What the Constable Does in a Fort Bend County Eviction

A constable is the county law enforcement officer who works with the Justice of the Peace court. Fort Bend County has four constable offices, one for each precinct. In an eviction, a constable's deputies serve you with the citation telling you about the hearing, and, much later, may carry out a writ of possession if the landlord wins and the writ is issued.

Serving the citation. A deputy tries to hand the papers to you or to someone at home who is old enough to receive them. If those tries do not work, the court can allow another method, such as delivery to the home plus mail. The rules for this changed in 2026, so read what you received and note the date and how you got it. That date matters for your timeline.

A writ of possession. A writ is the court order that lets a constable make you leave. It cannot be issued right after judgment. The Texas rule says no sooner than the 6th day after judgment, and not before an appeal deadline passes. Constable offices have said the move-out usually happens some days after they receive the writ, but timing varies.

Which constable? In general it is the constable for the precinct where the rental is. Your court page on NeighborSTAND lists that office's address and phone. The county's fee schedule shows the constable charges the landlord for serving the citation and for the writ, so you are not charged by the constable.

What to do.

Never ignore a citation. Log the date you were served. If a writ is posted, call legal aid right away and plan your move-out steps in the app.

Every eviction case is different, so it's always a good idea to confirm the details with a qualified legal advocate before making any decisions. NeighborSTAND's Resources page lists legal aid for Fort Bend County.