Tex. Codes » Property Code · TITLE 5. EXEMPT PROPERTY AND LIENS · SUBTITLE B. LIENS · CHAPTER 53. MECHANIC'S, CONTRACTOR'S, OR MATERIALMAN'S LIEN
Texas Codes

Tex. Prop. Code § 53.160 (2026)

Summary Motion To Remove Invalid Or Unenforceable Lien

✓ current as of May 2026
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Sec. 53.160. SUMMARY MOTION TO REMOVE INVALID OR UNENFORCEABLE LIEN. (a) In a suit brought to foreclose a lien or to declare a claim or lien invalid or unenforceable, a party objecting to the validity or enforceability of the claim or lien may file a motion to remove the claim or lien. The motion must be verified and state the legal and factual basis for objecting to the validity or enforceability of the claim or lien. The motion may be accompanied by supporting affidavits.

(b) The grounds for objecting to the validity or enforceability of the claim or lien for purposes of the motion are limited to the following:

(1) notice of claim was not timely furnished to the owner or original contractor as required by Section 53.056 or 53.057;

(2) an affidavit claiming a lien failed to comply with Section 53.054 or was not filed as required by Section 53.052;

(3) notice of the filed affidavit was not furnished to the owner or original contractor as required by Section 53.055;

(4) the deadlines for perfecting a lien claim for retainage under this chapter have expired and the owner complied with the requirements of Section 53.101 and paid the retainage and all other funds owed to the original contractor before:

(A) the claimant perfected the lien claim; and

(B) the owner received a notice of the claim as required by this chapter;

(5) all funds subject to the notice of a claim to the owner and a notice regarding the retainage have been deposited in the registry of the court and the owner has no additional liability to the claimant;

(6) when the lien affidavit was filed on homestead property:

(A) no contract was executed or filed as required by Section 53.254;

(B) the affidavit claiming a lien failed to contain the notice as required by Section 53.254; or

(C) the notice of the claim failed to include the statement required by Section 53.254; and

(7) the claimant executed a valid and enforceable waiver or release of the claim or lien claimed in the affidavit.

(c) The claimant is not required to file a response. The claimant and any other party that has appeared in the proceeding must be notified by at least 30 days before the date of the hearing on the motion. A motion may not be heard before the 30th day after the date the claimant answers or appears in the proceeding. The claimant must be allowed expedited discovery regarding information relevant to the issues listed under Subsection (b).

(d) At the hearing on the motion, the burden is on:

(1) the claimant to prove that the notice of claim and affidavit of lien were furnished to the owner and original contractor as required by this chapter; and

(2) the movant to establish that the lien should be removed for any other ground authorized by this section.

(e) The court shall promptly determine a motion to remove a claim or lien under this section. If the court determines that the movant is not entitled to remove the lien, the court shall enter an order denying the motion. If the court determines that the movant is entitled to remove the lien, the court shall enter an order removing the lien claimed in the lien affidavit. A party to the proceeding may not file an interlocutory appeal from the court's order.

(f) Any admissible evidence offered at the hearing may be admitted in the trial of the case. The court's order under Subsection (e) is not admissible as evidence in determining the validity and enforceability of the claim or lien.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 526, Sec. 17, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Amended by:

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 499 (H.B. 1390), Sec. 8, eff. September 1, 2011.

Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 690 (H.B. 2237), Sec. 24, eff. January 1, 2022.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 41 cases (11 in the last 5 years), 2001–2025 · leading case: In re M & O Homebuilders, Inc., 516 S.W.3d 101 (Tex. App. 2017).
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In re M & O Homebuilders, Inc., 516 S.W.3d 101 (Tex. App. 2017). · cites it 4× “See Tex. Prop. Code Ann. § 53.160 (authorizing the filing of a "summary motion” to remove invalid or unenforceable lien); Tex.”
Ready Cable, Inc. v. RJP S. Comfort Homes, Inc., 295 S.W.3d 763 (Tex. App. 2009). · cites it 8× “See Tex. Prop. Code Ann. § 53.160 (a) (West 2007) ("The [summary] motion must .”
in Re Paul & Cynthia Elizondo & Eagle Fabricators, Inc., 544 S.W.3d 824 (Tex. 2018). “See TEX. PROP. CODE § 53.160(e). The trouble is that the title and the finality phrase admit of only one construction: the order (correctly) removes a lien and (incorrectly) disposes of Elizondo's other claims.”
R.M. Dudley Constr. Co. v. Dawson, 258 S.W.3d 694 (Tex. App. 2008). “1 See Tex. PROP.Code AnN. §§ 53.160, 53.254 (Vernon 2007).”
Okorafor v. Uncle Sam & Assocs., Inc., 295 S.W.3d 27 (Tex. App. 2009). “Among other grounds, Uncle Sam challenged whether Elizabeth had complied with the formal and substantive requirements of section 53.”
Dalton Contractors, Inc. v. Bryan Autumn Woods, Ltd., 60 S.W.3d 351 (Tex. App. 2001). · cites it 2× “See Tex. Prop.Code Ann. § 53.160(a) (Vernon Supp.”
Addison Urban Dev. Partners, LLC v. Alan Ritchey Materials Co., LC, 437 S.W.3d 597 (Tex. App. 2014). · cites it 2× “” - Tex. Prop. Code Ann. § 53.160 (b). *610 Thus, the statute expressly provides authority for the trial court to hear a summary motion to remove a lien that is based on any one of the grounds set out in subsection (b).”
In Re Purported Liens or Claims Against Samshi Homes, L.L.C., 321 S.W.3d 665 (Tex. App. 2010). “Tex. Prop.Code § 53.160(b)(2). It is further important to realize that in addition to differences in scope, there are significant procedural differences between Government Code section 51.”
Truss World, Inc. v. ERJS, INC., 284 S.W.3d 393 (Tex. App. 2009). “See Tex. Prop.Code Ann. § 53.160 (Vernon 2007).”
Morrell Masonry Supply, Inc. v. Lupe's Shenandoah Reserve, LLC, 363 S.W.3d 901 (Tex. App. 2012). “See Tex. Prop.Code Ann. § 53.160 (West Supp. 2011).”
David Lynn v. Ronald Ferguson (Tex. App. 2022). · cites it 4× “Per Curiam Memorandum Opinion MEMORANDUM OPINION Appellant David Lynn, appearing pro se, attempts to appeal from (1) the trial court’s order granting Appellee Ronald Ferguson’s summary motion to remove lien pursuant to Texas Property Code Section 53.160 and (2) the trial court’s…”
Jesus Ibarra v. Peggy Nicholes, Lesa Nicholes & Salon N v. & Day Spa, Inc. (Tex. App. 2007). · cites it 6× “Ibarra contends that the Salon, as a lessee, lacked standing to file an application under Texas Property Code section 53.160 for a summary disposition of the liens on the fee estate of the Landlord.”
Show all 41 citing cases →
— Tex. Prop. Code § 53.160(a) — 4 cases
Ready Cable, Inc. v. RJP S. Comfort Homes, Inc., 295 S.W.3d 763 (Tex. App. 2009). “See Tex. Prop. Code Ann. § 53.160 (a) (West 2007) ("The [summary] motion must .”
Dalton Contractors, Inc. v. Bryan Autumn Woods, Ltd., 60 S.W.3d 351 (Tex. App. 2001). “See Tex. Prop.Code Ann. § 53.160(a) (Vernon Supp.”
Addison Urban Dev. Partners, LLC v. Alan Ritchey Materials Co., LC, 437 S.W.3d 597 (Tex. App. 2014). “” - Tex. Prop. Code Ann. § 53.160 (b). *610 Thus, the statute expressly provides authority for the trial court to hear a summary motion to remove a lien that is based on any one of the grounds set out in subsection (b).”
in Re Make Ready Contractors, Inc., Relator (Tex. 2015).
— Tex. Prop. Code § 53.160(b) — 2 cases
Liverman, Roger (Tex. App. 2015).
Liverman, Aaron (Tex. 2015).
— Tex. Prop. Code § 53.160(b)(2) — 4 cases
Ready Cable, Inc. v. RJP S. Comfort Homes, Inc., 295 S.W.3d 763 (Tex. App. 2009). “See Tex. Prop. Code Ann. § 53.160 (a) (West 2007) ("The [summary] motion must .”
In Re Purported Liens or Claims Against Samshi Homes, L.L.C., 321 S.W.3d 665 (Tex. App. 2010). “Tex. Prop.Code § 53.160(b)(2). It is further important to realize that in addition to differences in scope, there are significant procedural differences between Government Code section 51.”
in Re Make Ready Contractors, Inc., Relator (Tex. 2015).
Samshi Homes, LLC v. Jesse Deleon (Tex. App. 2010).
— Tex. Prop. Code § 53.160(b)(5) — 1 case
SCIVIC Eng'g Am., Inc. v. Spark Power Corp. (W.D. Tex. 2022).
— Tex. Prop. Code § 53.160(c) — 3 cases
In re M & O Homebuilders, Inc., 516 S.W.3d 101 (Tex. App. 2017). “See Tex. Prop. Code Ann. § 53.160 (authorizing the filing of a "summary motion” to remove invalid or unenforceable lien); Tex.”
in Re J & S Utils., LLC (Tex. App. 2020).
in Re Make Ready Contractors, Inc., Relator (Tex. 2015).
— Tex. Prop. Code § 53.160(d) — 1 case
Ready Cable, Inc. v. RJP S. Comfort Homes, Inc., 295 S.W.3d 763 (Tex. App. 2009). “See Tex. Prop. Code Ann. § 53.160 (a) (West 2007) ("The [summary] motion must .”
— Tex. Prop. Code § 53.160(e) — 9 cases
in Re Paul & Cynthia Elizondo & Eagle Fabricators, Inc., 544 S.W.3d 824 (Tex. 2018). “See TEX. PROP. CODE § 53.160(e). The trouble is that the title and the finality phrase admit of only one construction: the order (correctly) removes a lien and (incorrectly) disposes of Elizondo's other claims.”
Dalton Contractors, Inc. v. Bryan Autumn Woods, Ltd., 60 S.W.3d 351 (Tex. App. 2001). “See Tex. Prop.Code Ann. § 53.160(a) (Vernon Supp.”
in Re J & S Utils., LLC (Tex. App. 2020).
David Lynn v. Ronald Ferguson (Tex. App. 2022). “Per Curiam Memorandum Opinion MEMORANDUM OPINION Appellant David Lynn, appearing pro se, attempts to appeal from (1) the trial court’s order granting Appellee Ronald Ferguson’s summary motion to remove lien pursuant to Texas Property Code Section 53.160 and (2) the trial court’s…”
Texas Rock Solid Bldg. Servs., LLC v. Robert Pounds & Camille Pounds (Tex. App. 2024).
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