Jefferson County Court

County Resources

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Jefferson County is in the Gulf Prairie region of Southeast Texas. The Neches River is one boundary; as of the 2020 census, the population was 256,526. The county seat is Beaumont. The county has the highest percentage of African Americans in Texas. The County has three state correctional facilities and a high-security prison in unincorporated areas. The correctional facilities have a capacity of nearly 9,000 prisoners. The county government consists of county commissioners court or a county judge and four commissioners. The elected county judge in Jefferson County may also be the judge of the County Criminal Court, County Civil Court, Probate Court, and Juvenile Court.

Courthouse

The Jefferson County Courthouse in Beaumont is one of the tallest courthouses in the state and was built in Art Deco style. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places. At one time, the top five floors served as the County Jail, but now only storage inhabits those floors. The building is thirteen stories high, and the only public entrance is through an annex built in 1981.

County Clerk

The County Clerk is Roxanne Acosta-Hellberg, and her duties are to provide citizens with access to county records, take fees, and provide election information and legal resources. You can receive forms from the county clerk to help with birth and death record applications and mail ballot applications. The divisions in the County Clerk’s office are the recording division, the courts division, elections, and the commissioners’ court minutes.
The County Clerk is tasked with providing the best customer service and managing taxpayer’s money wisely. The job is also tasked with preserving citizen’s records. Records predating the existence of computers is a priority job as well as archival restoration of Probate records dating from 1836 to the 1930s. Map records filed in the County Clerk’s office before 1994 and the digitization and indexing of land records from1836 to1982 are a priority job for the clerk’s office.
You can reach the county clerk’s office by calling 409-835-8475 or in person at 1085 Pearl Street, PO Box 1151, Beaumont, TX 77704.

District Court

The Civil District Courts hear family and civil law issues, including divorce cases, custody issues, child abuse and neglect cases, cases involving deeds, and all civil matters where the money for damages is $200 or more. The 58th, 60th, 136th, and 172nd District Courts handle civil cases. The 279th and 317th District Courts handle family law and juvenile cases.
The District Court is maintained by the Jefferson County District Clerk, who takes care of the official records of all court proceedings heard in the district courts. Proceedings include criminal, civil, and family/domestic relations cases.
The Criminal Division maintains case records on grand jury proceedings and felonies. The District Clerk issues arrest warrants, commitments to jail, subpoenas, and appeal records. They also collect fees, fines, and court costs.
The Civil Division maintains case records, including tort, contract, real estate, consumer, and tax collections. The Family Law Division keeps the records including divorces, child support, custody, adoptions, family protection, and name changes. The District Court Clerk also manages juries for the District Court, County Courts and At Law, and Justices of the Peace.

Magistrate Court

In Magistrate Court, defendants in criminal cases appear right after they are arrested. The Magistrate Judge will review the charges to determine whether or not there is probable cause for the detention and arrest of the offender. The magistrate Judge will let the defendant know their charges and their legal rights, and decide whether to set bail or not, consider if a personal bond is appropriate, issue an Order Setting the Bail amount, or issue an Order of Conditions of Release on Bond. The judge will also facilitate the appointment of an attorney to represent the defendant, if appropriate.

Magistrate courts include defendants charged with misdemeanors as well as felonies. As a note, bail is the money or property pledged to the court directly or indirectly through the services of a surety or bail bondsman. This bond guarantees that a defendant released from jail will return and appear for court hearings.

Magistrate Court is held daily, even on holidays, in Jefferson County, Texas. The Magistrate Judge does not ask for a plea on the charges. These please can only be received in a Court when and where the defendant’s case is filed by a prosecutor. District Court or County Court at Law is the Court where a defendant will enter a plea to the crime.

Jefferson County Courts at Law

County Courts at Law have jurisdiction over the District Court and hear civil cases where the amount in the case is $500-$200,000, eminent domain cases, protective orders under Texas Family Code chapter 71, class A or B misdemeanor criminal offenses, and appeals of Texas Worker’s Compensation Commission, Jefferson County Justice of the Peace, Municipal Courts, and State Office of Administrative Hearings concerning Administrative License Revocations. County Court at Law #1 hears civil matters, and County Court at Law #2 and #3 hears criminal misdemeanors. The Constitutional County Court hears probate matters.

Criminal District Court

Hears cases on felonies and grand jury proceedings. Also maintains case records and issues arrest warrants, commitments to jail, subpoenas, and appeal records. In addition, the court collects fees, fines, and court costs. The Criminal District Court elects the district court judges directly, and the judge holds office for four years. District Court is where a judge or jury decides criminal and civil matters.

Felony Drug Court

The Drug Impact Court, is authorized to sentence adult offenders to a term of community supervision. The Jefferson County CSCD supervises the offenders and monitors compliance with the conditions set by the court. The Jefferson County Drug Intervention unit includes the Drug Rehabilitation Orientation Program and Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility.

Administration

County Administrator Tracey Perry
County Clerk Roxanne Acosta-Hellberg 409-835-8475
District Clerk Jamie Smith 409-835-8580
County Attorney Keith Giblin 409-835-8550
Sheriff Zena Stephens 409-835-8411
Judges Raquel West (District 252) 409-835-8506
John Stevens (Criminal District Court) 409-835-8506
Marc DeRouen, Magistrate 409-726-2574
Justin Sanderson (District 60) 409-835-8472
Derwin L. Webb (Family Court) 409-835-8437
Gerald W. Eddins (Court at Law #1) 409-835-8437
Gordon D. Friesz (317 District Court) 409-839-2376
Terrance L. Holmes (Court at Law #2) 409-835-8429