Tex. R. Civ. P. 510.20 (2026)

(a) Preparation and Transmission of Record. Unless otherwise provided by law or these rules, when an appeal has been perfected, the judge must stay all further proceedings on the judgment and the court must forward to the county court, by electronic means or otherwise, not earlier than 4 p.m. on the sixth day or later than 4 p.m. on the 10th day after the date the tenant files the appeal, the transcript and the original papers of the case, together with any money in the court registry. If the court confirms that the tenant has timely paid the initial rent payment into the justice court registry in accordance with Rule 510.19(d)(2)(A), the court may forward the transcript and original papers immediately.

(b) Docketing; Notice. The county clerk must docket the case and must immediately notify the parties of the date of receipt of the transcript and the docket number of the case. If the appellant did not perfect the appeal with a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs, the county clerk must also immediately notify the appellant of the requirement to pay a filing fee or file a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs.

(c) Trial De Novo. The county court shall hold a trial not later than the 21st day after the date the transcript and original papers are delivered to the county court. The case must be tried de novo in the county court. The case must be tried de novo in the county court. A trial de novo is a new trial in which the entire case is presented as if there had been no previous trial. The trial, as well as any hearings and motions, is entitled to precedence in the county court.

(d) Nonlawyer Representation. In an appeal of an eviction suit for nonpayment of rent, an owner of a multifamily residential property may be represented by the owner’s authorized agent, who need not be an attorney.