The Texas rule stack
Nine layers of authority, resolved in order for a Texas matter. Ranking orders retrieval — it does not decide a conflict; where a lower layer contradicts a higher one, both texts are surfaced for a reasoned disposition.
- 1
1 · Federal constitutional / statutory (when applicable)
Supremacy where a federal question or preemption is genuinely in play.
- 2
2 · Texas Constitution
Art. I (open courts § 13, jury § 15) and Art. V (the judiciary) sit above statute and rule.
- 3
3 · Session law + codified statute
The 89th Legislature (2025) overlay resolves against the codified text; biennial cycle — next session 2027.
- 4
4 · Supreme Court-promulgated statewide rules
TRCP / TRAP / TRE, with explicit supersession orders (the July-2026 TRCP edition is the current one loaded).
- 5
5 · Specialty rules
Justice Court Rules 500–510, Business Court provisions (Gov't ch. 25A) — the forum picks its own regime.
- 6
6 · Administrative rules (TAC)
Agency rules with civil adjudicative or enforcement effect (e.g. SOAH contested cases).
- 7
7 · Local court rules (TOPICS)
Under Rule 10, a local rule must be POSTED on OCA's TOPICS to be effective — the registry is the universe.
- 8
8 · Judge procedures
Court- and judge-specific practices, confidence + last-verified — a real constraint, never flattened into law.
- 9
9 · Case orders + party stipulations
The scheduling order and the parties' agreements where the law permits.