Going to Court is Critical for Your Defense

Sometimes, it’s hard to know where your case is to be heard at the courthouse, and there are multiple courthouses in larger cities. In this guide, we review the major courts in Lubbock County which are scattered among four buildings.

Knowing where to go is important. The consequences could be an additional criminal charge. Depending on your original offense, a class C misdemeanor or a third degree felony could result for failure to appear in court. If you made bail, bail jumping or failure to appear in court after making bail can have more serious fines and charges.

Not only should you arrive for your scheduled date, but get to the courthouse early. Depending on the day and time, there could be a line at security screening.

The Lubbock County Courthouse

The five-story Lubbock County Courthouse contains six District Courts, three County Courts-at-Law and four Justice of the Peace Courts. In addition, there are five Associate/Magistrate Courts. The building, located at 904 Main Street, is easily distinguishable from other downtown buildings by the white gazebo on the west lawn.

The District Courts

District Courts have jurisdiction over felony criminal matters, as well as juvenile matters, family law and civil disputes involving money and title to land.

By agreement, three District Judges handle exclusively felony criminal matters and juvenile cases. These are the 137^th, 140^th and 364^th District Courts.

The remaining three District Judges handle civil matters. These are the 72^nd, 99^th and 237^th District Courts. All six District Judges preside over family law matters.

All District Courtrooms are located on the third floor of the Lubbock County Courthouse, except the 237^th District Court which is located on the sixth floor.

The County Courts-at-Law

County Courts-at-Law have jurisdiction over misdemeanor criminal matters punishable by jail sentences, as well as certain civil matters and family law.

By agreement, two County-Court-at-Law Judges handle exclusively criminal matters. These are County-Court-at-Law Nos. 1 and 2, located on the fourth floor of the Courthouse.

The remaining County-Court-at-Law, No. 3, handles exclusively civil matters and family law. County Court-at-Law No. 3 is also located on the fourth floor of the Courthouse.

The Justice Courts

Justice Courts have jurisdiction over misdemeanor criminal matters punishable by fine only, specified civil actions and small claims cases. All four Justice Courts are located on the first floor of the Courthouse.

The County Court

In Lubbock County, the Constitutional County Court handles primarily probate matters, and is located on the first floor of the Courthouse.

The Associate/Magistrate Judge’s Courts

The Family Law Associate Judge’s Court is located on the third floor of the Lubbock County Courthouse. This Court handles preliminary matters in family law cases.

Two Child Protection Associate Judges’ Courts are located on the first floor of the Courthouse.

The IV-D Associate Judge’s Court is located on the fourth floor of the Courthouse. This Court has jurisdiction over child support matters.

The Lubbock County Court Master’s Court is located on the first floor of the Courthouse. This Court has jurisdiction over preliminary and summary matters in felony criminal cases.

The Federal Building

The eight-story George H. Mahon Federal Building is located at 1205 Texas Avenue, directly south of the Lubbock County Courthouse. It houses three courts.

The United States District Court

The United States District Court is located on the second floor of the Federal Building. This is the general trial court of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are heard in the District Court, which is a court of law, equity and admiralty.

The United States Bankruptcy Court

The United States Bankruptcy Court is located on the third floor of the Federal Building. This court has jurisdiction of bankruptcy matters.

The United States Magistrate Judge’s Court

The United States Magistrate Judge’s Court is located on the second floor of the Federal Building. The Magistrate Judge assists the District Court in the performance of the District Judge’s duties.

The Municipal Court

The City of Lubbock Municipal Court is located at 915 Avenue J. This Court handles Class C misdemeanors, primarily traffic citations. The Court’s website offers further information:

The State Office of Administrative Hearings

The State Office of Administrative Hearings is located at 8212 Ithaca Ave # W3 in Southwest Lubbock. This Court primarily handles driver’s license hearings, also known as Administrative License Revocation hearings, referred from the Texas Department of Public Safety.