{"data":{"id":"us-tx/tex.-civil-practice-and-remedies-code-42.001","jurisdiction":"us-tx","citation":"Tex. Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 42.001","heading":"DEFINITIONS.","body":"In this chapter:\n(1) \"Claim\" means a request, including a counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party claim, to recover monetary damages.\n(2) \"Claimant\" means a person making a claim.\n(3) \"Defendant\" means a person from whom a claimant seeks recovery on a claim, including a counterdefendant, cross-defendant, or third-party defendant.\n(4) \"Governmental unit\" means the state, a unit of state government, or a political subdivision of this state.\n(5) \"Litigation costs\" means money actually spent and obligations actually incurred that are directly related to the action in which a settlement offer is made. The term includes:\n(A) court costs;\n(B) reasonable deposition costs;\n(C) reasonable fees for not more than two testifying expert witnesses; and\n(D) reasonable attorney's fees.\n(6) \"Settlement offer\" means an offer to settle or compromise a claim made in compliance with Section 42.003.\nAdded by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 204, Sec. 2.01, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.\nAmended by:\nActs 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 274), Sec. 4.01, eff. September 1, 2011.","path":["CIVIL PRACTICE AND REMEDIES CODE","TITLE 2. TRIAL, JUDGMENT, AND APPEAL","SUBTITLE C. JUDGMENTS","CHAPTER 42. SETTLEMENT"],"source_url":"https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CP/htm/CP.42.htm#42.001","current_through":"89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T01:47:00Z","sha256":"ad2f111938340ad97cd25c9608bf798d7a7677b4a30a56ecbca33d7a8b2d9941","source_id":"us-tx","stale":false,"prev":"us-tx/tex.-civil-practice-and-remedies-code-41.014","next":"us-tx/tex.-civil-practice-and-remedies-code-42.002"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}