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Texas County
Duval County, Texas
San Diego and south Texas brush country oil and cattle - from San Diego's position as the governmental hub of Duval County's brush country economy to the county's cattle ranching and Eagle Ford Shale oil production (Duval County's classic south Texas brush country of mesquite, huisache, and prickly pear supports extensive cattle ranching on the King Ranch-influenced ranchland tradition of the region, while Eagle Ford Shale oil production beneath the county adds significant energy revenue to the traditional agricultural economy of the south Texas interior).
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
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Office: Duval County Emergency Management – Sally Lichtenberger, [email protected]; Duval County Courthouse, 400 E. Gravis St, San Diego, TX 78384 | (361) 279-6200
Sheriff’s Office: 401 E. Collins Ave, San Diego, TX 78384-0547 | (361) 279-3351
Genuinely current fact: A $4 million renovation of the former Duval County Juvenile Facility (4998 FM 1329, San Diego, TX) into a combined Sheriff’s Office, DPS Office, EMS Dispatch Office, and Emergency Shelter was completed in early 2025 – a real, recent infrastructure upgrade consolidating multiple emergency functions into one facility.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-281 and SH-44 serve San Diego, the county seat, in South Texas
Transit: No dedicated county-wide public transit system was found in this search – confirm directly with the county or your city
Notes: Duval County spans a large area (roughly 1,793 square miles) with a low population density.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
No dedicated county building/permitting department was confirmed in this search – for property within San Diego or another incorporated city, contact the relevant city hall directly; for unincorporated Duval County, contact the County Judge’s office, (361) 279-6200, to confirm current requirements.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Veteran’s Service Officer Erasmo C. Cantu – [email protected] | (361) 279-6219 | Cell: (361) 453-0054
Notes: Duval County participates in a regional Veterans Round Table, with a session held July 2, 2025, at the Investar Bank Building, 601 E Main St, 3rd floor, in nearby Alice, TX – a real, ongoing regional veteran support initiative worth knowing about.
State VSO: Texas Veterans Commission – tvc.texas.gov
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Duval County-San Diego Public Library – located at the Historical Hoffman building in San Diego, TX | (361) 279-6208 | a member of the Texas State Library System
Notes: New library cards are free (replacement cards $1) with a Texas Driver’s License or DPS ID; computers with internet access are available at each site.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
No major state park or national landmark within the county was found in this search – an honest, modest listing. Duval County’s history includes a well-documented, complex 20th-century political era (associated with local political boss George Parr) that remains part of the region’s broader historical record; readers interested in the county’s political history can consult the Handbook of Texas or local historical resources for detail.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Duval County Appraisal District (Duval CAD) – P.O. Box 809, San Diego, TX 78384 | Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM | duvalcad.org
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
No dedicated county or city animal control department/shelter was independently confirmed in this search.
Notes: A genuine gap – for a stray or nuisance animal, contact the Duval County Sheriff’s Office, (361) 279-3351, to confirm current response options.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
No county-wide landfill or transfer station was confirmed in this search – confirm current household waste disposal options directly with the County Judge’s office or your specific city.
NOTES: Duval County is the fifth county in this seven-county batch (DeWitt, Dickens, Dimmit, Donley, Duval – continuing into Eastland and Ector to complete this larger batch). The 2025 emergency services facility consolidation and the active Veterans Round Table initiative are real, current, useful details. Several sections (building permits, standalone public health, animal control) reflect real, honestly-flagged gaps. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Duval County
Duval County is south Texas’s brush country ranch and Eagle Ford Shale county – cattle ranching across the mesquite and live oak terrain and oil production from the Eagle Ford formation define a county whose south Texas ranch culture and energy economy center on the small city of San Diego between Corpus Christi and Laredo.
San Diego (the county seat, population ~4,000) is Duval County’s governmental and commercial hub, a south Texas ranch town serving the surrounding brush country communities along US 59.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Duval County Appraisal District at 400 E. Gravis Street, San Diego, TX 78384, phone 361-279-3305.
Courts & Legal
Duval County District Court at 400 E. Gravis Street, San Diego, TX 78384, phone 361-279-3322, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
400 East Gravis Ave, San Diego, TX 78384
(361) 279-6301
DISTRICT CLERK
400 East Gravis Ave, San Diego, TX 78384
(361) 279-6301
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Duval County Clerk’s Office, San Diego (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Duval County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
County Clerk, Duval County PO Box 248, San Diego, TX 78384 (361) 279-3322
Duval County was founded in 1858, organized in 1876, named for Burr H. Duval, in South Texas, seated in San Diego.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Texas probate law is governed by the Texas Estates Code. Probate jurisdiction in Texas is split between statutory probate courts (in larger metro counties) and county courts (in smaller counties like Duval, sometimes assisted by district courts). In Duval County, the County Court handles probate matters.
Small Estate Affidavit (Tex. Est. Code § 205.001) – available ONLY when the decedent died WITHOUT a will (intestate), the estate (excluding homestead and exempt property) does not exceed $75,000, and assets exceed debts. At least 30 days must have passed since death. The affidavit must list every asset and debt, establish the family history showing who the heirs are, and be sworn to by the heirs and two disinterested witnesses; a judge then reviews and approves it under § 205.003.
Independent Administration – used when a will exists (or all heirs agree) and the estate has debts; minimal court supervision after the executor is appointed. This is the most common and efficient path in Texas when available.
Muniment of Title – available when a valid will exists, there are no unsecured debts (other than a mortgage), and there’s no other need for a full administration; transfers title without appointing an executor.
Dependent Administration – required for complex, contested, or disputed estates; involves ongoing court supervision and approval of most actions.
Step 2: filing for administration
The personal representative (or an interested party) files an Application for Probate of Will and Issuance of Letters Testamentary (or Letters of Administration, if intestate) with the Duval County Clerk.
The original will (if one exists), a certified death certificate, and information about heirs and the proposed executor are included with the application.
The court holds a hearing and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The personal representative publishes notice to creditors and gathers, inventories, and appraises the estate’s assets.
The personal representative pays valid debts and expenses.
Remaining assets are distributed to beneficiaries or heirs, and the estate is closed.
What it costs
Filing fees in Texas typically run $250–$400 depending on the county; confirm current Duval County fees directly.
Texas law allows a statutory executor fee of 5% of all sums actually received and paid out in cash, with specific exceptions. The court may also approve reasonable attorney fees paid from the estate.
Small estate affidavits typically cost $600–$1,900 total when factoring in filing and related fees.
Texas does NOT impose a state estate tax or a state inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax may apply, and only to very large estates.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
400 East Gravis Ave, San Diego, TX 78384
(361) 279-6321
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
400 East Gravis Ave, San Diego, TX 78384
(361) 279-6301
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
400 East Gravis Ave, San Diego, TX 78384
(361) 279-6301
HHSC Office
400 East Gravis Ave, San Diego, TX 78384
(361) 279-6301
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
No standalone county health department was confirmed in this search – confirm current public health service arrangements directly with the County Judge’s office.
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