District Clerk

Responsibilities & Services

The district clerk's office was created by the Texas State Constitution, and its duties revolve mainly around the district and county courts for Brazos County. The district clerk is elected to a four-year term in a countywide election.

The district clerk's office has the responsibility of filing, docketing (assigning the case to a specific court), and keeping all paperwork and documents concerned with felony criminal cases, misdemeanor cases, family cases, juvenile cases, tax cases, and civil cases of more than $500.

The district clerk's office also collects fees, fines, and court costs, and manages all funds held in litigation for these cases. Any actions ordered or taken by the court are to be recorded by the district clerk's office, and the office will issue any documents needed for legal actions (for example: a writ of garnishment of wages or a citation to notify a party that a case was filed).

Government Code Compliance

Government Code Section25.0232 dictates that the district clerk's office shall be the clerk of the district courts and the county courts. Therefore, in Brazos County, all filings and documents for misdemeanor and felony cases are the responsibility of the district clerk's office.

Jury Selection

The District Clerk's office is also responsible for the jury selection processes. In Brazos County, the District Clerk's Office has set up a Jury Services Office to deal with the day-to-day workings of petit jury selection (petit jurors serve in justice of the peace courts, county courts, and district courts).

This includes overseeing the arrangement of a jury, the selection of names for a jury and the payment of jurors. The arrangement, selection and payment of grand juries are still handled within the main part of the district clerk's office (grand juries decide if there is enough evidence for a case to proceed to trial).