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1. Do you serve the French Robertson or the Middleton Prison Units?

No we do not they are located in Jones County.

2. Does my address fall into precinct 1?

Most of the city of Abilene is in precinct 1.  If you live outside of the city limits call our office to see if it is in precinct 1. You can also view our precinct map to see how precincts are divided up.

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1. Why do I need to file an Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)?

The Texas Business and Commerce Code require businesses to file assumed name certificates. Also, most banks will not allow a business to open a checking account without an Assumed Name Certificate on file.

2. Can assumed names be searched over the phone?

Yes, select the following link:

https://taylorcountytx-web.tylerhost.net/web/search/DOCSEARCH367S2

You can still come to the office and search our index or you can send a written request with a $5 fee for each name you want searched.

3. What if I plan to do business in multiple counties?

If you are a non-corporate business, then you need to file an assumed name certificate with each county in which you plan to conduct business.

4. Do I have to file an assumed name certificate if I am only going to use the name I incorporated under?

No. The name you incorporated under is filed with the Secretary of State and can be used anywhere within the State of Texas without any additional filing requirement.

5. Where can I obtain additional information and help?

Contact the Texas Department of Commerce, Small Business Division at 1 (800) 888-0511. This office offers free services that assist both new and expanding businesses.

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1. Who has access to birth and death records and how can someone get a copy?

Birth records older than 75 years and death records older than 25 years are open to the public. All others are closed to the public. You may purchase a certified copy of these records if you are one of the following:

• A legal representative
  
• Personal representative or agent
  
• An immediate family member
  
• The registrant who has a direct and tangible interest in the record and who shall have a significant legal relationship to the person whose record is requested.

The purpose for which the certified copy is needed and the relationship of the applicant is essential to the application to determine if the applicant is properly qualified.

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1. I'm under 18, can I apply for a marriage license?

Texas Family Code Sec. 2.003. Application For License By Minor:

A person under 18 years of age may not marry unless the person has been fully emancipated by a Judge. Among documents proving identity, the minor must also provide to the county clerk either

               (1) a court order granted in Texas by a judge fully emancipating the minor or

               (2) if the minor is from another state, a certified copy of the court’s order emancipating the minor.

2. We lost our marriage license before we got married. Can we get another one?

Yes, you may receive a duplicate of your marriage license and the cost will be $10.00, but it must be purchased within the 90 days before it would expire.

3. How much does a marriage license cost?

The cost is $82.00. Payable in cash, cashier's check and money orders. You can use a credit or debit card, but a convenience fee of $2.16 is added to the total, making the total $84.16

4. How do I get a copy of a marriage license?

A written request with your fee is required for a copy of your marriage license. We need the groom and bride names and the date of marriage. Please send check or money order. The fee for a search and certified copy is $12 when requested by mail. The cost is reduced when the written request is made in person or when the requestor searches the records for the license. You may also download a marriage license copy request form online.

5. What if we both can’t come in together to get the marriage license?

If one or more of the applicants is unable to appear when obtaining the marriage license, you will need to obtain an Affidavit of Absent Applicant for Marriage License form. This form must be filled out by the applicant who cannot appear and his or her signature must be notarized. You must present both this form and the absent applicants original ID when obtaining the marriage license.

6. What if one of the applicants can’t attend the ceremony itself?

The applicant who can’t attend the ceremony can appoint a proxy if they are a member of the United States Military. There is a section in the Affidavit of Absent Applicant for Marriage License form where the applicant can appoint a proxy. The proxy must be 18 years-old or older and have an original ID at the time of the application.

7. Who can perform our ceremony?

A licensed or ordained minister or priest, Jewish rabbi or person authorized by a religious organization to conduct a marriage ceremony. Any judge or Justice of the Peace. See other county web pages for Judge and Justice of the Peace listings.

8. What if we want to get married, but 30 days haven't passed since my divorce was final?

If your divorce decree doesn't already waive the 30-day waiting period, you will need to get a judge to order the waiver. You do not have to wait 30 days if you are re-marrying the same person or if your divorce was obtained in a state other than Texas. If the waiting period was waived in your divorce decree, please provide a certified copy of your divorce decree for proof.

9. What if we don't want to wait 72 hours before we get married?

You can get the 72 hour waiting period waived by a judge's order. If you've obtained an order from a judge to waive the waiting period, please bring the order with you.

If you are active military or work for the U.S. Department of Defense, the waiting period is automatically waived. You must provide us proof of your active military status or employment with the U.S. Department of Defense when applying for your marriage license.

10. How do we obtain a Informal Marriage Certificate?

The application for an Informal Marriage Certificate is similar to the Marriage License. However, you cannot use an absent applicant form and both applicants must come in together when applying.  You may start the process by filling in the application online or in person.

You will need to bring a state or federal issued identification that shows your date of birth (drivers license, state ID, etc.) We will ask you for your social security number and place of birth. You must be 18 years old. The cost is $47 cash, money order, credit or debit card. You will also need to provide a date that you begin living together as a married couple.   Some entities may not acknowledge an Informal Marriage Certificate.

11. Why don't you have the marriage record I'm looking for? They were married in Taylor County.

A marriage license issued in Texas can be used in any other county in Texas, so if a person is married in Taylor County, this doesn't necessarily mean their marriage license will be on record in Taylor County. You will need to go to the county they purchased the license from.

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1. What are your hours?

Monday through Friday 8:00 am until 4:30 pm Unless the Commissioners' Court has declared a holiday.

2. What forms of payment do you accept?

Cash, Cashier's Check, Money Order, Debit and Credit cards are accepted.

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1. What are your hours?

We are open Monday through Friday, 8:00-12:00 and 1:00-5:00. We are closed from 12:00-1:00 every day for lunch.

2. Where are you located?

We are on the 4th floor of the Courthouse, 300 Oak Street, Suite 400, Abilene, TX 79606.

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1. Can I talk to the judge?

No. The Canons of Judicial Ethics prohibit judges from having ex parte communications about pending cases or matters that may come before the judge. An ex parte communication is any discussion that occurs outside of a court hearing that has been properly set and is attended by all interested parties to the case.

2. Where can I get forms to represent myself?

The court does not provide forms and does not endorse any forms. There are online sources of information for obtaining self-represented forms.

3. Can I get a court appointed attorney paid by Taylor County to represent me in a family law case?

There are limited situations in which Taylor County will pay for court appointed counsel in family law cases. Parents who are involved in child protective services cases will be provided information about how to request court appointed counsel. In some child support cases, an attorney may be appointed to represent a parent. If the case is one in which a parent is entitled to court appointed counsel, that parent will be notified of this right.


Some parties may be entitled to assistance from Legal Aid of Northwest Texas, who may be contacted at (325) 672-7960.

4. Where can I make a complaint about an attorney?

You can file complaints to the State Bar of Texas Lawyer Referral and Information Service at (800) 252-9690.

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1. Can I pay my support at your office?

Yes. You may pay in person by cash, money order, cashier's check or personal check.

2. How do I find out if I have received a payment?

You may contact the TxCSDU at (800) 252-8014 for payment inquiries.

3. How do I sign up for direct deposit?

You can submit the direct deposit authorization form by:

    Email: TXSDUHelp@oag.texas.gov

    Fax: (210) 924-4104 

    Mail: Texas Child Support Disbursement Unit, P.O. Box 659400, San Antonio, TX  78265.  

To view other options in receiving your payments, visit: The Texas Attorney General website. 

Direct Deposit Authorization Form

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1. How do I check the status of my job application?

Please call (325) 674-1220 or email to check the status of your job application. Note: If you have already applied for a job with the Jail, Sheriff's Office, or the Juvenile Justice Center, please allow 2-3 weeks after submitting your application before you check the status, due to those department's background investigation processes.

2. Do I need to submit more than one application if I am applying for multiple jobs?

Yes.  Please submit one application for each job.

3. How do I contact HR/Risk during COVID-19?

Call 325-674-1220, fax 325-738-8529, or email. 

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1. How can I get a copy of my deed?

Anyone can come into the office and search our indices and images on eight computers for the most up-to-date information, for no fee. Our computer indices date back to 1973. We have hand indices dating back as far as late 1800s.

You can also go online at to view Texas Records. If you know your volume and page number or your document number you can call us and we will let you know how many pages your deed is and how much money to send with your written request. Copies are $1 per page, and $5 per document if you need them certified.

You can also download a request for document copies.

2. Is there a cost to view the records in the clerk’s office?

There is absolutely no charge to view the records. The only cost is associated with obtaining a copy of the record.

3. Can I bring my own computer to the office to take notes from?

Yes you can use your computer, but there are no electric outlets available. The courthouse was not designed for the number of electronics used today and although we have expanded our capacity, we are at its limits. Due to constraints in electrical supply and the importance of keeping dedicated electrical outlets, no one may hook-up any equipment into the electrical supply in the clerk’s office.

4. Can I use flash photography to make a copy of the documents?

Unfortunately, the flash over time will degrade the documents. You are welcome to use your camera or your cell phone to make copies, please kindly turn off the flash.

5. Can I bring my own scanner?

There is no excess room/space in the office for a standard size scanner. Once again, there is no electric outlet either. Due to constraints in electrical supply and the importance of keeping dedicated electrical outlets, no one may hook-up any equipment into the electrical supply in the clerk’s office. Some have used a handheld, battery operated scanner.

6. Can I hook or link my computer into your public search stations or utilize their USB ports to download data?

Most definitely not. Due to trademark and other legal rights to any hardware system and/or proprietary software, no citizen, agent, company or other individual or business may connect any electronic device into the computer systems, either owned or leased in the clerk’s office.

7. I have paid off the mortgage on my house. Where can I get a title?

The process to prove ownership is very complex in real property; it’s not like an auto where you have one document. Basically a title to your house is called a deed, a warranty deed or a similarly titled document. To prove ownership a title company needs to research the previous owners for at least 25 years. If all the owners before you had clear title, then your deed provides clear title to you.

When you pay off a mortgage usually the mortgage company will either record a release or send the original release to you to bring into our office and record. The deed means you own the house, a deed of trust means there is a loan against your deed. The release cancels out the deed of trust.

8. Can I accept a “quit claim” deed when I purchase a piece of property?

You certainly can, however, a quit claim does not establish a chain of ownership and you are at risk if a person did not have a clear title to the property. In easiest terms a Quit Claim Deed just means one person is selling whatever title they might/may have to a piece of property to you. A title policy is almost impossible to challenge in a court of law. If you want to be certain, absolutely positive that you have clear title to a piece of real property you should hire a title company or an attorney to research the property and provide you with a title policy. This is the best way to ensure your ownership.

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1. How do I get a copy of a Last Will and Testament?

We must have a cause (case) number to refer to, so if you do not have the cause number, go to Search Probate and Guardianship records at the link available at the bottom and search by the decedent’s name. All probates filed in Taylor County are listed. If the name you are searching for does not appear, we do not have a probate case by that name. When you do find the name you are searching for, you will be able to see a list of all documents filed within the case. You can contact our office by phone (325-674-1202) or email at county.clerk@taylorcounty.texas.gov giving the cause number & the title of documents you will need copies of and we will let you know the total number of pages.

http://publicaccess.taylorcounty.texas.gov/

2. Can I file my Will in the County Clerk’s office?

There is a misconception in the public that you can bring your Last Will and Testament to our office and have it recorded, but this is not true. The law states “an unprobated will may not be so recorded even though it has an acknowledgment thereon”, AG OP M-5111. However, an unprobated will can be attached as an exhibit to a properly acknowledged recordable affidavit.

We can take your original Will and store it for you, this procedure is called Safekeeping, however, we do not recommend it. We are mandated by law to follow several procedures if you or a family member wanted get your Will out of safekeeping. We strongly advise you to keep your original Will stored in a safe place and notify at least one family member the location of where the Will is stored.

3. Can I probate a Will without hiring an attorney?

Most people do not realize that there are different ways to probate a Will and that the wording in a Will must meet several legal requirements mandated by law. If the Will does not meet the legal requirements or if the decedent died without a Will, (intestate) an administrator may need to be appointed. All probate procedures require legal paperwork, some more than others, to be filed with the County Clerk and presented to the Judge who will hear the probate case. We do not have the paperwork and more importantly, we cannot give you legal advice as to which probate procedure would best suit the decedent’s estate and whether or not you properly prepared your paperwork. The risk of an error is too great and the consequences could lead to a denial of the probate procedure, in which your filing fees would not be refunded and could even lead to law suits. The County Clerk’s office strongly recommends that an attorney be hired for this very important procedure. However, if you insist on trying to go through a probate procedure yourself (pro-se), please go to this link, for additional information.

http://www.taylorcounty.texas.gov/DocumentCenter/

4. How do I get additional Letters of Testamentary?

You may either come into our office or send a written request along with payment of $2.00 for each Letter. If you send a request through the mail, please inform us of the cause number for the decedent’s estate. If you do not know the cause number, please follow this link, to search Probate records.

http://publicaccess.taylorcounty.texas.gov/

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1. Do I have a warrant for my arrest?

You cannot find out this answer over the phone. Before we can do a warrants check, you must come to the Taylor County Sheriff Office at:
450 Pecan
Abilene, TX 79602

2. Is this where I get my criminal history report, and how much does it cost?

Yes, you can get it at the sheriff's office, free of charge. You cannot get a copy of your state-wide record from any law enforcement agency. You can only get your record as it pertains to that county.

3. Do you fingerprint people, and how much does it cost?

We do offer fingerprinting services to the public. It's best to have an appointment to be printed (cards can be provided by our office, at no cost). Call (325) 674-1300 to make an appointment. The service is free.

4. Can I get a copy of someone else's criminal record in Taylor County?

Yes, as long as you make a written request to this agency.

5. How do I look up court and jail records on this website?

On the home page, at the top, click on "I Want To". Then click on "Search Court & Jail Records"