether the verdict substantially complied with the requirements of law, not whether it followed any set form. If it did, a defect in form alone will not undo the judgment.