Find Divorce Decrees in Kimble County

Kimble County divorce decree records are kept at the District Clerk's office in Junction, the county seat in the Texas Hill Country. This is a small, rural county and online access to court records is limited. Most records requests are handled in person or by mail through the clerk's office in Junction. If you need to look up a divorce case or get a certified copy of a final decree filed in Kimble County, the District Clerk is the right place to start. This page explains what you need to know and how the process works.

Kimble County District Clerk

The District Clerk's office in Junction handles all divorce records for Kimble County. The 198th Judicial District Court serves the county and covers family law cases. The clerk maintains all filings from the original petition through the final decree and any post-decree orders. Because the county is small, the clerk's office staff knows the records well and can typically locate cases by name with relatively little information.

Kimble County does not have a public online case search system. The statewide re:SearchTX portal may carry some index data for Kimble County, but coverage for smaller counties is not always complete. For reliable results, contact the clerk's office directly by phone at (325) 446-2062 or visit in person in Junction.

Mail requests should include the names of both parties, the filing year if known, and payment by check or money order made out to the Kimble County District Clerk. Call the office to confirm the current fee schedule before sending payment.

How to Access Kimble County Divorce Records

The most straightforward way to search for a Kimble County divorce record is to call the clerk's office at (325) 446-2062. Give them both party names and the approximate year of the divorce. The clerk will search the index and let you know if the case is in their records. If it is, you can request copies by mail or pick them up in person at the Junction courthouse.

For a statewide index search, try the re:SearchTX portal from the Texas Office of Court Administration. This system covers many Texas courts and may include some Kimble County data. It is free to use and can confirm whether a case exists and give you the cause number, which makes ordering copies easier.

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Unit at dshs.texas.gov/vs maintains a statewide divorce index going back to 1968. They can issue a verification letter confirming that a divorce occurred in Texas without requiring you to get the full decree from the county. This is useful when you just need to prove the divorce happened rather than getting the full court file.

Filing for Divorce in Kimble County

To file in Kimble County, at least one spouse must have lived in Texas for six months and in Kimble County for 90 days before filing the petition. This is required by Texas Family Code section 6.301. If you have not been in the county for 90 days yet, you will need to wait or file in a county where you do meet the requirement.

Texas law allows no-fault divorce under Texas Family Code section 6.001. The ground is "insupportability," which simply means the marriage can no longer continue because of conflict or discord and there is no reasonable chance of reconciliation. You do not have to prove that anyone did anything wrong. If you want to allege fault, grounds like cruelty or adultery are available under other sections of the Family Code.

After you file the petition, a 60-day waiting period starts under Texas Family Code section 6.702. The court cannot grant the divorce until those 60 days pass. For agreed cases where both parties have settled all issues, the decree can be signed soon after the wait ends. Property is divided under Texas Family Code Chapter 7, which requires the court to divide marital property in a just and right manner.

Kimble County Divorce Filing Fees

Filing a divorce petition in Kimble County costs approximately $290. Cases with children are a bit higher due to additional filings. The exact fee depends on the current schedule at the clerk's office. Call (325) 446-2062 to confirm before you file or send payment.

For copies of existing divorce records, plain copies cost around $1 per page. Certified copies cost $1 per page plus a $5 certification fee per document. If you need several documents certified, each one carries the $5 fee separately. Confirm total costs with the clerk before sending a check.

If you qualify for a fee waiver, file the Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs with your petition. The form is at txcourts.gov/rules-forms. The judge reviews your finances and decides whether to grant a partial or full waiver of court costs. Legal aid organizations may also be able to help qualifying residents with fee-related guidance.

What Is in a Kimble County Divorce File

A Kimble County divorce file contains all documents filed during the case. It starts with the Original Petition for Divorce, which names both parties and states what the petitioner is asking the court to do. The Citation and service records show how the other spouse was notified. Any responses, temporary orders, or agreements entered during the case also go into the file.

The Final Decree of Divorce is the main document. It is the judge's signed order that ends the marriage. It covers property division under Texas Family Code Chapter 7, conservatorship and possession for children, child support under Texas Family Code Chapter 154, and any spousal maintenance. This is the document you need for most post-divorce legal changes including name changes and account updates.

Other documents in the file may include income withholding orders and any modifications filed after the original decree. Financial affidavits submitted to the court during the case may be sealed. The clerk can tell you which items in a specific file are available to the public. Most of a divorce file is public record unless the judge ordered otherwise.

Legal Resources for Kimble County Residents

Lone Star Legal Aid and other regional legal aid organizations serve rural Hill Country counties including Kimble. They can provide free legal help in family law matters to qualifying low-income residents. Call (800) 733-8394 or visit lonestarlegal.org to check eligibility. For attorney referrals, call the State Bar of Texas at (800) 252-9690 or search at texasbar.com.

Free self-help guides and official court forms are at texaslawhelp.org and txcourts.gov/rules-forms. The Texas State Law Library at guides.sll.texas.gov/divorce has a comprehensive divorce guide that covers the entire process in plain language and is freely available online.

The Texas Family Code is the primary law that governs all divorce proceedings in Texas, including Kimble County cases.

The full text of the Texas Family Code is available free online. Reading the relevant chapters can help you understand what to expect before, during, and after a divorce in Kimble County.

Cities in Kimble County

Junction is the county seat and primary community in Kimble County. No cities in Kimble County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. All divorce filings for county residents go through the District Clerk's office in Junction.

Nearby Counties

Kimble County is bordered by Sutton, Menard, McCulloch, Mason, Kerr, and Edwards counties. File in the county where you have lived for at least 90 days before the date you file your petition.

Kerr County | Mason County | Sutton County | Menard County | Edwards County