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    July 5, 2024 - Hurricane Beryl -Emergency Advisory

    San Patricio County Court at Law - Honorable Elizabeth Welborn

    For Immediate Release – July 5, 2024

    Sinton – San Patricio County is declaring a Disaster Order due to the potential for Hurricane Beryl’s landfall in the Coastal Bend.  The San Patricio County Courthouse will be closed for business during such time period.  Judge Welborn has announced that due to the extreme weather and closure of the county buildings, the San Patricio County Court at Law No. 1 will NOT have Court on Monday July 8, 2024 or Tuesday July 9, 2024.  All currently scheduled matters set on July 8, 2024 and July 9, 2024 will be rescheduled. 

    Rescheduled Court Dates as follows:

    Matters currently set on July 8, 2024 @ 9:00 am will be reset to August 12, 2024 @ 9:00 am. 

    Juvenile cases currently set on July 8, 2024 @ 1:30 pm will be reset to July 22, 2024 @ 1:30 pm. 

    Matters currently set on July 9, 2024 @ 9:00 am will be reset to August 13, 2024 @ 9:00 am. 

    Matters currently set on July 9, 2024 @ 1:30 pm will be reset to August 1, 2024 @ 9:00 am. 

    Notices with new court dates will be mailed to all Attorneys and Defendants.  For questions about your court date, please contact the Court at 361-364-9325.

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    San Patricio County Court At Law No. 1

    Honorable Elizabeth Welborn, Judge Presiding

    ***The County Court at Law Judge cannot give legal advice and nothing on this web site is intended to be legal advice.***

The Texas Constitution provides that each county shall have only one County Court.  Therefore, the State Legislature has created Statutory County Courts At Law to assist counties with their judicial functions and responsibilities. 

The San Patricio County Court at Law was created at the request of San Patricio County by the Texas Legislature in 1989. The first presiding judge was sworn into office on January 1, 1990.  The Honorable Michael E. Welborn was the first presiding judge of the County Court at Law and the judge responsible for creating the foundations on which the Court functions today. The Honorable Michael E. Welborn served from January 1990 to December 2002. The Honorable Richard Hatch III served from January  2003 to December 2012.  The Honorable Patrick Flanigan served from January 2013 to December 2014. The Honorable Elizabeth Welborn is the current judge presiding, and began her service on January 1, 2015.

Jurisdiction:

The San Patricio County Court at Law No. 1 is a general jurisdiction Court. The Court has jurisdiction over the following cases, and information specific to each may be found on the links below:

  • Misdemeanor Criminal Cases
  • Civil Cases up to $ 250,000 * (*actual damage excluding recovery of:  interest, statutory and punitive damages and penalties, attorney fees and cost)
  • Probates
  • Guardianships
  • Juvenile Cases
  • Family Law
  • CPS Cases
  • Appeals from Justice of the Peace Courts and Municipal Courts
  • Occupational Driver's License
  • Mental Commitments
  • Condemnation Proceedings
  • Concurrent jurisdiction with the District Courts except as to (1) felony criminal matters and (2) civil cases in which the matter in controversy exceeds the amounts as provided by Sec. 25.0003 

Contact with the Court:

The Code of Judicial Conduct provides that…

“ A Judge … shall not directly or indirectly initiate, permit, nor consider ex parte or other private communications concerning the merits of a pending or impending judicial proceeding.  A Judge shall require compliance with this subsection by court personnel subject to his or her direction and control…” Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 3, Section A (5)

The Court and the Staff of the San Patricio County Court at Law No. 1 is available to help resolve any appropriate controversy, subject to the laws, rules, and procedures which govern our conduct.

All ex parte communications from litigants sent to the Court in writing will be filed of record in the cause they are pertaining to and copies provided to all parties of record.

Simple inquiries regarding cases must be sent to the Court in writing and directed to email: sanpatricioccal@gmail.com or fax transmission 361-364-9425

  • April 10, 2020

    San Patricio County Court at Law - Honorable Elizabeth Welborn

    April 10, 2021

    Please Be Advised:  FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021 The San Patricio County Clerk's office will be CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC  The County Clerk's Office will Re-Open for Business on Monday, April 19, 2021 8:00am.

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    March 29, 2021

    San Patricio County Court at Law - Honorable Elizabeth Welborn

    March 29, 2021

    San Patricio County Court at Law to Resume In-Person Non-Jury Hearings effective as of April 12, 2021.

    In response to the Texas Supreme Court’s Thirty-Sixth Emergency Order Regarding the Covid-19 State of Disaster, issued March 5, 2021, The San Patricio County Court at Law will resume in-person non-jury matters. Non-jury in-person appearances will be allowed on a limited basis in accordance with the approved in-person court proceeding schedule for San Patricio County beginning April 12, 2021. As provided by the Texas Supreme Court’s 36th Emergency Order, minimum standard health protocols for court proceedings, including masking and social distancing, will continue to be required.

    The following policies and procedures will be in place until further order of this Court:

    San Patricio County Court At Law Revised Infectious Disease Protocol as of  3/26/21; and

    Minimum Standard Health Protocols In-Person Hearings

    All attorneys practicing criminal law in the San Patricio County Court at Law shall review the new standing order of the court effective 3-29-2021. click here.

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    March 2, 2021

     

    San Patricio County Court at Law - Honorable Elizabeth Welborn

    March 2, 2021

    For information and help finding a Vaccine click here.

    Vaccine Information: The information provided is information I have compiled to help those seeking vaccines. Although I am an elected county official I am not involved with the San Patricio County Vaccine distribution. This is simply my way of relaying some information that might be helpful to you in your search for a vaccine.

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    February 15, 2021

    San Patricio County Court at Law - Honorable Elizabeth Welborn

    For Immediate Release – February 15, 2021

    Sinton – Judge Welborn has announced that due to the extreme weather in Texas this week the San Patricio County Court at Law will NOT have Court.  All currently scheduled matters set between February 15, 2021 – February 19, 2021 will be reset. Notices with new court dates will be mailed to all Attorneys and Defendants. For questions about your court date please contact the court at 361-364-9325.

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    June 1, 2020

    San Patricio County Court at Law - Honorable Elizabeth Welborn

    June 1, 2020

    The San Patricio County Court at Law will until further notice hold court at the San Patricio County Civic Center.  The 10,000 square foot Civic Center has been set up to allow to for social distancing and proper infectious dieses protocols to take place during the remainder of the pandemic. 

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    January 22, 2020

    San Patricio County Court at Law - Honorable Elizabeth Welborn

    January 22, 2020

    The San Patricio County Court at Law is excited to announce it's new Lifesize video conference system has been installed in the Courtroom and is operational.  The San Patricio County Commissioners deserve a big thank you from the Court for listening to and allowing Judge Welborn to have this system installed in her courtroom.  The County also agreed to install units in the County Jail and Probation Departments.  The addition of this new technology will sever the citizens of San Patricio County for years to come. 

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    January 1, 2019

    San Patricio County Court at Law - Honorable Elizabeth Welborn

    January 1, 2019

    San Patricio County Board of Judges are excited to announce the creation of a new Pre-Trial Service Office in San Patricio County.