§ 19.009.Certified Copy
Title 2. Trial, Judgment, and Appeal · Subtitle B. Trial Matters · Chapter 19. Lost Records · Last amended 1985 · Last verified August 29, 2026
Full Text of § 19.009
Plain-English Summary
The second simple alternative, and its second half reflects how Texas counties came into being.
If the loss, destruction, or removal of an original county record is established, a certified copy of the record — from that county's records, or from the records of the county from which that county was created — may be recorded in the county.
The parent county clause is the useful part. Texas counties were repeatedly carved out of larger ones, and when a new county was created, records of land within it stayed in the parent county's books as well. Where the new county's copy is destroyed, the older county may still hold one.
The first branch — a certified copy from the same county's records — covers a record that exists in more than one book or index within a single office, which is common where an instrument was recorded in both a deed record and a separate lien or plat record.
The loss must be established before the copy is recorded, so this route is not a matter of filing a duplicate at will.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a certified copy replace a destroyed county record?
Yes, once the loss, destruction, or removal is established. The copy may come from that county's records or from the records of the county from which it was created.
Why would the parent county have a copy?
Texas counties were carved out of larger ones, and records of land in the new county often remained in the parent county's books.
Do I need to prove the record is gone?
Yes. The loss must be established before the certified copy is recorded.
Amendment History
- Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 959, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.