Where your case goes
Local trial court. Houston appellate court.
An ordinary appeal from a Fort Bend family case generally goes to the First or Fourteenth Court of Appeals in Houston. You do not choose between them.
- 01
Fort Bend trial court
Identify the signed order and the court that issued it.
- 02
Trial-court clerk
The notice of appeal is filed with the trial-court clerk, who assigns the appeal under the local rules.
- 03
First or Fourteenth
The assigned appellate court reviews the record and the legal issues raised.
Assignment is ordinarily random. A related appeal or original proceeding can control which court receives the case, so bring any earlier appellate case numbers. Read the shared assignment rule.
Identify the clock
The kind of order determines the deadline
The date you received a mailed copy is not necessarily the date the appeal clock began. Start with the signed order and every postjudgment filing.
| Type of appeal | General deadline | What changes the analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary civil appeal | 30 days after the judgment is signed | The order must be appealable. Special procedures and exceptions can change the deadline. |
| Ordinary appeal with a qualifying filing | 90 days after the judgment is signed | A timely qualifying postjudgment motion or a qualifying request for findings is required; not every filing extends time. |
| Accelerated appeal | 20 days after the judgment or order is signed | Postjudgment motions do not extend this deadline. Certain family cases, including parental-termination appeals, use accelerated deadlines. |
These are common starting points, not a deadline calculation for your case. See the current appellate rules and our full Texas appeals deadline guide.
Build the case file
Copies and the appellate record are different
Your signed order and case papers help with an initial review. An appeal also requires the appropriate official record, with separate requests and payment arrangements.
| What you need | Where to start | What the request does |
|---|---|---|
| Copies for your review | District Clerk Copy Request form | Provides requested documents from the case file. Ordering copies alone does not order an appellate record. |
| Appellate clerk’s record | Clerk assigned to your trial court | Confirm preparation and payment arrangements. Designate additional items in writing when needed. Appellate rules provide an appendix alternative in qualifying civil appeals. |
| Reporter’s record | Reporter or recorder responsible for the proceeding | Request the proceedings and exhibits in writing by the applicable appeal deadline; file a copy of the request with the trial-court clerk and arrange payment or establish inability to pay. |
Start with your cause number, court number, signed order, and hearing dates. Court contact details are in the directory above. The record requirements are in TRAP 34–35.
While review is pending
Filing an appeal does not automatically pause the order
Keep following the current order unless a court grants appropriate relief. Ask specifically whether a stay or other temporary relief is available.
Custody and child support
Keep following the current order.
An appeal alone does not suspend these orders. Relief requires a court order; posting a bond does not itself pause custody. Family Code § 109.002(c); TRAP 24.2(a)(4).
State-brought termination
The termination order cannot be suspended.
The suspension exception does not apply to termination in a suit brought by the state or an authorized political subdivision. Family Code §§ 109.001(d), 109.002(c).
Sources: Family Code §§ 109.001(d), 109.002(c) and TRAP 24.2(a)(4). For other kinds of orders, see the statewide guide to stays pending appeal.
Your next step
Prepare for an appellate consultation
The first review needs the order, the procedural history, and the dates. Gather what you have; do not delay seeking advice while you wait for a complete file.
The order
Signed judgment or order, cause number, court number, and any associate-judge report or proposed order.
The dates
When the ruling was announced, signed, and received; include notices and email delivery dates.
The filings
Postjudgment motions, requests for findings, notices of appeal, and prior appellate case numbers.
The hearing record
Hearing dates, reporter details, available transcripts, and the specific rulings you want reviewed.
The appellate consultation is $350. Representation, court fees, and record costs are separate. Booking a consultation does not file an appeal or extend a deadline.
Fort Bend appeals: common questions
Does a Fort Bend family-law appeal stay in Fort Bend County?
Can I choose the First or Fourteenth Court of Appeals?
Is the 501st included in the Fort Bend family courts?
Does ordering copies mean I have ordered the appellate record?
Does an appeal pause custody or child support?
What should I bring to the $350 appellate consultation?
Official references
Sources behind this guide
Court contacts and procedures can change. Check the official source and the orders in your own case before filing.
- Fort Bend District Courts — Court pages, contact details, and local procedures.
- 2026 family-court standing order — The 328th, 387th, 501st, and 505th District Courts.
- District Clerk directory — Court-specific case-file contacts.
- District Clerk Copy Request form — Ordinary document copies; revised March 16, 2026.
- First and Fourteenth Courts: Local Rule 1 — Assignment and related-case requirements.
- Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure — Deadlines, stays, and the appellate record; as amended February 6, 2026.
- Texas Family Code, Chapter 201 — Associate judges and de novo review.
- Texas Family Code, Chapter 109 — Appeals and orders pending appeal.
Sources checked September 11, 2026. This guide provides general information; the correct remedy and deadline depend on your case.