Harris County Court Records Search
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Harris County is the most populous county in Texas, encompassing Houston and dozens of surrounding municipalities. Its court system is among the largest in the nation, with more than 60 district courts, multiple county courts at law, four dedicated probate courts, eight justice of the peace precincts, and numerous municipal courts. Court records in Harris County are maintained by two primary custodians: the Harris County District Clerk, who manages records for all district-level proceedings (felony criminal, civil, family, and juvenile cases), and the Harris County Clerk, who oversees county court at law records (misdemeanor criminal, lower-value civil matters, and probate), along with vital records and real property filings. Understanding which office holds the records you need is the essential first step in any search.
Residents and researchers looking for Harris County court information can begin at the state level through TexasStateCourts.us, which serves as a centralized directory for locating court case data across Texas. From there, searches can be narrowed to Harris County using official clerk portals, public access terminals at courthouse locations, or direct requests to the appropriate clerk’s office. The county maintains several free online search tools that allow the public to look up case information without visiting a courthouse, though obtaining certified copies of documents typically requires a formal request and payment of applicable fees.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Harris County?
Harris County provides multiple pathways for locating court case information, depending on the type of case and how much detail you need.
Online Search Portals
The most efficient starting point for most searches is the District Clerk’s online document search, which covers all district court cases including felony criminal, civil, family, and juvenile matters. Users can search by party name, case number, attorney name, or date range. The District Clerk also publishes document search hints that explain how to construct effective name-based queries, including guidance on hyphenated names, business entities, and partial matches.
For county-level court records — misdemeanors, county civil cases, and probate — the Harris County Clerk’s web search portal provides case lookups organized by case type. Probate cases specifically can be accessed through the Clerk’s probate case search tool.
Additional online resources include:
- Justice of the Peace case search for small claims, eviction, and traffic matters
- My Harris County Case portal, which consolidates case information across multiple court types
- Harris County Probate Courts website for probate-specific dockets and information
In-Person Searches
Walk-in searches can be conducted at any of the clerk office locations during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The primary offices are:
Harris County District Clerk – Main Office
201 Caroline Street, Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (832) 927-5800
Email: CustomerService@hcdistrictclerk.com
Harris County District Clerk – Records Center
5900 Canal Street, Houston, TX 77011
Phone: (832) 927-5860
(Walk-ins welcome; free parking; provides copies of judgments, divorce decrees, criminal background documents, and historical records)
Harris County Clerk’s Office
201 Caroline Street, 3rd Floor, Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (713) 274-8600
Mail and Email Requests
Written requests for district court records should be submitted using the appropriate request form and sent to:
Harris County District Clerk
P.O. Box 4651
Houston, TX 77210
The District Clerk also accepts requests by email at dcrecords@hcdistrictclerk.com or by calling the general line at (832) 927-5800. For county clerk records, mail requests go to:
Harris County Clerk – Public Records
P.O. Box 1525
Houston, TX 77251-1525
Phone and fax requests are accepted, though a 4% credit card surcharge applies to all non-cash remote payments. In-person payments can be made by cash, check, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express) without a surcharge.
Are Court Records Public in Harris County?
Texas has a strong presumption of public access to government records. The Texas Public Information Act (Government Code Chapter 552) establishes that records held by governmental bodies are open to the public unless a specific exception applies. Court records, however, operate under a somewhat distinct framework because the judiciary is not classified as a “governmental body” under the Act. Instead, public access to court files is governed primarily by Rule 76a of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, along with various provisions of the Texas Government Code and the Texas Family Code.
Records That Are Generally Public
Most court filings in Harris County are available for public inspection, including:
- Criminal case dockets, charging instruments, plea records, and judgments
- Civil petitions, motions, orders, and final judgments
- Divorce decrees (though sensitive personal identifiers may be redacted)
- Probate filings, including wills admitted to probate and estate inventories
- Real property records, liens, and deed filings maintained by the County Clerk
Records That Are Restricted or Confidential
Certain categories of records are sealed, restricted, or confidential under Texas law:
- Juvenile records are generally confidential under Title 3 of the Texas Family Code
- Sealed and expunged records are not available for public inspection
- Adoption records are confidential
- Birth records are restricted for 75 years from the date of the event under the Texas Health and Safety Code
- Death records are restricted for 25 years
- Grand jury proceedings are secret
- Records subject to protective orders issued by a court
Redaction of sensitive personal information — such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and dates of birth — is required under Rule 21c of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure for electronically filed documents. Parties and their attorneys bear primary responsibility for ensuring that confidential data is properly redacted before filing.
Harris County Criminal Court Records
Criminal cases in Harris County are handled at two levels. Felony offenses are prosecuted in district courts, while Class A and Class B misdemeanors are adjudicated in the county criminal courts at law. Class C misdemeanors (traffic violations, minor offenses) are handled by justice of the peace and municipal courts.
Felony Case Records
Harris County’s felony criminal district courts are located primarily at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center, 1201 Franklin Street, Houston, TX 77002. There are numerous criminal district courts, including the 174th, 176th, 177th, 178th, 179th, 180th, 182nd, 183rd, 184th, 208th, 209th, 228th, 230th, 232nd, 248th, 262nd, 263rd, 337th, 338th, 339th, 351st, and others. Each court maintains its own docket, but all felony records are filed with and maintained by the District Clerk.
Free online felony case searches are available through the District Clerk’s public search portal. For telephone inquiries about criminal case numbers, call (832) 927-5800.
Misdemeanor Case Records
Harris County operates 16 county criminal courts at law (Courts No. 1 through 16), which handle Class A and Class B misdemeanors. Records for these courts are maintained by the Harris County Clerk and can be searched through the County Clerk’s web search. The criminal courts at law are located at 1201 Franklin Street, Houston, TX 77002.
Criminal History and Arrest Records
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office processes requests for criminal history checks and offense reports. The Sheriff’s Office Records Division can be reached through their records request page. Statewide criminal history searches are available through the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Records Service, which charges $3 per name-based search conducted online.
Copy Fees for Criminal Records
Requests through the District Clerk’s office follow the standard fee schedule:
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Certified paper copy | $5.00 + $1.00 per page |
| Non-certified paper copy | $1.00 per page |
| Non-certified electronic copy (up to 10 pages) | $1.00 |
| Non-certified electronic copy (11+ pages) | $0.10 per page |
| Phone search fee | $5.00 per name |
Payments can be made online through the County Criminal Court Clerk’s payment page or in person at the clerk’s office.
Harris County Civil Court Records
Civil litigation in Harris County is divided between district courts and county courts at law based on the amount in controversy and the type of claim.
District-Level Civil Courts
Harris County’s civil district courts — including the 11th, 55th, 61st, 80th, 113th, 125th, 127th, 129th, 133rd, 151st, 152nd, 157th, 164th, 165th, 189th, 190th, 215th, 234th, 269th, 270th, 281st, 295th, 333rd, and 334th — hear cases involving amounts exceeding the county court jurisdictional limit, as well as matters like title to real property and election contests. These courts are housed primarily at the Harris County Civil Courthouse, 201 Caroline Street, Houston, TX 77002.
Civil case records filed in district court are searchable through the District Clerk’s online portal. To request copies, submit a written request in person at 201 Caroline Street, by mail to P.O. Box 4651, Houston, TX 77210, or by email to CustomerService@hcdistrictclerk.com. The same fee schedule listed above applies to civil record copies.
County Civil Courts at Law
Harris County’s four county civil courts at law (Courts No. 1 through 4) handle civil cases within their statutory jurisdictional limits. Records are maintained by the County Clerk and searchable through the Clerk’s online portal.
Justice of the Peace Courts
Small claims cases (up to $20,000), evictions, and debt claims are filed in one of eight JP precincts, each with two courts (Place 1 and Place 2). Case information for JP courts is available through the JP case search portal. Locations span the county, with precinct offices in Houston, Pasadena, Baytown, Spring, Humble, Katy, and other areas.
Property Records
Real property filings — deeds, liens, mortgages, easements, and related instruments — are recorded and maintained by the Harris County Clerk’s Recording Division. These records can be searched online through the County Clerk’s web search system. For historical documents and older filings, the District Clerk’s Records Center at 5900 Canal Street, Houston, TX 77011, maintains archived materials.
E-Filing
All civil filings in Harris County district and county courts must be submitted electronically through the statewide e-filing system at eFileTexas.gov. Self-represented parties may also e-file through this system.
Harris County Family Court Records
Family law matters in Harris County are handled by dedicated family district courts. The county has multiple family courts — including the 245th, 246th, 247th, 257th, 308th, 309th, 310th, 311th, 312th, and 507th district courts — all of which handle divorce, child custody, child support, adoption, termination of parental rights, and protective order cases. The Child Protective Court (CPC) manages abuse and neglect proceedings.
Searching Family Court Records
Family case records are maintained by the District Clerk and are accessible through the same online document search system used for civil and criminal district court records. The family intake division can be reached at:
District Clerk – Family Intake
201 Caroline Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 210
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (832) 927-5700
Email: family.intake@hcdistrictclerk.com
Post-trial family matters, including enforcement and modification filings, are handled separately:
District Clerk – Civil/Family Post-Trial
201 Caroline Street, Suite 250
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (832) 927-5740
Email: civil.familyposttrial@hcdistrictclerk.com
Divorce Records
Certified copies of divorce decrees can be obtained from the District Clerk’s Records Center at 5900 Canal Street, Houston, TX 77011, Phone: (832) 927-5860 Requests require the case number or full names of the parties and the approximate date of the decree. Standard certified copy fees apply ($5.00 plus $1.00 per page).
Marriage Licenses and Marriage Records
Marriage licenses in Harris County are issued by the County Clerk’s office, not the District Clerk. Applications can be completed and licenses obtained at:
Harris County Clerk’s Office
201 Caroline Street, 3rd Floor
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (713) 274-8600
Both applicants must appear in person with valid government-issued photo identification. The standard marriage license fee in Texas is set by statute under Local Government Code § 118.011. Certified copies of previously issued marriage licenses can be requested from the same office by mail, in person, or through the County Clerk’s online portal.
Birth and Death Records
Birth and death certificates for events that occurred in Harris County are available through the County Clerk’s Vital Statistics division at the same 201 Caroline Street location. Under Texas Health and Safety Code provisions, birth records are confidential for 75 years and death records for 25 years from the date of the event. Only qualified applicants — the registrant, a parent, legal guardian, or authorized representative — may obtain certified copies within these restriction periods.
Child Support
Child support wage withholding orders (Notices to Employer) are processed by the District Clerk’s NTE division:
Phone: (832) 927-5660
Email: NTE@hcdistrictclerk.com
Harris County Probate Court Records
Harris County maintains four statutory probate courts — Probate Court No. 1 through Probate Court No. 4 — each presided over by an elected judge. These courts have exclusive jurisdiction over probate, guardianship, mental health, and trust matters within the county.
Court Locations
All four probate courts and the Public Probate Administrator’s office are located at the Harris County Civil Courthouse:
201 Caroline Street
Houston, TX 77002
The Public Probate Administrator, Brandon Cofield, can be reached at (832) 927-1422 and is located in Suite 607. Detailed information about each court, including dockets and standing orders, is available at the Harris County Probate Courts website.
Searching Probate Records
Probate case records are maintained by the County Clerk and are searchable through the Clerk’s probate-specific search tool. Searches can be performed by decedent or ward name, case number, or date range. The records include wills admitted to probate, applications for administration, inventories, accountings, guardianship applications, and court orders.
Common Probate Filings
Harris County probate courts handle several categories of proceedings:
- Probate of wills — including independent and dependent administration, muniment of title, and determination of heirship
- Guardianship — for incapacitated adults and minors, including appointment of guardians of the person and estate
- Mental health commitments — temporary and extended orders of commitment
- Trust matters — trust construction, modification, and administration disputes
- Small estate affidavits — for estates that qualify under Texas Estates Code § 205
Requesting Copies
Copies of probate records can be requested through the County Clerk’s office at 201 Caroline Street or by mail to P.O. Box 1525, Houston, TX 77251-1525. The fee schedule mirrors the standard County Clerk rates:
| Copy Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Certified copy (paper) | $5.00 per document + $1.00 per page |
| Non-certified paper copy | $1.00 per page |
| Non-certified electronic copy (1–10 pages) | $1.00 |
| Non-certified electronic copy (11+ pages) | $0.10 per page |
Payment by mail must be made by money order, cashier’s check, or business check payable to Harris County Clerk. Personal checks are not accepted for mail requests. Credit card payments are accepted but carry a 4% surcharge for all non-in-person transactions.
All probate filings must be submitted electronically through the statewide e-filing platform. Self-represented parties who are unable to e-file may seek guidance from the District Clerk’s call center at (832) 927-5800 or consult the free legal resources listed on the County Clerk’s website at www.cclerk.hctx.net.