Welcome to Texas Association of Counties
Home |  Login |  Site Index |  Search  
About Counties
 About Texas Counties
 Texas County Websites
 Texas County Courthouses
 County Government
 County Government Video
 County Official Information
Description of Office:
-County Judge
-County Commissioner
-Attorneys
-Sheriff
-District and County Clerk
-Justice of the Peace
-Constable
-Tax Assessor Collector
-County Treasurer
-County Auditor
Education Requirements by Office
County Official Organization/Assoc
 Related Sites
About CountiesAbout Counties

Description of Office:
District Clerk

District Clerk
District clerks are called on to assure that the affairs of the district courts are maintained objectively with the full confidence of judicial authorities.

The Texas Government Code states the duties and powers of the clerk of the district court: "The clerk of the District Court has custody of and shall carefully maintain and arrange the records relating to or lawfully deposited in the clerk's office." The district clerk shall:

  • Record the acts and proceedings of the district court;
  • Enter all judgments of the court under the direction of the judge;
  • Record all executions issued and the returns issued on the executions;
  • Administer child support payments;
  • Administer trust accounts for minors ordered by the courts;
  • Keep an index of the parties to all suits filed in the court, and make reference to any judgment made in the case; and
  • Keep an account of all funds collected by the office, by way of fines and fees, and the amount due jurors in district court for service.

County Clerk
Without county clerks, many of government's underlying responsibilities would go undone.

The main duties of the county clerk are:

  • Administering all county and state elections, including early voting and primaries, unless the commissioners court has transferred the function to the tax assessor-collector or an office of county election administrator;
  • Serving as clerk of the county court and the commissioners court and keep records of the proceedings;
  • Acting as recorder of deeds and other instruments;
  • Filing and recording birth and death certificates;
  • Recording assumed names, wills and probate;
  • Issuing marriage licenses; and
  • Accounting for all funds paid to the office by way of fines and fees, and the amount owed to county court jurors for service.

In Texas counties with a population of less than 8,000, unless there has been a special election, the county clerk also serves as the district clerk, assuming all constitutional and statutory duties of the district clerk, along with those of county clerk.


Return to TopReturn to Top
Helpful Links
go there

Visit our county listings page to learn about Texas counties.

go there

Need more county data? County Information Project (CIP) has expanded more data on county finances & operations.

Home |  Contact Us |  Site Index |  Privacy Policy |  HIPAA Privacy Policy |  Web Site Compatibility |  © 2003 Texas Association of Counties