Tex. R. Civ. P. 510.11 (2026)

(a) Not Required. The defendant may, but is not required to, file a written answer with the court on or before the day set for trial in the citation.

(b) Service; Contents. If the defendant files a written answer with the court, the defendant must serve a copy of the answer on the plaintiff. The answer must contain:

(1) the name of the defendant; and

(2) the name, address, telephone number, and fax number, if any, of the defendant’s attorney, if applicable, or the address, telephone number, and fax number, if any, of the defendant.

(c) General Denial. An answer that denies all of the plaintiff’s allegations without specifying the reasons is sufficient to constitute an answer or appearance and does not bar the defendant from raising any defense at trial.

(d) Answer Docketed. The defendant’s answer must be noted on the court’s docket.