Bexar County Probate Court Records Search

Bexar County probate court records are maintained by County Clerk Lucy Adame-Clark at the courthouse in San Antonio. Three probate courts handle estate cases, guardianships, and mental health matters for this county of over two million people. The Probate Division keeps files on wills, letters testamentary, estate inventories, and court orders. You can search Bexar County probate records through the Odyssey Portal or the Justice Information Portal at search.bexar.org. For copies of documents, you can request them by e-filing, by mail, or in person at 100 Dolorosa Street. Bexar County also holds some of the oldest records in Texas, with documents going back to Spanish colonial times.

Bexar County Probate Division

The Bexar County Clerk's Probate Department is at 100 Dolorosa, Suite 104, in San Antonio. The main phone number for the probate department is 210-335-2241. For filing questions, call 210-335-2238. The County Clerk maintains records for three probate courts, a mental health court, and an auxiliary jail court, plus 15 County Courts at Law.

County Clerk Lucy Adame-Clark was the first Latina and first woman elected to the position. Her office is the records management officer for all of Bexar County. That means the clerk handles not just probate files but also property records, marriage licenses, and other official records. Document copies from the clerk's office go back to 1837. The office even holds Spanish Archive records from the 1700s.

A new case numbering system for guardianship cases took effect October 1, 2025. If you are looking for a guardianship case filed before that date, the old numbers still apply. Ask the clerk's office if you are not sure how to find a case under the new system.

Searching Bexar County Probate Records Online

Bexar County offers free online searches for probate court records. The Probate Division page links to the Bexar County Odyssey Portal where you can look up cases by name or case number. The Justice Information Portal at search.bexar.org covers both the County Clerk and District Clerk records.

The Probate Division page shows e-filing requirements, fee information, and links to the Small Estates Help Desk. E-filing through eFileTexas.gov is mandatory for attorneys. Pro se litigants can hand file criminal documents, and emergency documents may be hand filed in the assigned court.

The Bexar County Clerk main page provides a broader view of all the clerk's services. From here you can get to the Official Records Search, property records search, foreclosure maps, and misdemeanor records.

This page outlines the $18 million preservation project announced in December 2024. The county is digitizing citizenship records, Spanish Archive translations, survey records, water right maps, and more. Over 40 years of paper records are being converted to digital format.

The Bexar County Public Record Searches page directs you to the right search tool depending on what you need. For probate cases, use the court records search. For related property records, there is a separate tool. The District Clerk at 101 W. Nueva Street also has records if the probate case involved district court matters.

Public kiosks at the Paul Elizondo Tower let you search records yourself at no charge. Staff-assisted searches at the District Clerk's office cost $5.

District Clerk Mary Angie Garcia oversees 27 district courts and 10 auxiliary courts. While probate matters go through the County Clerk, the District Clerk handles related civil cases and keeps daily court dockets available to the public. The civil records phone is 210-335-2661.

Bexar County Probate Fees

Plain copies of Bexar County probate documents cost $1 per page. Certified copies are $5 per document plus the copy fees. Checks should be made out to Lucy Adame-Clark, Bexar County Clerk Probate Department. You can get copies by e-filing a request, by mail, or in person at the courthouse. Provide the name and case file number when you ask.

Will safekeeping costs $5 as a one-time fee. E-filing fees include the state's $30 charge per new case and $2 per envelope. For e-filing questions, call 855-839-3453. The Small Estates Help Desk, run through the San Antonio Legal Services Association (SALSA), can assist income-qualifying residents with simplified probate procedures under Texas Estates Code Section 205.

Types of Bexar County Probate Records

The Bexar County probate files hold guardianship records, estate administration documents, mental health filings, and will deposits. Wills and codicils, letters testamentary, inventories, annual accounts, and final distributions are standard parts of an estate file. Court orders and judge rulings stay in the case file as well.

Bexar County has some of the most historically significant records in Texas. The County Clerk's office maintains Spanish Archive records from the 1700s, including documents from when the county's territory extended into what is now Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming. Historical items like John W. Smith's will (the first County Clerk) and a Sam Houston land grant are in the collection. Through TexasFile, you can access document copies from 1837 to 2026.

Under the Texas Estates Code, probate records are public in most cases. Anyone can view them at the courthouse. Sealed records are the exception. Social Security numbers and bank account details are redacted. Minor guardianship details and certain medical information may not be available to the general public.

Probate Legal Resources in Bexar County

The San Antonio Legal Services Association (SALSA) runs the Small Estates Help Desk and may be able to help if you qualify based on income. The State Bar of Texas lawyer referral line is (800) 252-9690, and you can search for attorneys at texasbar.com.

TexasLawHelp.org provides guides on probate and small estate affidavits. The Texas State Law Library has free research resources, and the Texas Courts Rules and Forms page has official court forms and local rules. For out-of-state estates with Texas property, ancillary probate may apply under Texas Estates Code Chapter 503.

Cities in Bexar County

San Antonio is the main city in Bexar County and by far the largest. All probate matters for Bexar County residents file at the courthouse in San Antonio.

Smaller communities like Converse, Live Oak, Universal City, Schertz, and Helotes are also partly or fully in Bexar County. Their probate cases go through the Bexar County court system.

Nearby Counties

Check where the person lived to be sure you file in the right county. Under Texas Estates Code Chapter 51, probate venue is the county of the person's residence at death.