Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure

An appeal begins
with careful reading.

A guided route into the official TRAP rulebook. Follow the subjects below and read the full provisions alongside their comments.

TRAP 33 / Preservation

Preserving a complaint

Find the requirements for presenting a complaint to the trial court and showing preservation in the record.

TRAP 25–26 / Notice & timing

Locate the provisions on notice of appeal and timing. Identify the applicable kind of appeal before reading a deadline.

TRAP 34–35 / The appellate record

Explore the clerk’s record, reporter’s record, and provisions governing preparation and filing.

TRAP 38 / Briefing

Compare the required parts of an appellant’s brief, an appellee’s brief, and a reply.

TRAP 52 / Original proceedings

Read the requirements for original proceedings, including petitions, responses, the record, and appendices.

TRAP 53 / Supreme Court review

Explore the petition for review, response, and reply in the Supreme Court of Texas.