Note The library cannot help you fill out forms or determine what form you should use.

About Legal Forms

Official Forms

In general, Texas has very few official legal forms. This is why you will not always find a free fill-in-the-blank form for your situation.

If there is an official form for a legal procedure, it is usually found on the court or court clerk websites. We link to many in this guide.

Templates & Drafting Guides

Everyone's legal situation is different. It is difficult to create standard fill-in-the-blank forms that can work for everyone.

If there are no fill-in-the-blank forms, you may be able to draft your own by using a form template or drafting guide. These are usually created by legal aid and nonprofit groups or private publishers.

Templates and drafting guides often need to be customized for your specific situation. TexasLawHelp.org has an article that explains how you can change existing forms or write your own. If you need help, it's a good idea to ask a lawyer.

Motion for Time Served/Jail Time Credit

Municipal and county justice of the peace courts allow for alternative forms of payment on Class C misdemeanor citations for those who cannot afford to pay their fines. If you were in jail or prison for another offense when the citation was issued, you can request the court use this imprisoned time as a way in which to pay for the fine. This is often referred to as a "motion for time served" or a "motion for jail time credit." Requests are not guaranteed and are at the judge's discretion. It is also important to note that this form of alternative payment may not be accepted by all courts.

There is no standardized form for this type of request. Most courts who accept this form of alternative payment have a request form available on their website. See the link below for a list of the forms we've been able to locate online. Note: This is not a comprehensive list. If your court is not listed below, you will need to contact them for more information.

See a listing of local motion for time served forms.

If there is no form available for your court, see the resource below for a sample letter you can submit to the judge.

Ticket Help Texas - I Want Jail Credit Towards My Fines
Information from the Texas Fair Defense Project and Texas Appleseed on how you can request jail credit for unpaid fines.

Pre-Trial

Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus for Person in Need of Hospitalization But Left in Jail
Ask the court to send the accused person to a mental health hospital after the person has been deemed incompetent to stand trial and a court has ordered for them to be committed to a mental health facility. This form is provided by the Texas Jail Project.

Post-Conviction Appeals

State Forms

Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus from Final Felony Conviction (rev. 2018)
The required application for a person currently incarcerated in TDCJ to file for a writ of habeas corpus under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Article 11.07. This form is also available as a Microsoft Word document.

Federal Forms

Petition Under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
A sample form from the United States Courts website for an incarcerated person petitioning for relief from a state conviction or sentence.
Motion to Vacate, Set Aside, or Correct a Sentence By a Person in Federal Custody
A sample form from the United States Courts website for an incarcerated person petitioning for relief from a federal conviction or sentence.

Clemency & Pardons

Executive Clemency

Clemency is a way in which someone can ask for relief from the burden of their conviction from an executive authority. In Texas, the governor has the authority to grant clemency upon the written recommendation of a majority of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. See this section from the Board of Pardons and Paroles' Parole in Texas publication to learn more.

All of these applications are also available as editable Microsoft Word documents on the Texas Board of Pardon and Paroles website.

Pardons

Full Pardon Application
An application for a form of clemency which restores certain citizenship rights forfeited upon criminal conviction as well as remove barriers to some, but not all, types of employment and professional licensing
Full Pardon Application (Deferred Adjudication, No Other Arrests/Convictions)
An application for those who have completed the term of their deferred adjudication with no other arrests and no other convictions on their record.
Full Pardon Application (Deferred Adjudication wtih Other Arrests but No Convictions)
An application for those who have completed the term of their deferred adjudication with other arrests on their record but no other convictions.
Pardon for Innocence Application
An application for a form of clemency which exonerates a person of the crime and erases the conviction when there is evidence of actual innocence or a court has determined the person is innocent.
Conditional Pardon Application
A form of clemency which serves to release the grantee from the conditions of his or her sentence and/or any disabilities imposed by law thereby, subject to the conditions contained in the clemency proclamation.

Commutation of Sentence

Commutation of Sentence Application
A request to reduce a criminal sentence to a lesser time period. This is often referred to as a "time cut".

Reprieves

Emergency Medical Reprieve Application
A request for a delay or temporary suspension of punishment for offenders who are terminally ill (six months or less to live), totally disabled, or who have been denied Medically Recommended Intensive Supervision (MRIS).
Reprieve for Family Emergency Application
A request for a temporary release from the terms of an imposed sentence for offenders to attend funerals or to visit critically ill relatives.

Remissions

Remission of Bond Forfeiture Application
A form of clemency that would cancel a forfeiture of a bond.
Remission of Fine Application
A form of clemency that would release the grantee from payment of all or a portion of a fine.

Restorations

Restoration of Civil Rights Application (Federal or Military Offense)
A request for restoration of civil rights of certain individuals convicted of a federal or military offense.
Restoration of Civil Rights Application (Federal or Military Offense from a Foreign Country)
A request for restoration of civil rights of certain individuals convicted of a federal or military offense from a foreign country.
Restoration for Firearms Rights Application
This application is intended for use only by persons who have been previously granted a full pardon and wish to apply for a Restoration of Firearm Rights connected to the pardon which has been granted.
Restoration of Driver's License Application
A request to have a driver's license restored by the governor after denial of an application for an occupational driver's or commercial operator's license by the district court having jurisdiction.

Additional Federal Forms

Application to Proceed in District Court Without Prepaying Fees or Costs (Short Form)
Short form from the United States Court website for those who can't afford to pay the court fees associated with their filings.
Application to Proceed in District Court Without Prepaying Fees or Costs (Long Form)
Long form from the United States Court website for those who can't afford to pay the court fees associated with their filings.
Complaint for Violation of Civil Rights (Prisoner)
Form from the United States Courts website for prisoners who wish to file a complaint for civil rights violations under federal law Title 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (state or local officials) or a Bivens claim under 403 U.S. 388 (1971) (federal officials). Available as both a PDF and Word document.
Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus Under 28 U.S.C. § 2241
Form from the United States Courts website for federal prisoners who wish to challenge the way their sentence is being carried out. It can also be used by those who wish to challenge their federal or state custody because of something other than a judgment of conviction including those who believe they are being illegally detained in immigration custody.

E-Books

Many e-books contain forms or drafting guides. To access, first get a free library account online.

View all e-books in our Digital Collection

Our librarians recommend:

Texas criminal practice guide
This six-volume set provides drafting guides for forms used throughout the entire criminal process, from pre-trial to post-conviction proceedings.
Texas criminal forms
This book contains over 550 Texas-specific forms that will take you from start-to-finish through the criminal justice process.
Moore's manual : federal practice forms
This seven-volume set provides drafting guides for forms for use in the federal courts. It covers a variety of situations from initiating a suit all the way to appeals.
Section 1983 litigation: forms
This book provides drafting guides for forms related to Section 1983 litigation.

Other Places to Find Forms

Court Websites

Check your county or municipality's website for any available legal forms. Some county websites or court websites upload commonly used legal forms as a public service.
For example, the Dallas County District Clerk and the Harris County District Clerk provide downloadable legal forms on their websites.
To find court websites and contact information view the Texas judicial directory, search the judicial directory database, or view the interactive map of judicial districts.
The U.S. Courts provide downloadable legal forms on their website for matters in the federal courts.

Books or E-Books from a Law Library

The State Law Library's digital collection has e-books that can be accessed from home. Many of these e-books contain legal forms or drafting guides. To access, first get a free library account online with the Texas State Law Library.
Visit a law library near you to search for books with legal forms and drafting guides.
The State Law Library has books with legal forms and drafting guides to check out at our location in Austin. Search for books in our library catalog or view our list of recommended titles.

An Attorney

An attorney could create a custom form for you. If you are not able to find the legal form you are looking for, one may not exist in a pre-prepared format and you may need to seek help from a lawyer.
To find an attorney, see the resources on our where to go for help page.

Motion for Time Served/Jail Time Credit Forms

Court	Form
City of Allen Municipal Court	Defendant's Request to Consider Time Served
City of Arlington Municipal Court	Credit Time Served Application
City of Austin Municipal Court	Out of Custody Jail Credit Request Form
City of Austin Municipal Court	Formulario para pedir crédito por tiempo cumplido de cárcel después de salir de la cárcel
City of Bay City Municipal Court	Defendant's Request to Consider Time Served
City of Canyon Municipal Court	Credit Time Served Application
City of Celina Municipal Court	Motion for Time Served
Cities of Colleyville/Keller Municipal Court	Defendant's Appearance, Waiver and Motion to Lay Out Fine
Dallas County Justice of the Peace, Pct 2-1	Request for Time Served
City of Dallas Municipal Court	Request Jail Time Served
City of Fate Municipal Court	Request for Time Served
City of Forest Hill Municipal Court	Motion for Credit for Jail Time Served
City of Forney Municipal Court	Motion for Time Served
City of Gainesville Municipal Court	Motion for Credit for Time Served
City of Glenn Heights Municipal Court	Time Served Requests
City of Harlingen Municipal Court	Jail Time Served/Credit Request
City of Houston Municipal Court	Motion for Credit for Time Served
City of Irving Municipal Court	Request for Time Served
Johnson County Justice of the Peace, Pct. 2	Out of Custody Jail Credit Request Form
City of Katy Municipal Court	Defendant's Motion for Credit for Time Served
City of Keene Municipal Court	Request for Time Served
City of Midlothian Municipal Court	Request for Time Served
Montgomery County Justice of the Peace, Pct. 1	Request for Time Served
City of Pottsboro Municipal Court	Request for Time Served
City of Prosper Municipal Court	Time Served Request
City of Roanoke Municipal Court	Request for Court to Consider Time Served
City of Rockport Municipal Court	Time Served Request
City of Sugar Land Municipal Court	Request for Jail Time Credit
City of West Lake Hills Municipal Court	Motion for Credit for Time Served