Learn about the role of Municipal Court clerks

Published on November 07, 2022

Municipal Courts Week Nov. 7-11 at the A.D. Marshall Public Safety and Courts Building, 1000 Throckmorton St. Municipal Courts Week is dedicated to appreciating the contributions that Texas municipal courts make to the safety and wellbeing of communities. Today, the spotlight is on the Clerk of Court Division.

The Clerk of the Court Division serves as the case administrator for the Municipal Court Department. The Clerk Division manages the life of a citation from cases filed to final dispositions, which includes record management and retention, collection of fines and fees, jury management, internal collections, docketing and calendaring, courtroom support, and community engagement.

Court clerks are usually the first point of contact and introduction to the court system, which means clerks have to be knowledgeable to provide legal information as well as people-centric to understand that they are the first impression residents receive about the court.

“As an important piece of public safety and justice, court clerks are impartial participants to ensure that all parties are provided equal protection of the law. The court could not function without clerks diligently working to support the important right of due process as our judges administer justice in the courtroom,” said Clerk of the Court Juan Paredes.

Paredes started his career with Municipal Court in 2007 and began serving in his role as clerk of the court in 2020. A longtime resident of Fort Worth, Paredes received his bachelor of science degree from Texas Wesleyan University, received certifications from the Texas Municipal Court Education Center and the Institute of Court Management, and served on various professional association boards.

Photo: Clerk of the Court Juan Carlos Paredes

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