INFORMATION FOR ATTORNEYS 

As you are already aware, there appears to be 254 ways of doing business in clerk’s offices around the state, one for each county.  We would like to make your contact with the Wichita County District Clerks as pleasant  (and painless) as possible. 

The following information is provided to assist attorneys who may not have filed cases in the District Clerks office in Wichita County previously.  

 JURISDICTION

New civil cases filed in Wichita County will be assigned to a court based upon the requirement of the Local Rules of Court.  The local rules require the clerk to assign cases based upon a random draw from among the three District Courts and the two County Courts at Law.

In order to exclude your new case from being placed in a County Court at Law, your pleading or your cover letter must state that the amount in controversy exceeds the maximum jurisdiction of a County Court at Law. That amount being $100,000.00 if the amount of recovery sought is less than $5,000.00 your suit should so state because that is the minimum jurisdiction of a County Court at Law.

 COURT COSTS 

Court Cost in Texas are fees of office of the officeholder.  Whether a case is filed in a District Court or a County Court at Law, the court cost remains the same since suits filed in either court are filed with the District Clerk.  

RETURN COPIES OF PLEADINGS 

Copies of pleadings will not be returned to the filing party unless a self-addressed, stamped envelope is provided.

DISCOVERY DOCUMENTS 

It is suggested the rules governing the filing of discovery documents found in the Texas Rules of Court be followed, however, we will not refuse to file such documents should they be presented to us for filing. 

RETURN OF SERVICE PAPERS 

When a citation, notice of hearing, writ or other service return is made, the District Clerks office will mail a courtesy notice to the attorney of record stating what that return of service reflects. 

SETTING HEARINGS 

Each court in Wichita County keeps its own calendar.  Contact the appropriate court to set a hearing. 

  COURT ORDERS THAT ORDER THE CLERK TO DO SOMETHING 

If you present an order to the court that orders the clerk to perform some function, please bring it to the clerk’s attention at the time of filing the order.  We will file about 100,000 pages of court orders each year and we simply do not have the time or staff to read all of them. 

CERTIFIED MAIL SERVICE 

Service by certified mail is a premium service.  In addition to the fees to issue service, the clerk is authorized to collect the same fee that the Sheriff or constable would charge to serve papers if that service is done by certified mail.  The clerk is also authorized to collect the postage cost for certified mail.

If you have any questions that the District Clerks office can help you with, please conctact us.  We will be glad to help you.