The documents you use in your eviction trial will make a HUGE difference. Use Texas eviction forms that are thorough and professional, your tenant has little chance of beating you at trial. Use poorly drafted forms, your tenant’s mere presence at trial is enough to derail your case.

And this is especially true if your tenant blind-sides you by showing up with a legal aid attorney.

Select he red button below that best meets your needs.  The “Non-Payment” button is only for landlords who have a written lease agreement AND the tenant has stopped paying rent.  The “Terms” button is for an eviction on terms.  This is an eviction for something other than non-payment of rent.  Select this form if you have a written lease and you are evicting for something other than non-payment of rent, OR if you have no lease agreement.  This packet is useful if you are evicting family members and former romantic partners.  Select the “Both” button if you have a written lease agreement, your tenant has stopped paying rent, AND your tenant has violated non-payment terms of your lease agreement.

Original Pleadings

If you haven’t yet filed any eviction documents with your court, check out our Original (as in “first time”) filings here:

Amended Pleadings

Have you already filed low quality, high-risk eviction documents? Not a problem! Assuming you have more than three days before your eviction trial, you can update your filings with one of our Amended pleadings packets here:

The Problem with “Free” Internet Eviction Trial Forms

You no doubt have some sense that using those free docs found on the internet is very risky. You never know what you’re going to get. Our firm has had to represent clients who used Arizona lease agreements on a Texas rental property. Still shaking our heads over that one….

If a lease from another state can burn you, what do you think using court pleadings from another state will do to your case? This sort of thing is like filling up your car’s gas tank with kerosene. “Why won’t my car go? It looked like fuel. It smelled like fuel….”

By using “free” online documents, you never know what you’re going get. For all you know, those forms could have been drafted for a state other than Texas. Even if they say “Texas” on them, you have no way of knowing whether they were copied from a set of Minnesota forms. Chances are a Minnesota eviction petition won’t get you very far.

And free online forms drafted by some would-be lawyer on his mom’s basement computer will almost always get you in trouble. They’re the riskiest forms you can use.

And Court-Provided Texas Eviction Forms Aren’t Much Better

I know – you’re probably thinking, “I’m totally safe! I used the forms the Court gave me!”

Not so fast there, Tex….

Unfortunately, the court-provided Texas eviction forms are rarely much better. While Texas courts are well-intentioned by providing these documents, they almost always provide you the bare minimum. If your tenant no-shows at trial, you might be OK.

Court-provided Texas eviction forms are primarily designed to make the Judge happy. They include the information the Judge wants to see in the order the Judge wants to see it. Court-provided forms will almost never include language that gives the Judge no legal basis to rule against you.

You need Texas eviction forms that will serve your interests, not the Court’s.

Original Pleadings

If you haven’t yet filed any eviction documents with your court, check out our Original (as in “first time”) filings here:

Amended Pleadings

Have you already filed low-quality, high-risk eviction documents? Not a problem! Assuming you have more than three days before your eviction trial, you can update your filings with one of our Amended pleadings packets here:

Bad Texas Eviction Forms – It’s a Trap….

Let’s look at some of the TRAPS these abismal, need-to-be-shot-in-the-head eviction forms create for you:

  • TRAP # 1: The tenant shows up to court with his unpaid rent. If you don’t have language in your petition that allows you to proceed even when this happens, you’re done!
  • TRAP #2: On an eviction on terms you neglect to include the citations necessary to pin down your tenant. The Judge won’t let you stand there to “figure it out” in front of a courtroom full of people. You’re done!
  • TRAP #3: Texas law requires all eviction lawsuits to be sworn to. Neglect doing this properly… yep – you guessed it! You’re done!
  • TRAP #4: Signing that Affidavit of Non-Military Service without proof your tenant IS NOT in the military. Do this, and you’re done in a completely difference sense of the word. Falsifying an affidavit is perjury. Don’t risk jail time over a dead-beat tenant!
  • TRAP #5: Entering into a settlement agreement that you can’t enforce. Our firm has picked up cases after other, well-seasoned attorneys have made this mistake. And often, the only fix is re-starting the eviction.
    You can wipe out THE greatest risk you are presently facing in your eviction trial: those horrible forms….

Original Pleadings

Amended Pleadings

Eviction Forms for Pro Se (DIY) Landlords

Girling Law’s Texas eviction forms are PERFECT for the Texas landlord who wants to self-represent. Check out some of the great benefits you’ll enjoy:

  • DETAILED instructions. 7 pages of step-by-step directions on how to complete, file, and serve your tenant. Our attorney-authored instructions will help you understand each phase of the eviction process and will ensure you comply with your Rule 21a service requirements. Don’t know what that is? No worries – it’s all explained in our instructions. Best of all – we had some of our non-attorney employees read these instructions before we went to print. That way “normal human beings” (i.e. non-attorneys) can understand them!
  • PROFESSIONAL looking pleadings. Our pleadings are customized. They don’t just look exactly like the forms real Texas eviction attorneys use. They are the exact same forms Girling Law’s attorneys use. The only blanks you will be filling in are signature lines.
  • THOROUGH pleadings. Our Texas attorney-authored pleadings are crafted to avoid the traps our law firm has identified from years of eviction litigation. We’ve ensured you will have the content and instructions you need to avoid all the traps we identified above, plus numerous others not listed.
  • GUARANTEED value. In some cases, our clients realize they’re in over their head. How does this sound? If you find you need to cry Uncle and hire our firm to represent you, we will give you a dollar-for-dollar credit towards your legal representation. You’ll be in the same place as if you had hired us from the start (Note: this guarantee applies only to matters in Dallas, Tarrant, Denton, Collin, Travis, and surrounding counties).

The Abomination Known as Online Form Companies

In case you’re wondering, those big-time legal forms companies won’t help you. You know the ones I’m talking about….  What are their names? Legal Doom? Pocket Lawyer? Something like that….

They’ll provide you notices to vacate or maybe some next-to-useless “eviction worksheet.” They’ll even give these docs to you for free. If you become a member of their little club….

The idea, of course, is that you’ll forget to cancel that membership and they’ll get to hammer you with several monthly payments….

Don’t mess with a company that pulls that kind of stuff on people.

Well, there’s that and the fact their forms are junk. (OK – that was a cheap shot, but I couldn’t help myself!)

There are no memberships with Girling Law. We don’t do nonsense like that.  Girling Law makes plenty of money providing Texas landlords high-quality, high-value real estate legal services.  We don’t have to resort to tricks and gimmicks to make money.

With Girling Law, you pay a one-time fee and you’re done. Better than that, you’re always welcome to reach out to us if you find you still need help.

Stop waiting! Let’s get your eviction started or back on the rails (if you’ve gotten off to a bad start). Let’s SIGNIFICANTLY reduce the risk you face as a Texas landlord. Order your forms now.

After selecting the forms packet that best fits your needs, we’ll immediately deliver your customized documents to your email address.

Original Pleadings

Amended Pleadings