What is the
function of the District Clerk's Office?
Every four years the registered voters of Dallas County
may vote to select the individual who will serve as their
District Clerk for the succeeding four years. The District
Clerk is by law the ministerial officer and record keeper
for the Civil, Criminal, and Family District Courts.
There are currently 37 such District Courts and a Tax
Court in Chancery in Dallas County. The District Clerk,
with the assistance of 250 deputies, has custody of all
papers and instruments filed in all lawsuits in these
District Courts. The District Clerk's Office furnishes
each Judge of the named courts with at least two full-time
court deputies.
Maintaining Records
New cases filed in Dallas County District Courts now
exceed 74,000 each year. The District Clerk must maintain
these and prior records as far back as 1846. It is not
unusual for the District Clerk's Office to be required
to locate and furnish copies of District Court records
from 100 years ago.
Collection of Court Costs
The District Clerk is the Custodian of funds deposited
into the Registry of the Court as a result of monies involved
in lawsuits over which the Judges have control by Court
Orders.
This office also collects monies that are classified
as "court costs" for other Dallas County departments.
For example:
- Fees for service of process by the Sheriff Deputies
and Constables,
- Fees for the District Attorney
- Fines levied by the District Courts
- Bond forfeitures.
Processing Passports
The District Clerk's Office also processes passport applications
for citizens who are traveling abroad.
- Over 34,968 passport applications were processed in
Fiscal Year 1998.
- Our satellite offices located in North and East Dallas
in Fiscal Year 1998 took over 16,066 passport pictures.
