Have you been told to leave your home? Learn about the steps in the eviction process below.
Note: If you are facing eviction and would like to speak to an attorney, you can apply for our free legal help.
Notice to Vacate (Leave):
Your eviction starts when you get a Notice to Vacate (Leave). This notice will be given to you in person or to someone living with you. You’ll also get a Notice of Tenants’ (Renter’s) Rights, which tells you about your rights and where to get help. If you’re not home, they might stick the Notice on your front door.
The notice will explain why you’re being evicted, when you got it, and when you’re supposed to leave – usually within 3 days. But you don’t have to leave by that date. It’s just a way to get you to move out. It’s a good idea to move out before your landlord takes you to court for eviction. If you go to court, it can affect your credit score and rental history in a bad way.
Eviction Hearing:
Even though you don’t have to leave right away after getting the notice, if you stay, the landlord might take you to court. The court hearing usually happens within 6-10 days from when you got the notice. It’s important to show up for this hearing because if you don’t, you’ll automatically lose and it’ll affect your rental history and credit.
If the judge orders you to leave, you’ll have 5 days to find a new place before the landlord can remove your things. If you want to challenge the decision, you have 5 days to start an appeal process, but it can be complicated and might need a lawyer and a deposit.
If your landlord agrees to let you pay late and promises not to evict you, make sure to get it in writing to protect yourself.
If you miss your eviction trial, the landlord automatically wins, and you could be asked to leave in just six days. The sheriff might post a notice on your door, giving you just 24 hours to move out. But don’t worry, you can still ask for a new trial if you had a good reason for missing the first one. You can also stay in your home while you wait for a decision on your appeal, but you’ll still need to pay rent. If you’re low on money, you might be able to appeal without paying the usual fees. There are different ways to appeal, but you have to act fast – you only have five days to do it. Make sure you follow all the rules carefully, or you could lose your chance to appeal.
This video is made to guide you if you’ve been evicted from your home by a court and want to challenge that decision in a higher court. It’s specifically for people who were evicted because they couldn’t pay their rent in Texas.
Lone Star Legal Aid provides free legalassistance to tenants facing eviction.
Lone Star Legal Aid brinda asistencia legalgratis a los inquilino/as que enfrentan eldesalojo.
Lone Star Legal Aid cung cấp hỗ trợ pháp lý miễn phí cho những người thuê nhà phải đối mặt với việc trục xuất.
If you lose your eviction case in justice court, you can use this form to appeal. The statement of inability to afford court costs, it is also a form you file with the court, so that you do not have to pay court fees. This video shows you how to fill out the form.
Facing eviction court might seem scary, but we're here to support you. This form is made to help tenants like you who are dealing with eviction. It gives you a simple way to appeal decisions you don't agree with. The form has clear instructions, so you can make sure your concerns are heard and your rights are protected.
This video will give you instructions on filing your eviction appeal answer.
This video is designed to help you if you've lost an eviction case in Justice Court and want to appeal to County Court. These instructions are for people who were evicted for not paying their rent in Texas.
Defend yourself against eviction, lockout, or utility shut-off