You must ask for a jury trial no later than 14 days before the hearing date, or convince the judge that you had a good reason for not doing so. In justice court, the tenant is not required to file a written answer.They are allowed to do so if they disagree with the claims in the suit. It will be similar to a trial with a judge, however, juries can feel sympathy for a person and can make a ruling that goes against you. He could do this on a bar napkin, if he chooses. 1) Fill out an Original Petition (click to see). To obtain a jury trial, tenants must make a request no later than 14 days before the original trial date. A written demand for a jury must be filed no later than 14 days before the date a case is set for trial, no later than 3 days for Eviction cases. The Justice of the Peace must collect fees for the filing of a petition in the Justice Court. Consequences if you do not fill it out to the best of your ability.