Lubbock County District Clerk Records

About the Lubbock County District Clerk

The Lubbock County District Clerk is Sara L. Smith. The office cites Texas Constitution Article V, Section 9 as its basis. That section sets a district clerk in each Texas county and a four-year elected term. The clerk is custodian of all pleadings and papers filed in civil and criminal causes in the courts she serves.

The duties go well past filing. The District Clerk indexes court files, secures the record, takes filing fees, holds funds in litigation, and holds money awarded to minors. The office is also the county jury manager. That means jury summonses, jury parking, and jury check-in all flow through the District Clerk side of the courthouse.

Sara L. Smith heads a team split across many small divisions. Each division has its own phone line. The counter, the archives, and the eFiling desk are the lines most public users need. The office shares the same building with the County Clerk, the courts, the jury room, and court administration. The address card below gives the front-door details.

The District Clerk page on the county site lists the courts served and notes the 2026 e-record change at the top of the page.

Visit the official Lubbock County District Clerk page for the full office overview, court list, and contact tree.

The page also includes the jury-scam warning. The county will not call or text to demand a fine for missing jury duty.

Courts Served by the Lubbock County District Clerk

The District Clerk serves the six district courts that sit in Lubbock. The same office also supports the three County Courts at Law for listed clerk functions, even though those courts have their own bench. The clerk's docket coverage is the reason that civil, family, and felony files all route to this office.

The current list of courts and presiding judges, as posted by the District Clerk:

• 72nd Judicial District Court, Judge John C. Grace.
• 99th Judicial District Court, Judge Phillip Hays.
• 137th Judicial District Court, Judge John J. McClendon III.
• 140th Judicial District Court, Judge Douglas H. Freitag.
• 237th Judicial District Court, Judge Les Hatch.
• 364th Judicial District Court, Judge William R. Eichman II.
• County Court at Law #1, Judge Mark J. Hocker.
• County Court at Law #2, Judge Tom W. Brummett.
• County Court at Law #3, Judge Benjamin Webb.

The six district courts hold general jurisdiction. They take civil, family, and felony work. The three County Courts at Law cover lower civil dollar suits, misdemeanor cases, and many family and probate matters. The County Court at Law support is partial, which is why some County Court at Law files route to the County Clerk instead.

For docket data, hearing settings, and court contact info, see the district court page on this site.

What the Lubbock County District Clerk Does

The District Clerk holds a long list of duties under Texas law and local court rules. Most fall into one of five buckets. The list below shows the day-to-day work the office handles.

• Custody of court pleadings and papers in civil, family, and felony causes.
• Indexing and secure storage of court records and exhibits.
• Collection of filing fees and court costs.
• Funds in litigation, registry deposits, and money awarded to minors.
• County jury manager: summons, juror parking, and pool intake.
• Process issuance, citations, and writs.
• Child support records and Title IV-D tracking.
• Expunction filings and processing.
• Passport acceptance at the counter.
• Archives and certified copy fulfillment.

The job mixes courtroom support with cashiering, records work, and public service at the counter. For broader public records that sit outside the courts, see the public records guide.

Lubbock County District Clerk Divisions and Phones

The District Clerk runs a deep division tree. Each division has its own direct line. Call the division that handles your case type. The list below is the office directory.

Note: the Lubbock County District Clerk shares 806-775-1314 across child support, passports, and tax intake, so identify your matter at the start of the call.

The official division page also shows the e-filing FAQ for civil, family, and criminal filers.

See the District Clerk eFiling and FAQ page for the full division detail.

The FAQ page is the source for case-number rules and many of the fees and filing rules listed lower on this page.

Lubbock County District Clerk Case Number Formats

The District Clerk uses set case-number formats by case type. The current formats use hyphens and apply to cases filed on or after August 2021. Older cases use a no-hyphen format.

Use the right format when you search the portal or call a division. The wrong format is a common reason a case will not pull.

• Civil: DC-YYYY-CV-XXXX. The last block is a four-digit sequence.
• Family: DC-YYYY-FM-XXXX. Same four-digit pattern.
• Felony criminal: DC-YYYY-CR-XXXX.
• Criminal magistrate: PFF-YYYY-MAG-XXXX. The full string is fourteen letters and digits and is tied to the defendant.
• Pre-August 2021 cases: older formats like 2015123456 or 2015123456A, with no hyphens.

If a search does not return your case, try the older format first. Then call the right e-filing line. The District Clerk eFiling support phone is 806-775-1577, and the criminal eFiling line is 806-775-1578. Family law users should also check the marriage and divorce records page for divorce case routing.

Lubbock County District Clerk Contact Card

The contact card below brings the key facts into one block. Use the address for mail. Use the counter for walk-in filings. Use the archives line for older records.

The January 1, 2026 E-Retention Change

Since January 1, 2026, the Lubbock County District Clerk keeps all new filings in electronic form only. The change is authorized by Texas Local Government Code Section 205.002. Attorneys already e-file, so the daily flow does not change for them.

Self-represented litigants can still file in person at the counter. The clerk file-stamps the paper, scans it into the electronic case file, and then securely shreds the paper. The official record is the scan, not the paper.

Note: bring extra copies only if you need a file-stamped paper back for your own records, since the office no longer retains the paper version of any new filing.

The office also runs a jury-scam alert on the same page. Lubbock County will not call or text and demand a fine to clear a missed jury date. Any such call is a scam. Real jury contact comes by mail.

eFileTexas and re:SearchTX at the Lubbock County District Clerk

Texas runs a state-level eFiling system. The Lubbock County District Clerk plugs into it. Two state platforms work together for filing and case access. The first is eFileTexas, the filing front door. The second is re:SearchTX, the case and document notice system.

Mandatory civil and family eFiling for attorneys began July 1, 2014. Criminal eFiling was permissive from April 1, 2017, then made mandatory January 1, 2018. The District Clerk no longer e-serves orders and notices to attorneys one by one. Lawyers must register with re:SearchTX and rely on case notices under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21(f)(10).

Filing rules to know:

• Each document needing a file mark uploads as a separate lead document. The District Clerk opted out of the attachment feature.
• Service request and civil process forms upload as a lead document. Use "Application" for a new case and "Request" for a later filing.
• Ex parte, in camera, and sealed documents must not be e-filed. File those over the counter or by mail.
• Sealed envelopes must be marked "THIS ENVELOPE CONTAINS CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS COVERED BY A PROTECTIVE ORDER OF THE COURT AND IS SUBMITTED UNDER SEAL PURSUANT TO THAT PROTECTIVE ORDER."

Open the official Texas eFiling system to set up an attorney or self-represented account.

The eFileTexas portal handles new filings, fees, and service. It is not a public record-search tool.

Use re:SearchTX for the case and document side that ties to eFileTexas.

Access in re:SearchTX depends on user role. Attorneys see filed pleadings tied to their cases. Public users see less. The Lubbock County court records page covers local portal access in more detail.

Online Access to Lubbock County District Clerk Records

The county runs a free Public Access portal for District Clerk and County Clerk case information. Justice of the Peace records are not yet in the portal. The county says JP records will be added as the system grows.

Registered users see the case index, general case details, parties, attorneys, and scheduling. Standard public users do not see document images. For an image, use a courthouse public terminal at 904 Broadway, or ask the District Clerk Archives.

Sign in to the Lubbock County Public Access portal to begin a record search.

Create a free account and validate your email within three days. Then you can search by case number or party name.

Lubbock County District Clerk Records Request Fields

The District Clerk processes copy requests by mail, by email, and at the counter. The fields below match what staff need to pull a file fast.

Send mailed requests with a self-addressed stamped envelope. Email the archives at dcarchives@lubbockcounty.gov to confirm fees before you send payment.

Lubbock County District Clerk Fee Schedule

The District Clerk charges fees for copies and for service work tied to a case. The two confirmed fees from the office FAQ sit at the top. The rest are set by the office and the state fee bill. Confirm any current amount with the office before you send payment.

The District Clerk service copy fee applies to each document attached to a process packet unless the filer clearly supplies a service copy. For criminal fee questions, use the criminal counter line.

How to Request a Certified Copy from the Lubbock County District Clerk

A certified copy is a copy with a clerk stamp and signature. It is what a court, an agency, or a foreign office accepts as a true copy of the file. The steps below walk through the standard process.

1. Find your case number. Use the Public Access portal, your prior paperwork, or call the right division line.
2. List the documents you need by name. Decree, judgment, order, petition, or other.
3. Pick up or download the District Clerk request form, or write your request with the fields above.
4. Note that the archives certified copy is $1.00 per page after the five business-day turn.
5. Send the request and payment to the Archives at 904 Broadway, Room 105, or email dcarchives@lubbockcounty.gov first to confirm cost.
6. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want the copy mailed back.
7. For walk-in service, bring the case number and a photo ID to the counter at Room 105.
8. Wait five business days, then pick up the copy or watch the mail.

For family files, the same steps apply. Divorce decree copies route through the District Clerk archives. The marriage and divorce records page covers the divorce side in more depth.

Sealed and Restricted Filings

Some files do not go to the e-system. Sealed documents must be filed over the counter or by mail. The envelope must carry the protective order legend, in caps, on the outside. The clerk will not accept a sealed item by e-file.

Adoption files are confidential under Texas Family Code Chapter 162. Some family files have protective order content. Criminal files may include sealed plea or grand jury items. Ask the clerk before you submit if you are not sure how to file.

For arrest, indictment, and felony case lookups tied to the District Clerk, see the arrest records page on this site.

Lubbock County Clerk vs Lubbock County District Clerk

The two clerks split the work. The District Clerk handles district court files, family law, and felony cases. The County Clerk handles county-level civil, county-level criminal, probate, real property, marriage, assumed names, brands, and UCC filings.

If your matter is a misdemeanor case, a probate case, a real property deed, or a marriage license, you want the County Clerk. If it is a felony, a divorce, a district civil suit, or a child support file, you want the District Clerk.

Related Lubbock County Resources

For the court side of the file, see district court. For broader records, see court records. For probate matters that route to the County Clerk, see probate records. For the other split-clerk page, see County Clerk.