District Clerk
The Bexar County District Clerk is a central point of contact for records and filings connected with the county’s district courts. The office maintains civil district court records and criminal felony court records, receives and preserves court filings, supports civil, criminal, and juvenile court operations, and provides access to several official search and filing services. This article explains which District Clerk service to use, how online court-record searches work, what to prepare before filing or requesting records, how civil and criminal functions differ, what payment restrictions apply, and which mistakes commonly send users to the wrong office or system.
District Clerk Responsibilities
The Bexar County District Clerk’s Office is an elected county office responsible for court-related records and administrative functions assigned to the district courts. Gloria A. Martinez serves as the Bexar County District Clerk. The office’s work is divided among areas that handle civil matters, felony criminal cases, juvenile matters, records, filings, court dockets, and related administrative services.
For people trying to locate a case or obtain documents, one of the most useful distinctions is the type of court record involved. The District Clerk is the official custodian of records for civil district court cases and criminal felony cases in Bexar County. That includes original records filed with the office as well as documents submitted electronically.
This distinction matters because not every Bexar County court record belongs to the District Clerk. The county’s online systems may provide access to information maintained by both the County Clerk and District Clerk, but users should identify the kind of case they are dealing with before contacting an office, requesting copies, or assuming that a search result represents the official record.
District Court Records
The District Clerk’s official records section provides several ways to locate court information. Available services include civil court record searches, criminal court record searches, an attorney database, online court dockets, the Central Magistrate Search, and access to District Clerk criminal records.
The appropriate search method depends on what information a user has and what kind of case is involved. Civil court records can be searched by name or record number. Criminal court case information is available through the county’s justice information system. Online dockets provide information about civil and criminal matters posted by the District Clerk.
Civil Court Record Searches
The civil record search is intended for district court civil cases. Users can search for records using a name or record number. Civil district court records can include cases involving matters such as divorces, damages claims, personal injury, child support, paternity, name changes, protective orders, certain occupational driver’s license matters, expunctions, and delinquent tax suits when those cases are filed in the district courts.
When searching by name, use identifying information consistently. Similar names can appear in different cases, and the presence of a person’s name in a search result does not by itself establish that a particular document is the record the user needs. A record or case number is generally a stronger identifier when one is already available.
Criminal Court Record Searches
Felony criminal records handled by the District Clerk should not be confused with every criminal record maintained in Bexar County. The District Clerk is responsible for criminal felony court records, while other types of criminal court matters may be maintained elsewhere.
Bexar County has moved several public search functions into its Justice Information Portal. The county states that the portal consolidated the former Court Records Search, Fugitive Search, and Bail Bond Search applications. The portal’s user guide covers access, advanced searching, search results, search references, and hearing searches.
The county also emphasizes that information displayed through the portal is a convenience resource and does not replace official records received directly from county offices and departments. Online information may change and may not always be complete or current. If a user needs an official record for a formal purpose, the District Clerk’s official record or copy service is the more appropriate source.
Online Court Dockets
District Clerk services also include online civil and criminal court dockets. Docket information can help users identify scheduled court activity and review information posted about a case. A docket, however, serves a different purpose from the underlying court record. Someone seeking pleadings, orders, judgments, or certified copies should not treat a docket listing as a substitute for those documents.
Central Magistrate Information
The records section also identifies the Central Magistrate Search as a service for locating individuals who have been arrested within the previous 24 hours. This is different from searching District Clerk felony case records. An arrest search concerns recent arrest information, while a District Clerk criminal court search concerns court cases and records maintained in the district court system.
Civil Filing Services
The District Clerk’s Civil Filing section accepts new suits and subsequent filings for civil cases and certain family-related matters filed in Bexar County District Courts. Its work includes filings involving:
Delinquent tax suits
Divorce cases
Damages claims
Personal injury cases
Child support matters
Paternity cases
Name changes
Protective orders
Occupational driver’s license matters involving a felony case
Expunctions
Civil Filing also issues requested service or process associated with these types of cases. Users should distinguish between filing a document and requesting service. Filing places the document into the court record, while issuance of service or process involves the formal documents needed to provide notice or carry out a court-authorized procedure.
Electronic Filing Requirements
The county states that filings and new civil suits must be filed electronically through a state-approved electronic filing service provider. In-person, over-the-counter filings are accepted only for an emergency situation or from filers who are not represented by an attorney.
This is one of the most important requirements to review before making a trip to a District Clerk counter. An attorney filing an ordinary civil matter should not assume that bringing paper documents to the office is an alternative to electronic filing. Likewise, someone filing without an attorney should make sure the material is directed to the correct district court function and should use the District Clerk’s published requirements rather than assuming that procedures used in another court apply here.
Documents and Filing Forms
The District Clerk maintains an official forms collection covering several civil, criminal, family, service, subpoena, support, and filing-related functions. Available materials include requests for civil and criminal subpoenas, requests for process, civil case information materials, forms involving employer income withholding orders, pro se hearing guidelines, nondisclosure materials, habeas corpus materials, expunction agency information, and documents related to divorce and suits affecting the parent-child relationship.
The forms page also identifies a Civil District Judge’s Standing Order that must be attached to all new petitions for divorce and suits affecting the parent-child relationship. Users filing one of those case types should review the official forms associated with that filing rather than relying on a generic form from another court or county.
Some forms are requests directed to the clerk rather than pleadings for the court. For example, a request for issuance of process or a request for a subpoena serves a different function from a petition, motion, or other pleading. Matching the form to the task helps reduce rejected requests and confusion about what the District Clerk is being asked to do.
Civil Court Operations
The Civil Courts section maintains daily non-jury dockets for civil and family matters. It also supports specialized courts handling particular categories of cases.
The civil court structure includes Child Support Courts presided over by appointed associate judges. According to the county, those courts handle child support cases filed by the Texas Attorney General’s office. The section also describes Child Abuse and Neglect Courts handling matters associated with emergency protection cases and termination and adoption proceedings arising from those cases.
Requesting Court Settings
The method for requesting a hearing depends on the type of setting. The county directs requests for non-jury settings or hearings to the presiding court clerk. Requests for jury settings or hearings go through the jury assignment clerk. Settings involving the Children’s Courts use a separate contact.
This division is useful to understand before contacting the District Clerk about a hearing date. Filing a document does not automatically mean the same clerk or section handles scheduling. Court record maintenance, document filing, issuance, and hearing settings are related functions, but they are not interchangeable.
The county also publishes a Civil Court Schedule. Users reviewing a scheduled matter should make sure they are looking at the appropriate case and court rather than relying solely on a name match.
Felony Criminal Services
The District Clerk’s Criminal Court Division supports the Criminal District Courts, Criminal Law Magistrate Court, and certain specialty courts. Court clerks keep cases updated as proceedings occur, issue warrants and directives to the jail, enter pleadings on active cases, and prepare penitentiary packets after convictions when a defendant is sent to prison.
Criminal Operations Functions
Criminal Operations files felony indictments, issues subpoenas, sets cases for their first settings, and processes criminal appeals and post-conviction writs. The section also conducts felony background checks for Bexar County.
A felony background check costs $5 according to the county’s published Criminal Court information. Requests can be made in person or by mail. A mailed request must include payment.
Felony Record Copies
Copies involving felony matters are requested through the criminal section. The county lists a charge of $1 per page for plain and certified copies. Requests may be made in person, by fax, or by mail, and copies are made only after payment is received.
For mailed felony copy requests, the county identifies cashier’s checks and money orders as acceptable payment methods. This mail-specific requirement should be kept separate from the broader payment methods listed on the District Clerk’s general fee schedule.
Defense attorneys filing documents in an existing criminal case may file those documents directly with the court to which the case is assigned. This is another reason users should determine whether they are dealing with a new filing, an existing case, a records request, or a court-specific filing before choosing a submission method.
Juvenile Court Records
The District Clerk’s Juvenile Section files petitions involving Juvenile Delinquent Conduct and Children in Need of Supervision. It also issues subpoenas, sets juvenile cases for hearings, prepares appeals, files applications to seal juvenile records, and handles applications for restricted access. Staff attend court sessions connected with these matters.
Juvenile records have access restrictions that differ from ordinary public court searches. The county specifically states that information concerning a child’s records and files will not be released over the phone. Disclosure is limited to persons or entities permitted by state statute.
Someone seeking juvenile information should therefore not expect the same search or telephone access that may be available for other case categories. A request involving juvenile records must follow the restrictions applicable to those records.
District Clerk Fees
The District Clerk fee schedule separates charges into categories including new suits, issuance of process, pleadings, miscellaneous services, and passports. Because the amount owed depends on the service requested, users should identify the specific transaction before preparing payment.
Accepted Payment Methods
The District Clerk does not accept personal checks. The general fee information lists the following accepted payment methods:
Cash
Cashier’s checks
Money orders
Discover
Visa
Mastercard
Business checks are accepted only from attorneys, process servers, title companies, and companies that have copy accounts with the District Clerk’s Office. A person who does not fall into one of those categories should not assume that a business check will be accepted.
Payment rules can also vary by transaction method. For example, the criminal section specifies cashier’s checks and money orders for felony copy requests submitted by mail. Users should follow the payment instructions tied to the particular service instead of relying only on the general list of accepted payment types.
Preparing for a Record Request
Before searching for a record or contacting a District Clerk section, gather the identifying information already available. The county’s systems support searches by information such as names and record numbers, and the Justice Information Portal includes advanced search options.
Useful case information can include the correct spelling of the party or defendant’s name, a record or case number if known, and whether the matter is civil, family-related, felony criminal, or juvenile. Identifying the case type first can prevent a user from searching a criminal portal for a civil matter or contacting Civil Records about a felony document request.
Users also should distinguish between a search result and an official document. The county states that online portal information supplements official government records and does not replace them. Someone who needs a certified copy or another official court document should request the document through the applicable District Clerk records section rather than relying on a screen display or portal search result.
Common District Clerk Mistakes
Using the Wrong Clerk
One of the most common sources of confusion is assuming that every county court case is handled by the District Clerk. The District Clerk is the custodian of civil district court records and felony criminal court records. Other court records may be maintained through a different county office. Identifying the court and case type before requesting records helps avoid unnecessary referrals.
Confusing Arrests and Cases
An arrest record search and a felony court case search do not answer the same question. The Central Magistrate Search concerns people arrested within the preceding 24 hours, while District Clerk criminal records concern felony court cases. A recent arrest may therefore require a different search from a request for documents filed in a felony court case.
Relying on Online Results Alone
The Justice Information Portal is designed to make public information easier to access, but the county expressly describes it as a supplement to official records. Information may be incomplete, may change, and should be compared with official county documents when accuracy is required for the user’s purpose.
Bringing Paper Attorney Filings
Civil filings and new suits are generally required to be filed electronically through a state-approved provider. Over-the-counter filings are limited to emergency situations or filers who are not represented by an attorney. An attorney should not assume that an ordinary paper filing can simply be delivered to the counter instead of being electronically filed.
Using an Unsupported Payment Method
Personal checks are not accepted by the District Clerk. Business checks have limited eligibility, and mailed felony copy requests have their own stated payment options. Checking the payment rule associated with the specific transaction can prevent a request from being delayed because payment cannot be accepted.
Asking Staff for Legal Advice
District Clerk employees may explain office procedures and provide access to forms and records, but the county states that employees may not give legal advice. Questions about what document a person should file, what legal position to take, or what legal effect a filing may have go beyond the administrative functions of the clerk’s staff.
Relevant District Clerk Offices
Civil Records
Paul Elizondo Tower
101 W. Nueva St
San Antonio, TX 78205
210-335-2661
Criminal Filing (Felony Cases)
Paul Elizondo Tower
101 W. Nueva St
San Antonio, TX 78205
210-335-2591
District Clerk FAQs
How can I check an attorney’s information for a district court case?
Bexar County provides an Attorney Database that can be searched by an attorney’s name or State Bar number. This can be useful when you need to confirm how an attorney appears in the county’s district court system or when you have a bar number but are unsure of the attorney information associated with it. The database is available through the District Clerk’s official records services. Because names can be similar, using a bar number when available can help narrow the search to the intended attorney.
How does an attorney report vacation or unavailable dates?
Attorneys who need to notify the presiding court of vacation or other unavailable dates under Bexar County Local Rule 10a can use the Attorney Unavailability Form. According to the county, the dates only need to be submitted once. After submission, the information is entered into the attorney database and linked to the attorney’s District Court cases, including both civil and criminal matters. The Civil Courts section provides access to the Attorney Unavailability Form as well as the attorney database where submitted dates can be viewed.
Where can I find reports about court-appointed attorneys, mediators, and guardians?
The District Clerk’s Civil Courts page includes government reports and court-related data concerning appointments in civil matters. Available materials include information reported under Government Code provisions involving attorneys ad litem, guardians ad litem, guardians, mediators, and competency evaluators. The page also links to orders of assignment and Office of Court Administration reports and data organized by case types and dispositions. These materials are more appropriate when researching court appointments or administrative court data than searching individual pleadings in a case.
Where are the local rules for Bexar County district courts?
Local court rules are available through the District Clerk’s Civil Courts information page. Attorneys and self-represented parties should review applicable local rules when a procedure depends on county-specific requirements, particularly for matters such as attorney availability, court administration, or filing practices that may differ from procedures used in another Texas county.