DISTRICT CLERK: Linda Svrcek
CONTACT
INFORMATION:
Mailing Address: 151 N. Washington St., Rm. 102
La Grange, Texas 78945
Phone Number: 979/968-3548
Fax Number: 979/968-2618
Email: linda.svrcek@co.fayette.tx.us
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8AM – 12noon,
1PM-5PM
(Closed
from 12noon – 1PM)
***The District
Clerk's Office is currently not accepting passport applications. The
Office will resume accepting them at a yet to be determined date.***
JURISDICTION:
Fayette County belongs to the 155
th
Judicial District Court and the 3
rd Court of Appeals.
The 155
th Judicial District is comprised
of Austin County and Fayette County. (Waller County had previously been a part
of the 155
th Judicial District, but they were removed as of January
1
st 2014.)
WHAT OUR OFFICE
PERFORMS:
The District Clerk’s Office offers
the following services to the citizens of Fayette County:
-
Filing and maintaining Civil Suits
-
Filing and maintaining Felony Criminal Suits
-
Filing and maintaining Tax Suits
-
Filing and maintaining Condemnation Suits
-
Filing and maintaining Attorney General Suits
-
Filing and maintaining Juvenile Suits
-
Accepting Passport Applications
-
Maintaining the Naturalization and Immigration
Index and Records
We do not have any records online
for the public to view.
We do have a computer portal in our
office for use by the public. It only displays cases open to the public.
FORMS OF PAYMENT:
·
We accept CASH, CHECK, or MONEY ORDER as forms
of payment.
·
We DO NOT accept credit cards of any type,
however, we do accept credit cards through our e-Filing service provider,
e-FileTexas.
FILING FEE
SCHEDULE:
Base
Filing Fees:
Civil Cases: $247.00
Divorce
Cases: $243.00 (Add: $3.00 for Waiver of Citation)
Adoption:
$243.00
Parent-Child
Relationship: $243.00
Name
Change: $247.00
Family-Protective
Orders: $258.00 (to be assessed against Respondent)
Occupational
Driver’s License: $247.00
Expunction:
$247.00 (Add: $8.00 per Agency to be notified)
Non-Disclosure:
$275.00
Condemnation
Cases: $247.00
The
following actions are assessed at $80.00 for a Civil Case and $75.00 for a
Family Case:
Intervention
3rd
Party Petition
Cross-Action
Counterclaim
Motion
for New Trial
Motion
for Contempt
Motion
to Modify
Motion
for Enforcement
Motion
to Transfer
Issuance
and Service:
Citation
Issuance: $8.00
In-County
Service by Fayette Co. Sheriff: $100.00
Service
by Certified Mail: $100.00
Misc.
Fees:
Jury
Fee: $30.00
Order
of Writ of Withholding: $25.00
Abstract
of Judgment: $8.00
Issuance
of Subpoena: $8.00
Writs
(Garnishment, Execution, Sequestration, Etc.): $8.00
Warrant
of Arrest: $8.00
Filing
and Approving Bond: $4.00
Service
Through Secretary of State or Commissioner of Insurance
(Each Service (1
Original + 2 Copies with
Petition Attached + Service Fee)): $60.00
Trust
Fund Investment Fee (10% of Interest; If no interest, 1% of amount)
Not to
Exceed: $50.00
Record
Search for Each Party/Name: $5.00
Insufficient
Check: $25.00
Copies
(Non-Certified, Per Page): $1.00
Certified
Copy (# of pages + $2.00 Certification Fee per document)
WEBSITES:
155th Judicial District Court: http://www.155discttx.com/ (local rules
can be found on this website)
3rd Court of Appeals: http://www.3rdcoa.courts.state.tx.us/
Office of the Attorney General/Child Support Division: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/cs/index.shtml
Fayette County, Texas Website: http://www.co.fayette.tx.us/
Fayette County Appraisal District: http://www.fayettecad.org/
e-FileTexas Website: http://efiletexas.gov/
Passport Information:
http://www.travel.state.gov/
WE ACCEPT E-FILING!
e-Filing Instructions:
- When e-Filing, please do not send any documents as “Attachments”; please send them as “Lead Documents”.
o This includes Civil Case Information Sheets and Proposed Orders.
- Any e-Files that include “Attachments” will be rejected due to an error it creates in our computer system.
- For Exhibits, please scan/run the exhibit(s) behind the motion – so that it will all be one document.
- If your clients is already listed as a party, do not add them a second time.
- Please make sure you have all the correct optional services selected.
- The e-Filing Service Provider (EFSP) we use is e-FileTexas. If you are using a service provider other than e-FileTexas and call us for assistance, we will do our best to help you but we cannot guarantee that we will fully understand the procedures of the other service provider.
PASSPORT INFORMATION:
We accept walk-in passport applications Monday - Friday from 8 AM – 11:30 AM and from 1PM – 4:30 PM.
Applications are available in our office or online at www.travel.state.gov
We highly recommend that all applicants call our office to confirm that you have all the proper documents and fees.
Each applicant must be present when submitting their application – including children.
Children age 15 must be accompanied by both parents who will both sign the application.
Children age 16 and 17 must be accompanied by one parent who will sign the application along with the child.
Validity:
- Adult passports (age 16 and up) are good for 10 years.
- Children’s passports (age 15 and below) are good for 5 years.
Processing Time:
The turn-around time for receiving your passport varies throughout the year. We highly recommend you apply for your passport as soon as possible once you know you will be traveling.
Types of Passports:
Book:
May be used by US citizens to travel by any means to any international travel destination.
Card:
May be used by US Citizens to re-enter the US at land border-crossings by vehicle and sea ports-of-entry
by ship when arriving from Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda only. You CANNOT fly with the card.
Fees:
- Please note that we are no longer allowed to accept cash as payment to the U.S. Department of State. We are only allowed to accept personal checks or money orders as payment to the U.S. Department of State. The $35.00 acceptance fee for the Fayette County District Clerk’s Office can be paid with cash, check or money order. It is recommended that all applicants call our office to confirm that they have the correct amount of payment.
Adult Book (Age 16 and older) - $145.00 total
$110.00 - Make check or money order payable to: U.S. Department of State
$35.00 – Cash or make check/money order payable to: Fayette County District Clerk
Child Book (Age 15 and under) - $115.00 total
$80.00 - Make check or money order payable to: U.S. Department of State
$35.00 – Cash or check/money order payable to: Fayette County District Clerk
Adult Card (Age 16 and older) - $65.00 total
$30.00 - Make check or money order payable to: U.S. Department of State
$35.00 – Cash or check/money order payable to: Fayette County District Clerk
Child Card (Age 15 and under) - $50.00 total
$15.00 - Make check or money order payable to: U.S. Department of State
$35.00 – Cash or check/money order payable to: Fayette County District Clerk
*Expedite Fee: If faster processing is required, you may request expedited service for $60.00. The $60.00 fee should be added to the check made out to the U.S. Department of State.
*Please call our office for information on Overnight Delivery Fees.
Renewals:
- Passport Renewals cannot be submitted through our office. They must be submitted by the applicant through the Post Office.
- Passport Renewal Applications (DS-82) are available in our office or you can visit www.travel.state.gov
What to Bring:
- APPLICATION(S):
- DS-11 Application (Primary application needed)
- Any additional applications that may be needed – call our office or refer to www.travel.state.gov for more information
- CITIZENSHIP EVIDENCE: Certified Copy of Birth Certificate, Naturalization Certificate, OR
- Please make sure it is the long form (full page). The short form (half page) is often rejected.
- It will get sent with your application, but it will be mailed back to you.
- IDENTIFICATION: Driver’s License,
- One 2” X 2” passport photo (Wal-Mart Photo-Center in La Grange, Hengst Printing, Walgreens)
- Payment in the form of check or money order for U.S. Department of State
- Payment in the form of cash, check, or money order for our office
- Any additional documents that may be needed – Court Orders, additional forms for parental consent, name change, etc.
Please do not hesitate to call our office before you visit if you have any questions concerning your passport application process.