December Highlights part 2
(Details in table below)
This last release of 2025 coincides with the January 1 effective dates for new rules and legislation.
This release includes significant updates to the Landlord Tenant forms library. SB38 amended the Texas Property Code, including a repeal of several provisions in section 24. In conjunction, the Texas Supreme Court issued Misc. Docket No. 25-9096 with changes to TRCP 500-507 and a complete rewrite of Rule 510.
These changes required updates throughout the Landlord Tenant volume, and we used this opportunity to further refine the forms and address several subscriber-requested improvements.
What’s new in this release for Landlord Tenant:
- A new intake to assemble (online version coming soon!)
- Petitions for RE&D and Evictions conform with new rules and statutes, have improved wording and more options
- New separate Notice to Pay Rent or Vacate
- Improvements to Notice to Vacate including new options for delivery
- New Motion and Order for Summary Disposition
- Improvements and updates to forms after an appeal is filed
- Reorganization of volume, including moving forms for a tenant client to a separate chapter 8
- New handy forms to have at your fingertips:
- Landlord’s Floodplain and Flood Notice (TREC 54-1)
- Justice Court Civil Case Information Sheet
- Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs
View below to see a complete list of updates:
| Menu | Title | Details |
| 0.01 | Landlord Tenant Intake | New intake |
| 3.13 | Landlord's Floodplain Notice | New form |
| 4.03 | Notice of Lockout (commercial tenancy) | Added form help and added "(commercial tenancy)" to title in Table of Contents. |
| 4.04 | Notice to Vacate | Standardized options for method of delivery of the Notice to Vacate |
| 4.05 | Notice to Pay Rent or Vacate | New Form |
| 4.13 | Affidavit of Attorney's Fees | Added attorney's country in the Unsworn Declaration so that it doesn't need to be typed in. |
| 4.20 | Justice Court Civil Case Information Sheet | New Form |
| 6.01 | Original Petition - FE&D | New pathways for eviction suits filed on or after Janaury 1, 2026, per SB38 and Misc. Docket No. 25-9096, including an option for a motion for summary disposition. Improved wording and assembly. |
| 6.02 | Motion for Summary Disposition | New form for eviction suits filed on or after January 1, 2026, per SB38 and Misc. Docket No. 25-9096. |
| 6.03 | Petition for Eviction | Standardized options for method of delivery of the Notice to Vacate |
| 6.03 | Petition for Eviction | New pathway for eviction suits filed on or after January 1, 2026, per SB38 and Misc. Docket No. 25-9096. Improved wording and assembly. |
| 6.06 | Motion for No-Answer Default Judgment (cases filed before Jan. 1, 2026) | Updated form to better track Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and added option to include a reference to a claim for unpaid rent. |
| 6.07 | Motion for Default Judgment | New form for eviction suits filed on or after January 1, 2026, per SB38 and Misc. Docket No. 25-9096. |
| 6.08 | Affidavit in Support of Default Judgment | Standardized options for method of delivery of the Notice to Vacate |
| 6.08 | Affidavit in Support of Default Judgment | Updated to allow option for a notice to vacate or a notice to pay rent or vacate. |
| 6.09 | Default Final Judgment (possession only) | New pathway for eviction suits filed on or after January 1, 2026, per SB38 and Misc. Docket No. 25-9096. Improved wording and assembly. |
| 6.10 | Final Judgment After Default (with rent) | New pathway for eviction suits filed on or after January 1, 2026, per SB38 and Misc. Docket No. 25-9096. Improved wording and assembly. |
| 6.12 | Order on Motion for Summary Disposition | New form for eviction suits filed on or after January 1, 2026, per SB38 and Misc. Docket No. 25-9096. |
| 7.01 | Motion to Withdraw Funds From the Court Registry | New pathway for eviction suits filed on or after January 1, 2026, per SB38 and Misc. Docket No. 25-9096. Improved wording and assembly, including an option that appeal made by filing a bond or making a cash deposit, is addition to filing a statement of inability to afford costs. |
| 7.02 | Order on Motion to Withdraw Funds | New pathway for eviction suits filed on or after January 1, 2026, per SB38 and Misc. Docket No. 25-9096. Improved wording and assembly, including making reference to a waiver of a 30 day waiting period optional. |
| 7.04 | Notice of Default and Motion for Possession | New pathway for eviction suits filed on or after January 1, 2026, per SB38 and Misc. Docket No. 25-9096. Improved wording and assembly. |
| 7.05 | Order on Notice of Default and Motion for Possession | New pathway for eviction suits filed on or after January 1, 2026, per SB38 and Misc. Docket No. 25-9096. Improved wording and assembly. |
| 8.01 | Petition for Ex Parte Writ of Restoration of Utility Service | Added a code for tenant's country in the unsworn declaration so it doesn't need to be typed in as part of tenant's line style address and added a form help. |
| 8.02 | Defendant's Answer | Changed name from FE&D Answer and moved to new Tenant forms chapter. Improvements to wording, coding, and assembly. |
| 8.03 | Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs | New form |
| 8.06 | Cash Deposit for Appeal | Improved formatting |
| Volume re-organized and renumbered |