Texas courts
What is the deadline for motion to dismiss a baseless cause of action: time to file?
The period for motion to dismiss a baseless cause of action: time to file normally runs 60 calendar days from service on the movant of the first pleading containing the challenged cause of action, under TRCP 91a.3(a). If the final day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday in the Texas calendar, the computation rule carries it to the next open day.
Calculate my deadline- Period
- 60 calendar days
- Trigger
- Service on the movant of the first pleading containing the challenged cause of action
- Rule
- TRCP 91a.3(a)
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Calculate your deadline
Enter the date of service on the movant of the first pleading containing the challenged cause of action. See the date, cited rule and counting steps.
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Which date starts the 60-day period?
The period runs from the service on the movant of the first pleading containing the challenged cause of action.
Count forward from the trigger event. Confirm the event on the docket or in the service record before entering a date.
Read Texas Judicial Branch rules and standards"filed within 60 days after the first pleading containing the challenged cause of action is served on the movant" (TRCP 91a.3(a))
TRCP 91a.3(a)
This period runs from service as the rule defines it. Do not substitute the filing date, the day a courtesy copy arrived or the day you first read the paper.
Which date do I enter?How are the 60 calendar days counted?
- Exclude the day of the trigger event.
- Count every following day, including intermediate Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays.
- If the last day is a Saturday, Sunday or Texas legal holiday, continue to the next day that is not one of those.
Exclude the trigger day and count calendar days under Tex. R. Civ. P. 4 (Computation of Time).
If the final day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday in the Texas calendar, the computation rule carries it to the next open day.
Texas computes time under Tex. R. Civ. P. 4 (Computation of Time). The applied calendar bundles the state legal holidays for the covered years; court-specific closures and emergency orders are not bundled.
Read Tex. R. Civ. P. 4 (Computation of Time)The calculation gives the ordinary national-rule date. Check relevant holidays, the court’s accessibility and its filing cutoff separately.
Review the filing checklistWhat does a worked calculation look like?
Fictitious example
Assume the service on the movant of the first pleading containing the challenged cause of action on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 (service on the movant of the first pleading containing the challenged cause of action on this date, with no order, motion or extension affecting the period), with no order, motion, extension or local closure affecting the result. Exclude the trigger day and count calendar days under Tex. R. Civ. P. 4 (Computation of Time). The last counted day falls on a weekend or legal holiday, so the deadline moves to the next open day. The example assumes no local rule, order or closure changes the default period.
| Step | What is counted | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Do not count this day | September 1, 2026 |
| Day 1 | Start counting calendar days | September 2, 2026 |
| Day 60 | Last counted day falls on a weekend or legal holiday | October 31, 2026 |
| Adjusted | Next day that is not a weekend or legal holiday | November 2, 2026 |
Can an order, motion or extension change the deadline?
- Extensions
- TRCP 5 lets the court, for cause shown, enlarge the period on application made before it expires, or permit the act after expiry on a showing of good cause; the court may not enlarge any period under the rules relating to new trials except as those rules state.
- Orders and local rules
- A scheduling order, stipulation approved by the court, standing order or local rule can set a different period and controls over the national default.
- TRCP 5 lets the court, for cause shown, enlarge the period on application made before it expires, or permit the act after expiry on a showing of good cause; the court may not enlarge any period under the rules relating to new trials except as those rules state.
- A stipulation, scheduling order, standing order or local rule can set a different period and controls over the national default.
What should I check before filing?
These checks help you review the result. They do not activate a calendar date or certify that the deadline applies.
Common questions
Find answers about when this 60-day period starts, how it is counted, what can change it and how to keep your calculation.
Starting the clock
Does the clock start on the service on the movant of the first pleading containing the challenged cause of action, or when I first learned of it?
The period runs from the service on the movant of the first pleading containing the challenged cause of action as the rule defines it, not from the day you read about it, received a courtesy copy or attended a hearing. Use the date shown on the docket or in the service record.
Counting days and filing
Is it 60 calendar days or business days?
Calendar days. Count intermediate weekends and holidays. If the final day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, Tex. R. Civ. P. 4 (Computation of Time) carries it forward to the next day that is not one of those.
Tex. R. Civ. P. 4 (Computation of Time)Which time zone and filing cutoff apply?
Texas filing rules and the court’s electronic filing system set the cutoff. This calculator does not verify filing hours or system availability.
Tex. R. Civ. P. 4 (Computation of Time)What if the court is inaccessible on the last day?
Tex. R. Civ. P. 4 (Computation of Time) and the court’s administrative orders govern an inaccessible clerk’s office. Check the court’s notices. This calculator does not predict a closure.
Tex. R. Civ. P. 4 (Computation of Time)Extensions and local rules
Can the court extend this deadline?
TRCP 5 lets the court, for cause shown, enlarge the period on application made before it expires, or permit the act after expiry on a showing of good cause; the court may not enlarge any period under the rules relating to new trials except as those rules state. A request does not itself extend the period, and no discretionary extension is calculated here.
Do local rules, standing orders or a scheduling order change the date?
They can. Many courts set their own periods by local rule, standing order or case-specific order, and those control over the national default. This calculator gives the national-rule date only; compare it with any order in the case before relying on it.
Choosing the right calculator
Does this calculator decide whether the rule applies to my case?
No. It calculates a period from the date you provide under the cited rule. It does not decide whether the rule governs your filing, whether an exception applies, or whether the filing has merit. Those questions need separate review.
Can I calculate the deadline without an account?
Yes. Enter the trigger date to see the free national-rule calculation, citation, counting steps and warnings. You can add court context after the result. Missing court review keeps the result provisional.
Results, records and your case
What is included in an Evidence Record?
The retained inputs, result, cited rule, calculation working, warnings and review state. The PDF includes a payload digest and retained-data appendix, and the record can be verified against its fingerprint later. It records the calculation, not a guarantee of legal correctness.
Does saving to a case activate the calendar?
Not automatically. Provisional records remain subject to review. A separately labeled manual date does not alter the original calculation.
Official sources and review
The period and the counting method come from different provisions. The official source is the court’s published rules; the reading links open the rule text at the Legal Information Institute.
| Provision | Purpose |
|---|---|
| TRCP 91a.3(a) | Trigger and period |
| Tex. R. Civ. P. 4 (Computation of Time) | Counting, holidays and the last day |
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Published by Deadline Engine. This tool calculates the ordinary period under the cited rule. It does not decide whether the rule applies, obtain an extension or file anything for you.