Role of the Bexar County District Clerk
Texas does not run one trial court. It runs several, and it splits the clerk work between two elected offices. The District Clerk is one of those offices. Gloria A. Martinez serves as the current Bexar County District Clerk. Her office is the official custodian of record for civil district court files and for felony criminal court files. That means the office takes in each filing, records it, and preserves the original, whether it arrives on paper or through eFiling.
So what does this clerk not handle? Misdemeanors, probate, marriage, and land records go to the Bexar County Clerk instead. The split confuses a lot of people. A simple rule helps. A felony or a divorce points you here. A will or a marriage license points you to the other office. Both clerks feed cases into the same county portal, yet each holds its own certified files. For a broader view of what each office keeps, the Bexar County court records page lays it out by record type.
Note: The District Clerk keeps felony and civil district files; divorce decrees route here too because divorce is a district court matter.
Bexar County District Clerk Contact
The District Clerk runs civil and criminal counters from the Paul Elizondo Tower in downtown San Antonio. Civil and criminal filing use different phone lines, so dial the one that fits your case. The card below lists the main address and both numbers.
Bexar County District Clerk
Gloria A. Martinez, District Clerk
Paul Elizondo Tower
101 W. Nueva St.
San Antonio, TX 78205
Civil 210-335-2661 / Criminal 210-335-2591
Mon-Fri 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Civil Records can be reached at 210-335-2661. Criminal Filing for felony cases uses 210-335-2591. The office page describes the role and links each service. Records counters keep regular weekday hours and close on county holidays.
Records the Bexar County District Clerk Holds
The files in this office break into two big groups. Civil district records cover lawsuits and family cases. Felony criminal records cover the most serious charges. Each case builds a stack of papers over time. The list below sums up the main record types.
- Civil district records - petitions, answers, motions, orders, and judgments.
- Family records - divorce, custody, support, paternity, and name change.
- Felony criminal records - indictments, pleas, judgments, and sentencing.
- Expunction and nondisclosure - suits to remove or seal qualifying records.
- Civil bills - bill of review, foreign judgment, interpleader, and similar suits.
A civil case file can grow long. It may hold jury settings, notices of appeal, attorney details, and a running docket of events. A felony file tracks the case from the indictment through the bond settings, plea papers, and the final judgment. Some older criminal records route through legacy search steps, but most cases now show in the county portal. For the family side, the marriage and divorce records page walks through divorce filing and fees in more detail.
Bexar County District Clerk in the Texas Court System
It helps to see where the District Clerk sits in the state court map. The Texas Judicial Branch lists seven types of trial courts. District courts are the trial courts of general jurisdiction. In Bexar County they split into civil, criminal, juvenile, and family dockets, and the District Clerk serves all of them. The Texas Judicial Branch posts a plain overview of how these courts fit together.
The screenshot below comes from the Texas Judicial Branch court structure overview.
That page shows the trial, appellate, and high court levels in one place. It frames why a felony or a divorce starts in district court and lands with the District Clerk.
The state also keeps a page just for the trial courts. It explains district courts, county courts, county courts at law, probate, justice, and municipal courts. The screenshot below is the Texas Judicial Branch trial courts page.
Read it to confirm which court level fits your matter. The District Clerk handles the district court tier; the County Courts at Law handle the county tier.
Bexar County District Clerk Fees
The District Clerk sets fees for filings, copies, and certified copies. The amounts below come from the official fee schedule. Filing fees vary by case type. Family cases cost more when children are involved.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Divorce or annulment, no children | $350.00 |
| Divorce or annulment, with children | $401.00 |
| Change of name, minor or adult | $350.00 |
| Expunction suit | $350.00 plus $25.00 per agency |
| Petition for nondisclosure | $350.00 |
| Searching fee | $5.00 |
| Plain copy | $1.00 per page |
| Certified copy | $5.00 per document after copy fee |
| Unsealing a file | $50.00 |
One payment rule trips people up. The District Clerk does not take personal checks. Cash, money orders, cashier's checks, Discover, Visa, and Mastercard are accepted. Business checks are taken only from attorneys, process servers, title companies, and copy-account firms. The full schedule lists more items, such as parent/child suits and emailed copies. The District Clerk fee schedule holds the complete list.
Bexar County District Clerk Request Form Fields
When you ask for a copy, the office needs a few details to pull the right file. The more you give, the faster the search. The table below lists the fields a records request usually asks for and what each one means.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Case Number | Preferred | The fastest way to pull a file; ask the clerk if you do not have it. |
| Party Names | Yes | Enter as Last, First Middle to match the court index. |
| Document Type | Yes | Name the paper you want, such as a divorce decree or judgment. |
| Number of Copies | Yes | Sets the per-page copy fee and any certified copy charge. |
If you lack a case number, a party name and a rough file date often work. The clerk can run a search for a small fee. Certified copies cost more because the clerk stamps each one as true and correct.
How to Request a Certified Copy
A certified copy carries the clerk's seal. Courts, agencies, and the passport office accept it as proof. A plain copy does not work for those uses. The steps below show how to order one from the Bexar County District Clerk.
- Find the case first; use the Bexar County court records portal to confirm the case number and party names.
- Decide which document you need, such as a divorce decree, a judgment, or a felony disposition.
- Call the right counter; civil at 210-335-2661, felony criminal at 210-335-2591.
- Visit the Paul Elizondo Tower counter, or ask the clerk how to request the copy by mail.
- Pay the copy fee plus the certified copy fee; bring cash, a money order, a cashier's check, or a card.
- Collect the certified copy with the clerk's seal, or wait for it to arrive if you ordered by mail.
Plan ahead if a court date is near. A counter visit is fastest. Mail takes longer and depends on the office work load. Keep your receipt in case you need a second copy later.
Other Bexar County District Clerk Tools
Beyond the county portal and the clerk counters, free national tools can help with district court research. CourtListener hosts opinions and dockets from courts across the country. It does not replace certified records from the District Clerk, but it can point you toward case law and related filings.
The screenshot below is the CourtListener home.
Use it for background, then come back to the District Clerk for the official file. For felony charges, the Bexar County criminal records page explains how arrest and court files connect.
Note: Free third-party sites are for reference only; rely on certified records from the District Clerk when accuracy matters.
Restricted District Clerk Records
Not every district court file is open. Texas law shields several types. Juvenile district court cases are confidential. Adoption files are highly restricted. Sealed civil records follow Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 76a, which needs a motion, notice, and a hearing. Expunged records are removed under Chapter 55 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
To view a sealed file, a person usually files a motion in the court that sealed it and shows legal grounds. The clerk cannot waive these rules. The office gives records, not legal advice. If a record looks wrong or missing, call the counter and ask before you act on it.