Trinity County Divorce Decree Filings
Trinity County divorce decree records are held by the District Clerk's office in Groveton, Texas. The District Clerk is the official custodian of all family law case files in the county, including divorce petitions, final decrees, custody orders, and related documents. If you need to search for a divorce case, check a filing status, or get a certified copy of a final decree, start with the District Clerk in Groveton. The office handles in-person visits and written requests by mail. The statewide re:SearchTX system is also available for basic online case lookups.
Trinity County Overview
Trinity County District Clerk
The District Clerk's office in Trinity County maintains all divorce decree records filed in the county. The courthouse is at 211 W. 1st Street in Groveton, which is also the mailing address for all records requests. Shasta Bergman serves as County Clerk. The District Clerk handles the actual district court records, including all divorce case files. Trinity County is a smaller East Texas county, and the courthouse staff are familiar with the records going back many years.
The courthouse burned in 1876, and some historical records from before that date were refiled. Records in good condition go back to the later 1800s. If you are searching for older records, allow extra time when making your request. For cases from the modern era, the clerk can pull files quickly by name or cause number. In-person visits are welcome during regular business hours. Mail requests should include payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
| Office | Trinity County Courthouse |
|---|---|
| Address | 211 W. 1st Street, P.O. Box 456 Groveton, TX 75845 |
| Phone | (936) 642-1208 |
| Fax | (936) 642-3004 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, regular business hours |
| Website | co.trinity.tx.us |
Search Trinity County Divorce Records
The statewide re:SearchTX system is the easiest way to start a search for Trinity County divorce records online. It covers district courts across Texas and is free to use. You can search by party name or cause number and see case type, docket history, and court assignment. Trinity County is included in the system for more recent cases. For older or pre-digital records, contacting the courthouse is the more reliable option.
To request certified copies, contact the District Clerk in Groveton directly at (936) 642-1208. Staff can locate the file by party name or case number. Copies are $1 per page. Certified copies include an additional $5 certification fee. The office does not accept personal checks. Send a money order or cashier's check along with a self-addressed stamped envelope when mailing a request. For mail requests, include the full names of both parties and the approximate year of the divorce so the clerk can locate the file.
If you only need to confirm that a divorce occurred in Texas without getting the full case documents, the Texas Department of State Health Services at dshs.texas.gov can provide a divorce verification letter. The DSHS maintains a statewide index that covers many Texas divorce cases.
The Trinity County website has county contact information including the district court records division.
The Texas State Law Library offers free online resources for understanding the divorce process and locating records in East Texas counties like Trinity.
Trinity County Divorce Filing Fees
The Trinity County District Clerk charges a base fee of $350 for divorce and annulment filings. This figure comes from the official Trinity County District Clerk fee schedule. The fee covers the base filing cost plus statutory surcharges including records preservation and Alternative Dispute Resolution fees. Any additional motions or services, like service by constable, add costs on top of the base amount.
The County Clerk's office, which handles some related civil records, publishes a separate fee schedule. Filing a civil case with service costs $299. Without service, it's $224. Copies from either office run $1 per page. Certified copies add a $5 certification charge. The office does not accept personal checks. Money orders and cashier's checks are the standard payment for mail-in requests. Always include a self-addressed stamped envelope when mailing a records request.
If cost is a barrier, you can request a fee waiver by filing a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 145. Official forms are available at txcourts.gov. The court decides whether you qualify for the waiver after reviewing your request.
Note: Confirm current fees directly with the Trinity County District Clerk before sending payment, as fee schedules can be updated.
Divorce Process in Trinity County
Trinity County divorces are handled in the 258th District Court. All cases follow Texas state law under Texas Family Code Chapter 6. Every document filed from petition to final decree becomes a record stored at the District Clerk's office in Groveton.
Residency must be established before filing. Under Texas Family Code Section 6.301, at least one spouse must have lived in Texas for six months and in Trinity County for at least 90 days prior to filing. Trinity County is a rural East Texas county, and most residents who file here have long-established ties to the area.
Texas allows no-fault divorce. The most common ground is insupportability under Texas Family Code Section 6.001. Fault grounds are also available when the situation calls for them. After the petition is filed, the court must wait at least 60 days before granting the divorce under Texas Family Code Section 6.702. Most cases take longer than 60 days, particularly when children or contested property are involved.
Community property rules apply to everything acquired during the marriage. Under Texas Family Code Chapter 7, the court divides community property in a way it finds just and right. Separate property stays with whoever owns it. If spousal maintenance applies, Texas Family Code Chapter 8 sets the standards for those payments.
Trinity County Divorce Decree Contents
A divorce case file at the Trinity County District Clerk's office holds the full record of proceedings. The original petition for divorce starts the file. That document states the grounds and what the petitioner is asking the court to order. As the case moves forward, more documents are added: citations, waivers of service, temporary orders for custody or support, financial disclosures, and any settlement agreements reached by the parties.
The Final Decree of Divorce is the closing document in the file. It is the court order that legally ends the marriage. It spells out how property is divided, who has conservatorship of the children, the possession schedule, child support, and any spousal maintenance the court orders. People often need certified copies of the decree to handle post-divorce legal tasks like transferring real estate, updating retirement accounts, or changing a name.
Most Trinity County divorce records are public. You do not have to be a party to request copies. Some documents, such as financial source records or those related to protective orders, may be sealed by the court. The clerk can tell you what is publicly available in a specific case. For a faster confirmation of a divorce without obtaining the full file, the Texas DSHS at dshs.texas.gov can issue a state divorce verification letter.
Legal Help in Trinity County
Trinity County residents looking for help with a divorce have a few options. Lone Star Legal Aid covers the East Texas region and helps income-eligible clients with family law matters including divorce and custody. Their contact information and eligibility guidelines are available at TexasLawHelp.org. That site also has self-help guides for filing your own divorce without an attorney, including all the official forms you need.
The Texas State Law Library divorce guide walks through the entire divorce process in plain language. All official court forms are at txcourts.gov. For a referral to a family law attorney in the Groveton area, call the State Bar of Texas at (800) 252-9690. If your case involves child support, the Texas Attorney General's Child Support Division provides services for establishing and enforcing support orders across all Texas counties.
Cities in Trinity County
No qualifying cities over 100,000 population are located in Trinity County. All divorce cases in the county are filed at the Trinity County District Court in Groveton, the county seat.
Nearby Counties
Trinity County is in East Texas. It borders several surrounding counties. If you are unsure which county to file in, check where you have lived for at least 90 days before your petition is submitted.