Sec. 55.029.  APPEAL.  (a)  Any petitioner or any landowner in the district aggrieved by the order of the commissioners court may appeal the order to the district court.  Notice of appeal must be filed with the commissioners court at the time of the hearing, and an appeal bond must be filed with the county clerk within 10 days after the day notice of appeal is given.  At the time notice of appeal is given, the commissioners court shall fix the amount of the appeal bond at not less than $2,000 nor more than $5,000;  and the bond shall be made payable to the county judge for the benefit of adverse parties.
(b)  Except as otherwise provided by this section, the appeal shall be tried de novo under the rules prescribed for practice in the district court and shall be de novo.
(c)  The county clerk shall transfer to the district clerk the judgment and all records filed in the commissioners court within 10 days after the day the appeal bond is filed, and no other pleadings need be filed.
(d)  The final judgment on appeal shall be certified to the commissioners court for its action within 10 days after the day the judgment becomes final.
Acts 1971, 62nd Leg., p. 430, ch. 58, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1971.