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District Clerk
Brenda Peterson
District Clerk

Staff:
Terri Quisenberry
Michelle Fouse

1700 Wilbarger Street Room 33
Vernon, TX 76384

Phone: (940) 553-3411
Fax: (940) 553-2316
  • The Clerk of the Court

    The duties of the District Clerk are to serve in a ministerial capacity for the court. The District Clerk is the custodian of all court documents that are a part of any case and is responsible for the security of the records. Additionally, the District Clerk is responsible for docketing, indexing and recording, collecting fees, fines and court costs and managing all funds held in litigation; and performs such other duties as are imposed by statute or rule. The District Clerk is often present in the courtroom to file documents, take and administer oaths of defendants, witnesses and jurors and assist the Judge in the management of the docket. The duties of the District Clerk are extensive and interface with each phase of the judicial process.

    Custodian of the Record

    The District Clerk maintains the official court record and receives for filing all documents in the felony criminal, family, juvenile, delinquent tax and the greater value civil court cases.

    After a court case is filed, the District Clerk may be requested by an attorney or directed by court order to issue certain documents. Some of the documents issued may include a citation to notify a party that a case was filed, a capias to have someone arrested, a protective order to keep someone from harm, a writ to garnish wages or a bank account, an order to sell property or an execution to have someone put to death.

    The District Clerk performs duties from the time a case is filed through disposition, appeal and ancillary proceedings that may occur for many, many years after judgment.

    According to statutory requirements, the District Clerk gathers data and reports to many State and local agencies. This extensive reporting assists the County, the State and the Texas Legislature to determine the proper operation of the courts, the effectiveness of the statutes and the need for changes.

    Records Management

    The District Clerk is responsible for managing the records so they are easily retrieved for court use and public information. Records in the Wilbarger County District Clerk's office date back to 1848. As custodian of these permanent records, the Clerk must assure that they are preserved and archived. Microfilming has secured this process along with saving money and reducing storage problems.

    Financial Officer

    As a financial officer, the District Clerk collects court costs and fines set by statute which are deposited in the general fund of the County. Other fees are collected and allocated to the State for the benefit of over 10 State agencies. All court ordered child support is received and disbursed through the District Clerk's office. 

    During litigation, money or other valuable items may be placed in the registry of the court with the District Clerk. The District Clerk is often ordered to invest the money in interest bearing accounts for minor children until they reach their majority or until final judgment. The District Clerk administers numerous accounts totaling millions of dollars.

    Jury Manager

    The District Clerk is the officer of the Court in charge of the jury selection process for Wilbarger County. Jurors are randomly selected by the County computer system from a source consisting of the current voter registration lists from all the precincts in the county and residents of the county that are holders of a valid Texas drivers license or a valid personal identification card or certificate issued by the Department of Public Safety.
For Texas Court Help: Click here to go to the Texas Court Help official website.