District Clerk, Harris County
Serves as registrar, recorder, and custodian of all court pleadings, instruments, and papers that are part of any legal cause of action in the Harris County district courts and the county criminal courts at law. Assesses and collects court costs, fines, and fees. Maintains the court registry. Manages juror summons and selection process for the courts.
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Chris Daniel
(Rep)
Qualifications:
What training, experience and characteristics qualify you for this position?
Issues:
What are the two (2) most pressing issues that you will face in the office that you seek? Describe your "specific" plans/ideas for addressing these issues.
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin (2005) and a J.D. from South Texas College of Law (2010)
Occupation
Attorney
I am a Mechanical Engineer, a licensed attorney, and former project manager in engineering. I served as Harris County District Clerk from 2011 to 2019. As District Clerk, I transformed an outdated paper-based system into a modern, efficient operation. I pioneered e-filing across civil and criminal courts, transitioned over 90 courts to paperless, introduced electronic subpoenas (freeing deputies for safety duties), and expanded public access to records. These changes saved taxpayers millions while speeding justice. No other candidate has successfully led this office through such comprehensive modernization. I created the passport offices that Harris County now manages. I kept the courthouse running through Hurricane Harvey
1. Persistent court backlogs and processing delays — Harris County continues to grapple with a significant backlog of civil and criminal cases.
2. Staffing shortages & operational inefficiencies amid budget constraints — Recent budget cuts have led to layoffs and understaffing, while system performance issues (such as slow e-filing and public access portals) hinder daily operations & employee morale.
I’ll focus on optimizing and expanding e-filing (complying with recent mandates), streamlining electronic processes for warrants, subpoenas, record retrieval, case intake, & jury services, and adding targeted automation for high-volume workflows. I’ll also push for responsible budget allocations to restore key positions & cross training.
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