Choose the Right Travis County Clerk Before You Search a Name
Travis County court records are divided among the District Clerk, County Clerk, Justice of the Peace courts, Austin Municipal Court and federal court. Searching only one portal can miss the case even when the record is public.
This guide helps you route felony, misdemeanor, divorce, civil, probate, eviction, small-claims and traffic records to the correct official system, search by name, confirm court dates and request certified copies without paying the wrong office.
What Are You Trying to Find?
Start with the task that matches your case. Travis County uses several separate courts and record systems.
Search district civil, family, divorce and felony criminal records through the District Clerk’s case portal.
Open the District Clerk routeCounty courts at law and probate records use the County Clerk’s separate court-data system.
Open the County Clerk routeJustice of the Peace courts maintain separate civil and criminal records by precinct.
Check JP and municipal courtsCheck the dedicated criminal docket search for settings or request a certified copy from the clerk holding the case.
Check dates and copiesWhich Travis County Office Holds the Case?
The most important step is identifying the court type. A search can return nothing simply because the case belongs to a different clerk, JP precinct, city court or federal court.
| Case or record | Correct record holder | Best official route |
|---|---|---|
| Felony criminal case | Travis County District Clerk | District Clerk online court-record search. |
| Divorce, custody, support or name change | Travis County District Clerk | District Clerk family and civil records. |
| District-court civil lawsuit | Travis County District Clerk | District Clerk case portal. |
| Class A or Class B misdemeanor | Travis County Clerk | County Clerk misdemeanor court-data search. |
| County court-at-law civil case | Travis County Clerk | County Clerk civil search. |
| Probate, estate, guardianship or mental-health case | Travis County Clerk Probate Division | County Clerk probate search and docket pages. |
| Eviction, debt claim, small claim or JP traffic matter | Justice of the Peace court | Travis County JP Judicial Records portal. |
| Austin traffic ticket or city ordinance case | Austin Municipal Court | Search the City of Austin Municipal Court system. |
| Texas state appeal | Texas appellate court system | Use the Texas appellate case-search system. |
| Federal civil, criminal or bankruptcy case | U.S. District Court or Bankruptcy Court | Use PACER and the Western District of Texas. |
How to Search Travis County Court Records by Name
Begin with the official portal that matches the case type. Keep the first search broad, then narrow the result list using the filing year, court, party role or case number.
- Identify the likely court type. Decide whether the matter is felony, divorce, county misdemeanor, probate, JP, municipal or federal.
- Open the corresponding official search page. Do not assume the District Clerk portal includes County Clerk, JP or municipal records.
- Enter the last name and first name. Use the full legal name shown on the citation, petition, notice or previous court document.
- Repeat the search with fewer name details. Remove the middle name or initial if the first search returns nothing.
- Try former and alternate names. Search maiden names, previous surnames, common spelling variations and business names without punctuation.
- Add a filing-year range. Use the approximate year of arrest, divorce filing, lawsuit, eviction or probate opening.
- Search the cause number when available. A complete cause or case number is safer than a same-name result.
- Open the case details and verify the record. Compare the court, filing date, party role, case type, attorney and disposition.
Use this three-pass method
Search the first and last name without unnecessary filters.
Try no middle name, former surname, maiden name or business-name variation.
Add the filing year, court type, party role or exact cause number.
Search District Clerk Records for Felony, Divorce and District Cases
The Travis County District Clerk provides free online viewing of eligible public court records. The current portal states that its online coverage includes family and civil cases from 2006 to the present and criminal cases from 2008 to the present.
Search felony charges, case events, court settings and publicly available documents.
Search divorce, parent-child, support, name-change and related family matters.
Search district-level civil litigation and available filings.
Request certified, authenticated or physical copies directly from the District Clerk.
Search County Clerk Records for Misdemeanor, Civil and Probate Cases
The Travis County Clerk maintains separate records for county civil courts at law, misdemeanor criminal courts and the Probate Court. The County Clerk’s court-data portal is separate from the District Clerk system.
| County Clerk record type | Online case-data range | Online document-image range |
|---|---|---|
| Misdemeanor | January 1981 to present | Some documents may be available online. |
| County civil | June 1986 to present | Redacted images from December 2005 to present. |
| Probate | July 1992 to present | Redacted images from November 2009 to present. |
Check Justice of the Peace and Municipal Courts Separately
Cases handled by a Justice of the Peace or city municipal court may not appear in the main District Clerk or County Clerk search.
Eviction cases are commonly filed in a Travis County Justice Court precinct.
Many lower-value civil disputes are handled through Justice Courts.
Justice Courts also handle certain criminal, traffic and administrative matters.
City-issued traffic and ordinance cases may belong to Austin Municipal Court.
A ticket issued by another Travis County municipality may be held by that city’s municipal court.
Use the precinct map or notice to identify the correct Justice of the Peace court.
How to Check a Travis County Court Date
A case-record search and a court-date search are not always the same tool. Travis County operates a dedicated criminal docket search for felony and misdemeanor settings.
- Open the official criminal docket search. Search by the arrested person’s name, attorney, judge, court number or case number.
- Check the court and setting type. A docket may contain multiple settings for the same case.
- Confirm the appearance requirement. The official docket page advises checking the site the day before coming to the courthouse.
- Read the most recent notice. A mailed, emailed or attorney-provided notice may contain instructions not shown in a public summary.
- Call the court if the date controls a deadline. Do not assume a hearing was cancelled merely because it is temporarily missing online.
Confirm the Record Before Relying on It
A same-name result can belong to another person. Check several case details together before treating the result as a match.
Use the complete number from a notice, citation, petition or previous order.
Confirm whether the case is in district, county, probate, JP or municipal court.
Check whether the person is a defendant, plaintiff, petitioner, respondent or another participant.
Compare the filing year with the arrest, lawsuit, divorce, eviction or probate event.
A felony, misdemeanor, divorce, probate and eviction record should follow different court routes.
A filed charge or petition does not prove conviction, liability or a final judgment.
Use the site’s court-record glossary when a term such as docket, disposition, judgment, indictment or dismissal is unclear.
What to Do When a Travis County Case Does Not Appear
You searched the wrong clerk
Move between District Clerk, County Clerk, JP and municipal systems based on the case type.
The filing is new
County Clerk case data may update within about 24 hours, while document images can take roughly 72 hours.
The case is older
The online portal may not cover the filing year. Ask the correct clerk to search paper, microfilm or archived data.
The name changed
Try a maiden name, former surname, alias, middle initial or business name without punctuation.
The case is federal
Use PACER and the Western District of Texas rather than a Travis County portal.
The record is restricted
Juvenile, sealed, expunged, adoption and other sensitive records may be unavailable to the general public.
Run this recovery sequence
- Confirm whether the matter is felony, misdemeanor, family, probate, JP or municipal.
- Repeat the name search without a middle name.
- Try a maiden name, former surname or business-name variation.
- Search using the full case or cause number.
- Check the dedicated criminal docket search for a court setting.
- Allow time for a newly filed document image to appear.
- Check the Justice of the Peace portal.
- Check Austin or another city’s municipal court.
- Use PACER for federal records.
- Contact the clerk holding the case for an archive search.
How to Request Certified Travis County Court Records
A public portal image is useful for research, but it may not satisfy an agency, employer, bank, attorney or another court. Certified and authenticated copies must come from the clerk that maintains the case.
| Record division | Common published copy charge | Important note |
|---|---|---|
| District Clerk civil records | $1 per paper page plus $5 for certificate and seal. | Confirm current fees before submitting the request. |
| County Clerk civil records | $1 per page plus $5 certification per document. | Electronic non-certified copy pricing can differ from paper-copy pricing. |
| County Clerk misdemeanor records | $1 per page plus $5 certification per document. | Older record research may involve a separate search fee. |
| County Clerk probate records | $1 per page plus $5 certification per document. | Authenticated or exemplified copies have additional charges. |
Prepare this information first
- Complete case or cause number
- Court and clerk division
- Names of the parties
- Exact document title
- Approximate filing or signing date
- Number of copies
- Whether certification or authentication is required
- Your contact and delivery information
Where to Request Travis County Court Records in Person
Use the location connected with the case type. Calling before travelling is sensible when the record is old, archived or needed in authenticated form.
District Clerk Civil and Family Records
Civil and Family Court Facility
1700 Guadalupe Street, Room 3.200
Austin, TX 78701
- District civil records
- Divorce and family records
- Name-change and related district matters
- Published in-person record-request hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
District Clerk Felony Records
Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center, Gault Annex
501 West 11th Street
2nd Floor, Room 2.300
Austin, TX 78701
- Felony court records
- Certified felony documents
- Older or unavailable criminal filings
County Clerk Civil Division
Civil and Family Court Facility
1700 Guadalupe Street, Suite 4.300
Austin, TX 78701
Phone: 512-854-5959
- County civil court-at-law records
- Copies and certifications
- Civil docket questions
County Clerk Probate Division
Probate Department
200 West 8th Street, Suite 140
Austin, TX 78701
Phone: 512-854-5958
- Probate and estate records
- Guardianship records
- Wills and probate-copy requests
Use a Different System for Appeals, Federal Cases and Background Checks
| What you need | Correct source | Why the county portal is not enough |
|---|---|---|
| Texas appellate case | Texas appellate case-search system | Appeals are maintained separately from the trial-court record. |
| Federal district case | Western District of Texas and PACER | Federal court records are not part of Travis County’s clerk databases. |
| State criminal-history search | Texas Department of Public Safety | A county court-case search is not a statewide criminal-history report. |
| Current jail custody | Travis County Sheriff’s Office | A court docket is not a live inmate or booking-status system. |
| Police report | Investigating police department or sheriff | Police reports are law-enforcement records rather than court-file copies. |
Use Travis County Court Information Carefully
A court-record search can show allegations, dismissed cases, duplicate names, amended charges and incomplete online files. It should not be treated as a complete background report.
- Do not assume an arrest or charge resulted in conviction.
- Do not assume an open case has reached a final outcome.
- Do not assume a same-name result belongs to the intended person.
- Do not treat an online image as a certified court document.
- Do not use this website as a consumer-reporting or screening service.
Use the site’s court record types guide to distinguish dockets, judgments, calendars and certified copies. Review the FCRA and consumer-reporting notice before using public-record information in an eligibility decision.
Frequently Asked Questions About Travis County Court Records
Can I search Travis County court records online for free?
Yes. The Travis County District Clerk states that eligible public court records can be viewed online without charge. The County Clerk also allows a free basic electronic search for one name or business, although copy and older-record research fees may apply.
Which clerk handles Travis County divorce records?
The Travis County District Clerk maintains divorce and other family district-court records. Use the District Clerk’s case-information portal, then request a certified final decree from that office if official proof is required.
Where do I search Travis County misdemeanor records?
Use the Travis County Clerk’s misdemeanor court-data search. Felony records use the District Clerk instead, so confirm whether the charge is a felony or county-level misdemeanor.
Why is a newly filed document not visible online?
The County Clerk states that case data update about every 24 hours and newly filed document images can take approximately 72 hours to appear. The document may also be restricted or unavailable for remote viewing.
How do I confirm a Travis County criminal court date?
Use the official Travis County criminal docket search. Search by the person’s name, attorney, judge, court number or case number. Check again the day before the appearance and contact the court when attendance requirements are unclear.
Where do I find Travis County eviction or small-claims records?
These cases are commonly handled by Travis County Justice of the Peace courts. Use the JP Judicial Records portal and identify the correct precinct from the case notice, address or precinct map.
Are Austin traffic tickets in the Travis County court portal?
Not always. A ticket issued by the City of Austin may belong to Austin Municipal Court. Tickets issued by a Justice of the Peace or another city may use a different court system.
How much is a certified Travis County court record?
Common published charges are $1 per page plus a $5 certification fee per document, but fees differ by division and record type. Authenticated or exemplified copies may cost more. Verify the current fee with the clerk holding the case.
How far back do Travis County online records go?
The District Clerk lists online family and civil coverage from 2006 and criminal coverage from 2008. The County Clerk lists misdemeanor data from 1981, county civil data from 1986 and probate data from 1992, with later starting dates for many document images.
Can I use a Travis County court search as a background check?
No. A court-case search is not a complete, fingerprint-verified or consumer-reporting background check. It can contain duplicate names, pending allegations, dismissed matters and incomplete records.
How This Travis County Guide Was Verified
- Travis County District Clerk — Case Information and Records
- Travis County District Clerk — Records Request
- Travis County Clerk — Court Data
- Travis County Clerk — Civil Search and Copies
- Travis County Clerk — Misdemeanor Search and Copies
- Travis County Clerk — Probate Search and Records
- Travis County — Justices of the Peace
- Travis County — Criminal Docket Search
- Travis County Law Library — Court Records
- U.S. District Court — Western District of Texas
Read the site’s source-verification policy for information about how official portals, fees, office locations and access limitations are reviewed.
Travis County clerk responsibilities, online record ranges, portal-update timing, docket-search guidance, copy fees, office locations and federal-court routing were checked against current official sources.
Court portals, fees, office locations and public-access rules can change. The current record-holding clerk or court controls when its instructions differ from this guide.