The Texas Supreme Court on Monday morning extended its pause on eviction proceedings another 10 days.

Evictions are now halted until April 30; the court's prior order put them on pause until April 20. At the end of the period, the Chief Justice Nathan Hecht can choose to renew the order again.

There is one exception: Landlords may proceed with eviction cases only if the actions of the occupants “pose an imminent threat” of physical harm to the landlord, the landlord’s employees or other tenants, or if the occupants are engaging in criminal activity.

With thousands of Texans losing their jobs as the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down businesses, renters and landlords are both worried about how they’ll make ends meet.

Some cities and counties have opted to ban evictions for even longer than the Texas Supreme Court has ordered. Austin has instituted a 60-day grace period. Earlier this month, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins halted evictions through May 18.

— Sami Sparber

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