Find Divorce Records in Bandera County
Bandera County divorce records are held by the District Clerk in Bandera, Texas. If you need to find a divorce case, request a certified copy of a decree, or check a filing in Bandera County, the District Clerk's office is your first stop. Bandera County is in the Texas Hill Country, northwest of San Antonio. The county seat shares the same name as the county. You can reach the District Clerk by phone at (830) 796-4606 or by mail at P.O. Box 2688, Bandera, TX 78003. This page covers what you need to know to search and get Bandera County divorce records.
Bandera County Overview
Bandera County District Clerk
The Bandera County District Clerk's office is in Bandera, the county seat. The mailing address is P.O. Box 2688, Bandera, TX 78003-2688. The main phone number is (830) 796-4606. The District Clerk handles all district court records for the county, including divorce filings, motions, decrees, and any orders entered in family law cases. Staff can search by party name or cause number and make copies of requested documents.
Bandera County observes 12 county holidays each year. Before planning an in-person visit, check the county's holiday schedule at banderacounty.org to make sure the office will be open. The observed holidays include Good Friday, Columbus Day, and the Friday after Thanksgiving, among others. Call (830) 796-4606 to confirm current hours and any specific requirements for records requests before you go.
| Office | Bandera County District Clerk |
|---|---|
| Mailing Address | P.O. Box 2688, Bandera, TX 78003-2688 |
| Physical Address | Bandera County Courthouse, Bandera, TX 78003 |
| Phone | (830) 796-4606 |
| Website | banderacounty.org |
How to Search Bandera County Divorce Records
The statewide re:SearchTX portal covers Bandera County district court cases and lets you search by party name or cause number. This is a good first step for finding a case number before you contact the District Clerk. For certified copies and full case files, you need to go directly to the clerk's office or submit a written request by mail.
In-person requests at the Bandera County Courthouse let you review the full file and get copies the same day. Bring a valid photo ID and any details you have: party names, approximate filing year, or cause number. Staff can pull the file and let you know what documents are available and what the copy cost will be. Certified copies include a $5.00 certification fee on top of the standard per-page copy rate.
Mail requests go to P.O. Box 2688, Bandera, TX 78003-2688. Include full names of both parties, the approximate year the divorce was filed, and any case number you have. Include payment or call (830) 796-4606 first to confirm the amount. Standard Texas copy fees are $1.00 per page and $5.00 per document for certification. Mail requests typically take longer to process than in-person visits.
For a basic divorce confirmation, the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics office at dshs.texas.gov issues verification letters for Texas divorces since 1968. These letters confirm the divorce occurred in Bandera County but do not contain the full decree. They are often used for insurance, immigration, or Social Security purposes. VitalChek at vitalchek.com can also process vital records orders online.
The Bandera County District Clerk page at banderacounty.org provides contact information, holiday schedules, and office details for requesting Bandera County divorce records.
Check the county holiday schedule on this page before visiting, since Bandera County observes 12 holidays per year and the clerk's office may be closed on days that are open in other counties.
Bandera County Divorce Filing Process
Divorce filings in Bandera County follow Texas state law. Under Texas Family Code § 6.301, one spouse must have lived in Texas for six months and in Bandera County for at least 90 days before filing. If you meet those requirements, you file the Original Petition for Divorce at the District Clerk's office in Bandera. You will also need to file BVS Form 165 with the petition as required by state law. Get your forms in advance from TexasLawHelp.org or txcourts.gov.
The no-fault ground of insupportability under Texas Family Code § 6.001 is the most common choice. You state that the marriage has broken down and cannot be saved, without blaming the other spouse for any specific misconduct. Fault-based grounds like cruelty, adultery, abandonment, and felony conviction remain available but require more evidence and are used less often in Bandera County cases.
After filing, a mandatory 60-day waiting period begins under Texas Family Code § 6.702. The judge cannot sign the final divorce decree until those 60 days have passed. In Bandera County, uncontested cases often wrap up quickly once the waiting period ends. Contested cases may require mediation or a full hearing before the judge. Property division follows Texas Family Code Chapter 7. Community property is divided in a just and right manner. Separate property stays with the spouse who owns it.
Bandera County is part of the San Antonio metro area's outer ring and sees a fair number of divorce cases from residents who have moved to the Hill Country. The county's court system is smaller than Bexar County's, which can mean faster processing for agreed divorces. If children are involved, child support and custody terms are included in the final decree under Texas Family Code Chapter 153.
What Bandera County Divorce Records Contain
Bandera County divorce records are the official court files held at the District Clerk's office. Each file begins with the Original Petition for Divorce and ends with the Final Decree signed by the judge. In between, the record may include the respondent's answer, service papers, temporary orders, financial disclosures, and any agreements the parties reached. The Final Decree is the document that legally ends the marriage and contains all binding terms.
Most people requesting a Bandera County divorce record are looking for the Final Decree. It lists property division, debt allocation, custody arrangements, a possession schedule, child support, and any spousal maintenance. Certified copies of the decree are needed for name changes, pension orders, Social Security updates, and financial account changes. The clerk issues certified copies with a $5.00 certification stamp added to the per-page copy fee.
Bandera County divorce records typically show: full names of both parties, case number, date of filing, date of final decree, grounds for divorce, property and debt settlement, child custody and support terms if applicable, and court costs. Most records are public. Sealed financial exhibits and child-related information with court-ordered restrictions are the main exceptions. For records from many years ago, contact the clerk in advance to ask about storage and retrieval.
The Bandera County homepage at banderacounty.org provides links to the District Clerk and all other county offices that serve residents in the Bandera County Hill Country area.
The county site includes the holiday schedule, which is important to check before visiting the District Clerk's office in Bandera since more holidays are observed here than in most Texas counties.
Legal Help in Bandera County
The District Clerk's office in Bandera does not give legal advice. For free guidance, TexasLawHelp.org provides step-by-step divorce guides and all official court forms in English and Spanish. The site covers both agreed and contested divorces, cases with and without children, and includes a section for people who cannot afford to pay court costs. Court forms are also free at txcourts.gov.
For a family law attorney serving Bandera County, use the State Bar of Texas lawyer search at texasbar.com. Many San Antonio-area attorneys also take Bandera County cases. Legal aid organizations serving South and Central Texas may also help residents who qualify based on income. The Texas Attorney General at texasattorneygeneral.gov handles child support enforcement. E-filing for attorneys is through efile.txcourts.gov. The Texas courts website at txcourts.gov has general court information for all Texas counties.
Cities in Bandera County
Bandera is the county seat and the primary city in Bandera County. All divorce filings for Bandera County residents go through the District Clerk's office at the Bandera County Courthouse.
Other communities in Bandera County include Medina, Tarpley, and Utopia. None of these have a separate district clerk. All divorce matters for county residents are handled in Bandera. Nearby San Antonio in Bexar County has its own separate District Clerk and court system for Bexar County residents.
Nearby Counties
Bandera County is in the Texas Hill Country. These neighboring counties handle divorces for their own residents. File in the county where you have lived for the past 90 days.