The Presiding Court System

The Presiding court system of Bexar County is different than that of most other counties in Texas.

Under the system of most counties in Texas, the Court in which you file your Petition for Divorce dictates which Judge will hear all of the issues in your case. (In other words, the Court Number matches one judge who is the Judge of that particular Court.)

Our court system is different. Under the “Presiding District Court” system, civil cases are all set for hearing in one court, known as the “Presiding District Court.”

One of 13 Civil District Judges serves as the “Presiding District Judge” every month.

When your case is called, if we are unable to resolve it without a hearing, the Presiding District Judge will assign the case out to one of the other 12 District Judges for determination or, if it is a short matter, the Presiding District Judge, may, at his/her discretion, hear the issue of the case him/herself.

What this means is that you will not know who will hear the issues of your case until the day of the hearing, when it is assigned by the Presiding District Judge.

Unless otherwise instructed, plan to meet your attorney on the day of a hearing in the Presiding District Court, which is on the second floor of the “old” Bexar County Courthouse (NOT the newer building, which is called the “Justice Center”) in Room 2.00 (also still known as Room 218). You can either meet your attorney in the Courtroom or at a pre-arranged location on the second floor.