Find Divorce Records in Laredo
Laredo divorce records are filed and maintained by the Webb County District Clerk, which serves as the official custodian of all district court case files in the county. Whether you need to look up a case, get a certified copy of a Final Decree of Divorce, or confirm that a divorce was granted, you contact the District Clerk's office. Laredo is both the county seat and the largest city in Webb County. Under Texas law, divorce records stay at the county level and are never transferred to city offices, so the District Clerk in Laredo is your one and only point of contact for these records.
Laredo Overview
Webb County District Clerk in Laredo
The Webb County District Clerk is the office that handles all Laredo divorce records. This is a constitutional office in Texas responsible for maintaining all district court records, including family law cases, civil cases, and felony criminal cases. The District Clerk is located in Laredo, which is the county seat of Webb County. All divorce filings made by Laredo residents go to this office, and all completed decrees are kept there permanently.
Webb County is on the Texas-Mexico border, and Laredo is one of the largest inland ports of entry in the United States. The Webb County District Clerk's office serves a large and diverse population, and it handles divorce records for the entire county. If you are unsure which court your case was assigned to, the District Clerk can look it up by party name or cause number.
| Office | Webb County District Clerk |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Laredo, TX |
| County Website | webbcountytx.gov |
| Record Type | District Court (divorce, family law, civil, felony) |
The Webb County government website at webbcountytx.gov is the starting point for finding current contact information for the District Clerk. Because Webb County's website was not fully accessible during research, you should go directly to the county site for the latest phone number, hours, and mailing address. The District Clerk can be reached by visiting the courthouse in Laredo in person.
The Webb County government website at webbcountytx.gov is the official source for finding contact information for the Webb County District Clerk and other county offices.
Webb County serves as the county-level authority for all Laredo divorce cases. The District Clerk page on the county site provides current contact details and record request procedures.
How to Find Laredo Divorce Records
To search divorce records for Laredo cases, you contact the Webb County District Clerk directly. You can request records in person at the courthouse or by mail. Bring the full names of both parties, the approximate year of divorce, and the case number if you have it. If you only have a name and rough time frame, the clerk's office can search the index and locate the case file.
The statewide re:SearchTX portal covers district court records from many Texas counties. Check whether Webb County is included in the system by searching at re.search.txcourts.gov. If it is, you can look up basic case info like party names, cause numbers, and case status without going to the courthouse first.
For older divorces or cases not in an online system, an in-person visit is the most reliable way to find the record. Courts are required to keep divorce decrees permanently under the retention schedules set by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission at tsl.texas.gov. That means records going back decades should still be available at the clerk's office or in archived storage.
The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section at dshs.texas.gov/vital-statistics maintains a statewide divorce index from 1968 to present. You can request a verification letter confirming a divorce was granted in Texas, along with the county, date, and names of both parties. The letter costs $20 and can be ordered through VitalChek at vitalchek.com. This is not the full decree but works for many legal and administrative purposes.
Filing for Divorce in Laredo
Laredo residents file for divorce at Webb County District Court, following the rules in Texas Family Code Chapter 6. Each document filed in your case becomes a permanent part of the court record maintained by the Webb County District Clerk. The process is the same as in any other Texas county, though local court procedures and schedules may vary.
You must meet the residency requirement before filing. Under Texas Family Code § 6.301, at least one spouse must have lived in Texas for six months and in Webb County for at least 90 days before the case is filed. If you or your spouse recently relocated to Laredo from another state, you may need to wait before the court has jurisdiction over your case.
Texas allows divorce without proving fault. The no-fault ground under Texas Family Code § 6.001 is insupportability, which means the marriage has broken down due to conflict or discord to the point where reconciliation is not reasonably possible. This is the most common ground used across Texas, including in Laredo. Fault grounds are also available under state law, including cruelty, adultery, felony conviction, abandonment, living apart for three years, and confinement in a mental hospital.
The case starts with the filing of an Original Petition for Divorce. The other spouse is served with the petition and a citation. If both agree on all terms, an agreed decree can be submitted without a trial. If there are disputes, the case may go through mediation or a full hearing before the judge signs the Final Decree of Divorce. Texas law requires a 60-day waiting period between the date of filing and the date the divorce can be made final.
Because Webb County serves a heavily bilingual population, many court resources and forms may be available in Spanish as well as English. Ask the District Clerk about Spanish-language resources when you visit the courthouse.
Divorce Fees in Laredo
Webb County divorce filing fees follow Texas state law and are set by the District Clerk. Standard fees run around $300 to $350 for a divorce without children, with higher fees for cases that include minor children. Contact the Webb County District Clerk directly for the current fee schedule, since fees can change and the exact amounts vary by county.
You should also budget for record copy fees after the case is final. Certified copies of the divorce decree cost $1 per page plus a $5 certification fee. Non-certified copies cost $1 per page. A search fee of $5 applies if you do not have a case number. Process server fees for serving the other party typically run from $75 to $125.
If you cannot afford the filing fee, you can request a waiver by filing a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 145. This form asks you to show your income, assets, and expenses. If you receive public benefits or your income is below 125% of the federal poverty level, you likely qualify for a full or partial fee waiver. Forms are available at the courthouse and on the Texas Courts website at txcourts.gov.
Legal Help for Laredo Divorce Cases
If you need legal help with a divorce in Laredo, several resources are available. Lone Star Legal Aid serves the Laredo area and provides free or low-cost legal help to people who qualify based on income. Visit lonestarlegal.org to check eligibility and learn what family law services they provide. You can also call their main line to start the intake process.
The State Bar of Texas operates a lawyer referral service at (800) 252-9690. You can also use their online directory at texasbar.com to find licensed family law attorneys in Webb County. TexasLawHelp at texaslawhelp.org has step-by-step self-help guides and all official court forms. Many guides are available in Spanish, which is helpful in the Laredo area where most residents speak Spanish as a first language.
All official Texas divorce forms are available free at txcourts.gov/rules-forms/forms. These are the Supreme Court approved forms used statewide and include petitions, citations, waiver of service, financial disclosures, and final decrees. The Texas eFile self-help portal at selfhelp.efiletexas.gov lets you file documents electronically without an attorney if the court accepts e-filings for your case type.
Note: Laredo is in a federal judicial district as well, but federal courts do not handle divorce cases. All divorce proceedings in Laredo go through Webb County District Court.Webb County Divorce Records
Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, and all divorce filings for city residents are processed by Webb County District Court. The District Clerk maintains all case files and issues certified copies of divorce decrees. For full county-level details on court locations, search tools, and record request procedures, visit the Webb County divorce records page.