Respondent Served and Answered: the Bill of Review Is Now Contested, Trial Holds for October 19, 2026

Last updated: August 26, 2026

Published: August 26, 2026  |  Category: Case Update

Tags: Bill of Review, 311th District Court, service of process, answer filed, due process

What Changed Since the Last Update

The July 20, 2026 update reported that citation had been requested and that service by constable was expected. That step is now complete, and the case has moved past it.

Service of the First Amended Bill of Review was accomplished by personal delivery on August 4, 2026. The Constable's Return records a single attempt and a single service. The return was filed with the District Clerk on August 11, 2026.

The significance is procedural rather than dramatic. For more than six months this proceeding had not been served, and the Scheduling Order signed July 20, 2026 carries a Notice of Intent to Dismiss for want of prosecution if, by the trial date, there is no service, no answer on file, and no waiver. Service and an answer both being on file removes that particular risk.

The Case Is Now Contested

The responding party's Original Answer, filed August 11, 2026, enters a general denial — the standard response that puts every allegation in issue and requires the petitioning parent to prove his case. It also objects to the assignment of the matter to an associate judge for a trial on the merits or a jury trial.

That is an ordinary and expected filing. It is noted here because this site's earlier descriptions of the case were written when no answer was on file, and a reader who last looked in July would otherwise carry the wrong picture: this is no longer a proceeding waiting to be served. It is a contested case with a trial date.

No court has made any finding on the merits of the Bill of Review. A general denial is not evidence of anything, and nothing in this update should be read as a ruling. The responding party denies the allegations.

The Trial Date

Trial remains set for October 19, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. in the 311th Judicial District Court of Harris County. This is the setting made by the Scheduling Order signed July 20, 2026. The earlier July 20, 2026 setting was reset because it was not reached on the docket.

Discovery

Written discovery was served on the responding party on August 24, 2026.

Consistent with this site's existing practice, the contents of the discovery requests are not published here, and neither are the identities of any non-party recipients of subpoenas.

Every Fact Above, With Its Source

Each statement in this update traces to a filed instrument. All are public court records in Cause No. 202592876, available through the Harris County District Clerk.

Previous Case Updates

Each update is preserved at its own permanent address so the procedural history stays intact and citable. The most recent update is always available at safesapcrtx.org/case-update.

• July 20, 2026 — Amended Bill of Review filed, ex parte motion withdrawn, trial reset to October 19
• June 22, 2026 — Court notified of case misclassification; ex parte withdrawal and trial reset requested

This update describes filings and procedural events in pending litigation, and party names have been omitted. All referenced documents are public court records available through the Harris County District Clerk. The statements summarized above are allegations contained in filed pleadings. They are contested, no findings have been entered, and nothing here should be read as established fact. This is not legal advice.