Waller County Court Records
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Waller County, Texas is a fast-growing community within the Houston Metropolitan Area, and its court system reflects the full range of judicial activity you'd expect from a county serving both rural and suburban populations. Court records here cover criminal prosecutions, civil disputes, family law matters, and estate administration — everything from case files and docket entries to pleadings, motions, orders, judgments, exhibits, and trial transcripts. Knowing which court handled a matter and which office currently holds its files is the key to finding what you need.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Waller County?
Texas has solid resources for court case searches, and Waller County is well covered. TexasStateCourts.us can help you get oriented within the Texas court structure and find publicly available case information. At the county level, the Waller County District Clerk maintains an online Public Access to Court Records Portal covering criminal, civil, family, and probate cases filed in District Court. The statewide re:SearchTX platform, run by the Texas Office of Court Administration, pulls case information from participating courts across all 254 Texas counties and offers a free subscription option for civil case searches. If the record you need isn't available electronically, an in-person visit to the relevant clerk's office — or a written request — is the standard approach.
Are Court Records Public in Waller County?
Waller County court records are generally presumed public under Title 5, Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code — the Texas Public Information Act. That law requires government information to be available to the public during regular business hours, and agencies can't demand that you explain why you want a record.
That said, several categories of records are restricted from routine public access:
- Juvenile delinquency and dependency records, which are closed to the public by law
- Cases involving minors in family proceedings where confidentiality has been ordered
- Records sealed by court order or subject to nondisclosure orders
- Personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers and financial account details
- Certain victim information in criminal proceedings
Records tied to active criminal investigations may also be withheld if releasing them could interfere with law enforcement. If you think a record has been improperly withheld, the Texas Attorney General's Open Government Division oversees compliance with the Public Information Act and can provide guidance.
Waller County Criminal Court Records
Criminal proceedings in Waller County are spread across several court levels. Felony cases go to the District Courts, while misdemeanor matters are handled by the Constitutional County Court and the County Courts at Law. The District Clerk holds all District Court criminal filings; the County Clerk maintains misdemeanor records going back to the late 1800s.
Waller County District Courts
| Court | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| 155th District Court | 836 Austin Street, Suite 307, Hempstead, TX 77445 | (979) 826-7735 |
| 506th District Court | 400 Sheriff R. Glenn Smith Drive, Hempstead, TX 77445 | (979) 921-0921 |
District Clerk's Office
Address: 400 Sheriff R. Glenn Smith Drive, Hempstead, TX 77445
Phone: (979) 826-7735 | Fax: (979) 481-5672
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Start with the Public Access to Court Records Portal for criminal case records held by the District Clerk — select the Criminal Case Records option and search by name, case number, or other criteria. Note that the portal only shows case information and docket entries; no document images are viewable online. If you need copies of specific documents, call the office directly at (979) 826-7735.
As of August 1, 2024, the District Clerk's Office no longer accepts personal checks. Accepted payment methods are money orders, cashier's checks, credit cards, and cash for amounts under $100.00. A criminal record search by name costs $5.00. Copies run $1.00 per page, plus an additional $1.00 per document for certified copies.
Misdemeanor criminal records are kept by the Waller County Clerk's Criminal Court division at 836 Austin Street, Suite 1200, Hempstead, TX 77445. A name search there costs $5.00 per name, and certified copies run $1.00 per page plus $5.00 to certify. The County Clerk accepts cash, debit/credit cards, money orders, and cashier's checks.
For arrest information and current jail rosters, the Waller County Sheriff's Office has an inmate search tool on its website. The office is at 100 Sheriff R. Glenn Smith Drive, Hempstead, TX 77445, and can be reached at (979) 826-8282. You can also verify inmate custody status through VINELink.com.
If you need a statewide criminal history background check, the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Records Division handles those requests. A name-based check costs $15.00, with an additional $10.00 fingerprinting fee when using the FAST system. Fingerprint-based checks give you the most complete and accurate results.
Waller County Civil Court Records
Civil litigation in Waller County is divided among several courts based on the dollar amount at stake and the type of dispute. The 155th and 506th District Courts handle major civil actions, while the County Courts at Law cover a broad range of civil matters including those with concurrent District Court jurisdiction.
County Courts at Law
| Court | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Court at Law No. 1 | 400 Sheriff R. Glenn Smith Drive, Hempstead, TX 77445 | (979) 826-7762 / (979) 826-7763 |
| Court at Law No. 2 | 425 FM 1488, Hempstead, TX 77445 | (979) 826-4066 |
Waller County Court at Law No. 2 holds the general jurisdiction of both a Texas District Court and a County Court at Law, making its scope particularly broad. Under local court rules, all probate cases and matters under the Texas Estates Code are assigned to County Court at Law No. 2.
Small claims and minor civil disputes — evictions, debt collection, and lower-dollar contract disagreements — are handled by four Justice of the Peace courts spread across the county:
- Precinct 1: 846 6th St., Suite 1, Hempstead, TX 77445 | (979) 826-7745 | wcjp1@wallercounty.us
- Precinct 2: 27388 Fields Store Road, Waller, TX 77484 | (936) 372-2193 | jp2@wallercounty.us
- Precinct 3: 12620 FM 1887, Hempstead, TX 77445 | (979) 826-7637 | WCJP3@wallercounty.us
- Precinct 4: 32225 U.S. Highway 90 Business, Brookshire, TX 77423 | (281) 375-5233 | jp4clerk@wallercounty.us
Civil cases filed in District Court can be searched through the Civil, Family & Probate Case Records option on the Public Access to Court Records Portal. The re:SearchTX portal also covers civil case records from Waller County's participating courts, including upcoming hearing dates and court documents.
Base filing fees for civil cases in District Court total $262.00, made up of several statutory components — including a $50.00 Clerk's Basic Filing Fee (Gov. Code 51.317(b)(1)), a $50.00 State Consolidated Fee (LGC 133.151(a)), and a $42.00 Judicial Support Fee (LGC 133.154), among others. A full breakdown is available on the District Clerk's fee schedule page. Attorneys filing civil cases in the 506th District Court and statutory County Courts at Law must file electronically through eFileTexas.gov — a mandate in effect since January 1, 2016.
Property records connected to civil real estate matters — deeds, liens, mortgages, and plat records — are held by the Waller County Clerk's Real Property division. The Waller County Central Appraisal District's eSearch portal offers free online access to property valuation, ownership history, and tax assessment data.
Waller County Family Court Records
Family law cases — divorce, child custody, child support, adoptions, name changes, and protective orders — are filed with the District Clerk's Office and heard primarily in the 506th District Court or County Court at Law No. 1, which has concurrent jurisdiction in family law matters. All family law filings go through the Family and Tax Division of the District Clerk's Office at 400 Sheriff R. Glenn Smith Drive, Hempstead, TX 77445.
The base filing fee for a divorce in Waller County District Court is $268.00. This breaks down into a $50.00 Clerk's Basic Filing Fee, a $45.00 State Consolidated Fee, a $15.00 Family Protection Fee (Gov. Code 51.961), a $1.00 Bureau of Vital Statistics fee (Health & Safety Code 194.002(e)), and other statutory components. Family law case filings carry a base of $252.00. Filing for a protective order against a respondent runs $351.00 total, which includes a $16.00 Protective Order Fee (Family Code 81.003), an $8.00 citation issuance fee, and a $75.00 Sheriff service fee.
You can search for divorce records online through the Civil, Family & Probate Case Records section of the Public Access to Court Records Portal. Because no document images are viewable through the portal, anyone who needs copies of final decrees or other documents should contact the District Clerk's Office directly at (979) 826-7735.
Marriage records are maintained by the Waller County Clerk's Office:
Waller County Clerk Main Office
Address: 425 FM 1488, Suite 112, Hempstead, TX 77445
Phone: (979) 826-7711
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Waller County Clerk Annex Location
Address: 32225 US Highway 90 Business, Brookshire, TX 77423
Phone: (281) 375-5233 ext. 3
Birth and death certificates are issued by the Waller County Clerk through its vital records function. The Waller County Clerk's Vital Records division can issue birth certificates for births that occurred anywhere in Texas, though remote certificates may not be accepted by passport agencies — those typically require the long form from the county of birth. Death certificates can only be issued if the death occurred within Waller County.
Vital records fees are as follows:
| Record Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Birth Certificate (certified copy) | $23.00 |
| Death Certificate (first copy) | $21.00 |
Access to birth and death records is restricted to qualified applicants — the individual named on the record, their child, spouse, parent, sibling, grandparent, legal guardian, or legal representative. You'll need to provide your full name, relationship to the subject, contact information, and a valid government-issued photo ID. All applications must include an original (wet ink) signature and notarization; the Clerk's Office does not accept email requests for vital records.
For vital records of events that did not occur in Waller County, the Texas Department of State Health Services Vital Statistics Section handles statewide requests. Acceptable identification requirements are detailed on the DSHS identification standards page.
Waller County Probate Court Records
All probate matters in Waller County — administration of decedents' estates, will probates, intestate succession, guardianships, conservatorships, and trust proceedings — are assigned exclusively to County Court at Law No. 2 under the county's local court rules. This arrangement gives the court the combined jurisdiction of a Texas District Court and a County Court at Law for all estate and guardianship matters.
Waller County Court at Law No. 2
Address: 425 FM 1488, Hempstead, TX 77445
Phone: (979) 826-4066
Probate records are maintained jointly by the District Clerk (for cases originally filed through the District Court system) and the County Clerk. To search for probate case information online, log in to the Public Access to Court Records Portal, select Civil, Family & Probate Case Records, and search by case number or party name. For records not yet available electronically, visiting the relevant clerk's office during business hours is the most direct path.
The base filing fee for an adult adoption in Waller County is $252.00. Adoption of a child runs $267.00 — the higher amount includes a $15.00 Central Adoption Registry Fee under Family Code 108.006. A name change petition carries a base filing fee of $252.00. All probate-related filing fees are listed on the District Clerk's fees page.
For guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, the County Clerk also holds relevant records at its 836 Austin Street, Suite 1200 location. Researchers looking for estate-related property instrument filings — such as deed transfers tied to probate — should also check the County Clerk's real property records, accessible in person or through the county's Official Public Records search system. The Constitutional County Court, located at 425 FM 1488, Suite 106, Hempstead, TX 77445, can be reached at (979) 826-7700 or by email at c.jones@wallercounty.us for additional guidance on probate and guardianship matters within its jurisdiction.