Texas Municipal Court Clerk Practice Exam

In the context of municipal court procedures, a municipal court clerk must adhere to strict guidelines concerning the integrity of court records. Section 37.10 of the Texas Penal Code addresses the offense of tampering with governmental records, which encompasses falsifying, altering, or destroying records.

When a clerk makes changes to a docket, even if the intention is to correct an error, doing so can be viewed as tampering if it is not executed following proper legal and administrative protocols. This is rooted in the need to maintain an accurate and reliable court record, which is vital for the integrity of the judicial process.

The enforcement of this law is particularly rigid because court records serve crucial functions, such as informing parties of legal proceedings and preserving the history of cases. Any unauthorized alterations could undermine the legal system's reliability and transparency. Therefore, under section 37.10, any kind of adjustment made to the docket without following the formal procedures can be considered unlawful, reinforcing the notion that only authorized personnel should make corrections in prescribed ways. This ensures that the integrity of legal documentation is upheld, and all modifications are transparent and accountable.