Tex. Gov't Code § 54A.217 – Appellate Review

(a) A party's failure to request a de novo hearing before the referring court or a party's waiver of the right to request a de novo hearing before the referring court does not deprive the party of the right to appeal to or request other relief from a court of appeals or the supreme court.
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), the date the judge of a referring court signs an order or judgment is the controlling date for the purposes of appeal to or request for other relief from a court of appeals or the supreme court.
(c) The date an order described by Section 54A.209(a)(16) is signed by an associate judge is the controlling date for the purpose of an appeal to, or a request for other relief relating to the order from, a court of appeals or the supreme court.
Transferred, redesignated and amended from Government Code, Subchapter G, Chapter 54 by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3 (H.B. 79), Sec. 6.02, eff. January 1, 2012.