Inventory of county records, Gaines County courthouse, Seminole, Texas Page: 3

                                
and deaths in the county, and since 1919, he has been required to
record official discharges of persons from military service.10
From time to time, these basic responsibilities of the County
Clerk have been expanded to include the recording of business and
professional records, such as assumed name certificates; licenses
for dentists, nurses, optometrists, and morticians; plats; reports
of animals killed on railroad rights-of-way; and condominium records.11
County Clerk: As Reporter For County Court
As reporter for County Court, the County Clerk has the duties
of recording all proceedings and preserving all books, papers, and
effects of the court.12 The County Court is charged by the present
State Constitution with original jurisdiction of all misdemeanors
(excepting those cases where Justice Court has exclusive original
jurisdiction), civil cases of value between $200 and $500, general
jurisdiction for probate cases, and appointments of guardians for
minors, lunatics, idiots, and drunkards.13
The jurisdiction of the County Court underwent numerous changes
during the period from 1836 to 1876. Under the Republic of Texas
Constitution adopted in 1836, the County Court was charged with
hearing probate cases and civil cases (including those affecting
land titles) when the amount in controversy did not exceed $100.
In 1839 the limited civil jurisdiction granted to the County Court
was repealed by the State Legislature.   The first constitution,
adopted after Texas was granted statehood in 1845, established inferior
courts in the various counties and divided the probate jurisdiction
between the inferior and district courts. The inferior
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