Search Texas Court Records Without Starting in the Wrong Court
Texas court records are divided among district clerks, county clerks, justice courts, municipal courts, appellate courts and federal courts. re:SearchTX is the best statewide starting point for many county and district court cases, but it does not replace every local clerk search.
This guide shows how to search a name across Texas, narrow duplicate results, identify the correct county and court level, recover older or missing cases, buy an online document, and request an official certified copy from the record-holding clerk.
Choose the Search Route That Matches Your Record
The fastest Texas search depends on the court level. Start with the card that matches the type of case or information already available.
Create a free account, search the party name and narrow the results by county and court location.
Follow the statewide searchUse the district clerk, county clerk, justice court or municipal court that maintains the case.
Identify the correct clerkTexas appellate courts use Judicial Branch case tools; federal district and bankruptcy cases use PACER.
Choose the higher courtA re:SearchTX download is not automatically a certified copy. Certification comes from the court clerk.
Request the right copyIdentify the Texas Court That Maintains the Record
The Texas Judicial Branch states that its main website does not contain a single portal for every trial-court search. The correct records custodian depends on the court level and local county structure.
Usually maintains felony, major civil, family and other district-court records. Exact jurisdiction differs by county.
Often maintains county court, county court at law, misdemeanor, probate and smaller civil matters.
Contact the correct precinct court directly. Justice court cases are not currently included in re:SearchTX.
Search the city municipal court or contact its clerk. Do not assume a city citation will appear in a county portal.
How to Search Texas Court Records by Name in re:SearchTX
re:SearchTX provides statewide access to e-filed case information and court documents from all 254 Texas counties. A login is required, but a separate eFileTexas account is not required to create a re:SearchTX account.
- Open re:SearchTX and register or sign in. Existing eFileTexas users can sign in with the same email address and password. Other users can create a re:SearchTX account directly.
- Start with Quick Search. Enter the person, business, attorney, judge or case number in the dashboard search box.
- Search the legal name first. Use the person’s current legal first and last name. For a business, begin with the formal entity name.
- Review the counties and court locations. Do not assume the first same-name result is correct. A common name may appear in several counties and different court levels.
- Open the advanced search filters. Narrow the results by county, court location, case type, case status and filing-date range when those details are known.
- Repeat with name variations. Try a middle initial, full middle name, former surname, maiden name, suffix, shortened business name or punctuation variation.
- Open the case summary. Confirm the party role, case number, county, court, filing date, case category and status.
- Use the local clerk as the final authority. Contact the record-holding clerk when the case, event, disposition or document is missing or unclear.
Use this three-pass Texas name-search method
Search the full legal name without adding a county or date filter during the first attempt.
Try a middle initial, suffix, former surname, maiden name or simplified business name.
Add the likely county, court location, case type and filing-date range one filter at a time.
Understand re:SearchTX Coverage Before Concluding No Case Exists
re:SearchTX is statewide, but “statewide” does not mean that every historical case, every local court or every document is visible to every public user.
| Coverage question | Current Texas guidance | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Which counties are represented? | E-filed cases and documents from all 254 Texas counties are included. | Use re:SearchTX as the first statewide search for district and county court cases. |
| Are justice court cases included? | No | Contact the justice of the peace precinct directly for small claims, eviction and other justice court matters. |
| How far back do e-filed records go? | E-filed cases and documents are available from January 1, 2016. | Older files may require the local clerk’s legacy portal, paper archive or courthouse terminal. |
| What can ordinary public users see? | Users without attorney, judge or clerk roles generally cannot see e-filed data from before November 1, 2018. | A missing older case may still exist in the clerk’s local system. |
| Can local data be older? | Sometimes | Integrated local court systems may contribute records going back decades, but coverage varies court by court. |
| Are sealed or restricted records visible? | Restricted | Registration does not override sealing orders, confidentiality laws or role-based access rules. |
Verify That a Texas Name Result Is the Correct Person
A party-name search is a discovery tool, not conclusive identity verification. Review the case details before relying on the result.
Does the filing location match where the dispute, arrest, property, business or family matter occurred?
Check whether the person is listed as plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent, debtor or another participant.
Confirm whether the case is civil, criminal, family, probate, tax, property, business or another type.
Compare the filing year with the event, citation, dispute or legal notice being researched.
Review aliases, former names, business names and co-parties without assuming they prove identity.
Read whether the case is pending, dismissed, disposed, convicted, settled or otherwise resolved.
How to Read a Texas Trial Court Case Record
A case summary usually combines basic case information with a chronological docket or event list. The event list does not guarantee that every underlying document is remotely available.
| Case section | What it may show | How to use it safely |
|---|---|---|
| Case header | Case number, court, county, filing date, status and case category. | Use this section to confirm that the correct court and case were opened. |
| Parties | Plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, attorneys and other participants. | Check the party role rather than relying only on the name. |
| Events or docket | Filings, orders, hearings, notices, judgments and clerk activity. | A listed event may have no public document attached. |
| Charges or claims | Criminal allegations, civil causes of action or requested relief. | Read later events and the final disposition before drawing conclusions. |
| Hearings | Scheduled date, time, judge, location or hearing type. | Confirm an appearance directly with the court because calendars can change. |
| Disposition | Dismissal, conviction, judgment, nonsuit, settlement or another outcome. | This is generally more meaningful than the original petition or charge. |
Use the site’s plain-English court records glossary when a term such as docket, disposition, nonsuit, judgment, expungement or sealed record is unclear.
How Much re:SearchTX Documents Cost
Basic re:SearchTX use is free. Optional advanced professional features may require a subscription, while public court documents can carry a legislatively set per-document charge.
| Item | Current guidance | Important note |
|---|---|---|
| Basic re:SearchTX access | Free | An account is still required to sign in and search. |
| Document of 1–10 pages | $1.00 per document | The fee is collected for the local clerk where the case originated. |
| Document longer than 10 pages | $1.00 for the first 10 pages, then $0.10 per additional page | Review the displayed price before completing a purchase. |
| Your own case | Attorneys of record and self-represented litigants generally do not have to purchase documents in their own cases. | The account must be correctly linked to the case and role. |
| Certified copy | Fee varies by clerk and document type. | Order certification from the local record custodian, not from this independent website. |
What to Do When a Texas Name Search Finds Nothing
Do not stop after one statewide search. Texas trial-court records are decentralized, and older or lower-court cases may exist only in a local system.
The case is in a justice court
Search the justice of the peace precinct directly. Justice court cases are not currently included in re:SearchTX.
The matter is municipal
Contact the city municipal court for city citations, ordinance cases and many local Class C misdemeanor matters.
The case predates public coverage
Public re:SearchTX users generally cannot see e-filed data from before November 1, 2018.
The local court is not fully integrated
The statewide system may contain e-filed documents while the local clerk portal contains additional historical docket data.
The wrong county was searched
A person may live in one county while the case was filed where an incident, property, business or other party was located.
The record is restricted
Sealed, confidential, expunged, juvenile and other protected records may not be available remotely.
Use the Texas no-result search ladder
Try the middle initial, suffix, former surname, maiden name, business abbreviation and punctuation variations.
Use addresses, citations, property location, arresting agency, attorney information or earlier court notices.
Use for district-court felony, major civil, family and other district matters.
Use for county-level misdemeanor, probate, county civil and county court at law matters where locally assigned.
Use for small claims, evictions, precinct cases, city citations and municipal ordinance matters.
Use the Texas appellate court search tools or PACER when the case is not a Texas trial-court matter.
How to Request an Official Texas Court Copy
The clerk of the court is generally the custodian of the official case record. Copy fees, certification charges, payment methods and request forms vary by county and court.
Prepare this information before contacting the clerk
- Complete case number, when available
- Full names of the parties
- County and court name
- Approximate filing year
- Exact document title
- Docket-event or signing date
- Number of copies needed
- Whether the copy must be certified, exemplified or plain
- Your email, telephone and mailing information
Ask the clerk these four questions
- Is the document public? Confirm that it is not sealed, confidential, expunged or restricted by law.
- Is the record available electronically? Older files may require archive retrieval, microfilm review or an in-person visit.
- What copy type is available? Ask about plain, certified, exemplified and electronically certified copies.
- What is the full cost? Confirm copy charges, certification fees, search fees, postage and accepted payment methods.
Use the site’s court record types guide to compare a docket, order, judgment, hearing calendar and certified copy before submitting a request.
Search Texas Appeals and Federal Cases in Separate Systems
| Record needed | Correct system | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas civil or juvenile highest-court case | Supreme Court of Texas | Case search, documents, briefs, orders, opinions and events in the state’s highest civil court. |
| Texas criminal highest-court case | Texas Court of Criminal Appeals | The state’s highest appellate court for criminal cases. |
| Intermediate state appeal | Texas Courts of Appeals | Civil and criminal appeals from district and county-level courts within each appellate district. |
| Texas Business Court case | re:SearchTX | Business Court records, docket information, hearings and available documents. |
| Federal district or bankruptcy case | PACER | Federal civil, criminal, bankruptcy and appellate cases. |
Use a Different Texas System for These Records
| Information needed | Why a court-name search is not enough | Better route |
|---|---|---|
| Texas criminal-history report | A court search covers individual cases and is not a statewide criminal-history report. | Use the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal History Name Search. |
| Current jail custody | A court docket does not provide reliable real-time detention status. | Use the county sheriff or detention-center roster. |
| Police report | Police reports are law-enforcement records, not ordinary court filings. | Contact the investigating police department or sheriff. |
| Deed, mortgage or recorded lien | These are county real-property or official public records. | Search the county clerk’s official records or property-record system. |
| Birth, death or marriage certificate | These are vital records rather than trial-court case documents. | Use Texas Vital Statistics or the appropriate county clerk. |
| Protective-order registry result | Public registry access is limited and the registry is not the official court record. | Use the Texas OCA registry where authorized, then verify through the court maintaining the case. |
Sealed, Confidential, Juvenile and Restricted Texas Records
Public registration does not create a right to view restricted case information. Access can be limited by statute, court rule, sealing order, expunction, nondisclosure order or role-based permission.
- Sealed records: restricted under a court order.
- Expunged records: removed or restricted under the applicable legal process.
- Orders of nondisclosure: limit disclosure of qualifying criminal-history information.
- Juvenile matters: commonly subject to stronger confidentiality rules.
- Adoption and sensitive family matters: access may be limited or unavailable remotely.
- Protected personal information: may be redacted from otherwise public documents.
Use Texas Court Information Carefully
A name-based court search can return allegations, dismissed cases, duplicate names, outdated docket entries and incomplete document access. It should not be treated as a fingerprint-confirmed identity check or complete consumer report.
- Do not assume a charge resulted in a conviction.
- Do not assume a petition resulted in a judgment.
- Do not assume a same-name case belongs to the intended person.
- Do not rely on a hearing calendar instead of an official notice.
- Do not treat a downloaded document as certified unless the clerk certified it.
- Do not use this website for employment, housing, credit, insurance or eligibility screening.
Read the site’s FCRA and consumer-reporting notice before using public-record information in a decision-making context.
Frequently Asked Questions About Texas Court Records
Is there one official website for every Texas trial-court case?
No. re:SearchTX is the best statewide starting point for many district and county court cases, but Texas trial-court records are still maintained by local district clerks, county clerks, justice courts and municipal courts.
Do I need an account to use re:SearchTX?
Yes. You can sign in with an existing eFileTexas account or register directly for a re:SearchTX account. Basic platform access is free.
Does re:SearchTX include all 254 Texas counties?
It contains e-filed cases and documents from all 254 counties. Coverage depth and older locally integrated data vary from court to court.
Why can’t I find a Texas justice court case?
Justice-of-the-peace cases are not currently included in re:SearchTX. Contact the correct justice court precinct directly for small claims, eviction and other justice court records.
How far back does re:SearchTX go?
E-filed data is available from January 1, 2016, but ordinary public users generally cannot see e-filed data from before November 1, 2018. Locally integrated court data may go back further.
How much does a document cost in re:SearchTX?
A document of 1–10 pages costs $1.00. Each additional page costs $0.10. Basic searching is free, while optional professional features may require a subscription.
Are re:SearchTX documents certified copies?
Not automatically. Request a certified, exemplified or sealed copy directly from the district clerk, county clerk or other court custodian maintaining the official record.
Which clerk holds a Texas divorce record?
Divorce cases are generally filed in a district court and maintained by the district clerk, but local court structure should be confirmed through the county clerk or Texas Judicial Directory.
Where do I search a Texas municipal ticket?
Search the municipal court for the city that issued or filed the citation. Do not assume a city ticket will appear in the county clerk or re:SearchTX portal.
Where do I search a Texas federal or bankruptcy case?
Use PACER for U.S. district, bankruptcy and federal appellate court records. Texas state trial-court portals do not contain federal cases.
How This Texas Court Records Guide Was Verified
- re:SearchTX — Statewide Texas Court Records
- re:SearchTX — Texas Access and Coverage
- re:SearchTX — Search and Document Costs
- Texas Judicial Branch — Court Records FAQs
- Texas Judicial Branch — Judicial Directory
- Texas Judicial Branch — Open Records Policy
- Supreme Court of Texas
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
- PACER — Federal Court Records
- Texas Department of Public Safety — Crime Records
Read the site’s source verification and manual checking policy. Report changed links or factual problems through the corrections and updates process.
re:SearchTX registration, statewide coverage, historical access limits, justice court exclusions, document costs, local clerk routing, appellate systems and federal access were checked against current official sources.
Court portals, access levels, fees and local clerk procedures can change. The record-holding Texas court or clerk controls when its current instructions differ from this guide.