Welcome to Zapata County, Texas
HOME | COUNTY OFFICES | OTHER COUNTY OFFICES | DISTRICT COURT | OFFICIALS DIRECTORY | COUNTY INFORMATION | FEATURES | AREA MEDIA | LOCAL AREA LINKS | WHO REPRESENTS US?

 Local Area Links

Judge's Office Services

Probates

Probate is the legal process of settling the estate of a deceased person, specifically resolving all claims and distributing the deceased person's property under the valid will. A probate confirms the validity of a deceased person's will. Once a will has been probated by the court, everyone can rely on its authenticity. Probate protects the instructions of the deceased, confirms the executor as the personal representative of the estate, protects the interests of family members who may have claims against the estate, and protects the executor against claims and law suits.

 

Steps for a Probate

The party requesting a probate should contact an attorney who will then contact the County Clerk’s office to file the necessary paperwork. The County Clerk’s office will make arrangements with the County Judge’s office to find an available date to schedule the probate hearing. Multiple probate hearings are normally scheduled for the same morning. The duration of each probate hearing is approximately 15-20 minutes.

 
 

Occupational Drivers License

An occupational license is a special restricted license issued to persons whose license has been suspended or revoked for certain offenses (other than medical reasons or delinquent child support). An occupational license authorizes the operation of a non-commercial motor vehicle in connection with a person’s occupation, for educational purposes or in the performance of essential household duties. Requests for such licenses are made to the county or district court in the county of the licensee’s residence or to the court of original jurisdiction where the offense occurred. Texas Transportation Code Section 521.242, 37 Texas Administrative Code 15.7.
Source: Texas Department of Public Safety

Additional Requirements for an Occupational Drivers License
 
  1. A letter from the employer confirming employment of the applicant, the tasks the applicant will be performing that require driving, and a listing for the days and hours the applicant is requesting to drive. Contact information for the employer should be included.
  2. Once letter has been received, a brief background check will ensue to confirm the information on the letter.
  3. If the information is satisfactory the County Judge will sign the order granting an Occupational Drivers License.

 
 

Beer & Wine Licenses

Coming soon

 

Civil Marriages

A marriage license must but obtained from the County Clerk’s Office. An appointment for the County Judge to officiate a civil marriage should be made at least one week prior to the desired date to determine availability.

 

Last updated: January 14, 2009


 
Top of page | Print version | Classic Version | Imprint