The mission of Texas State Records is to provide the general public with an easy and straightforward method to search for, examine, and obtain public records, arrest records, court records and more. This is in accordance with the Texas Public Information Act - legally known as Texas Government Code Chapter 552 - which specifies that government information and records are presumed available to the public. The primary goal of the this website is to facilitate the search of state records in an efficient and concise manner, without the need for the requester to provide specific or sensitive information about themselves, including the reason for which the record is sought. This applies to all public records generated by government, court or law enforcement agencies, with the exception of records designated as confidential, redacted, rescinded, or otherwise made unavailable to the public by law, constitutional mandate, or court decision.
Texas State Records maintains information concerning criminal records, court records, vital records, and over 250 million additional public records.
Texas began creating public records as far back as 1839, and they usually contain information from the state’s 254 counties. Both third party and governmental websites are now able to offer public records with increased reliability, thanks to the initiative to digitize public records; a process that began three decades ago. This is in an effort to ensure a fair and just society for the people of Texas, and the United States.