What are Brownsville Public Records?
Brownsville public records consist of information generated by the government or its agencies in the performance of its obligations to the citizens. It is important to note that some records of the government or its agencies may be classified and deemed confidential by statute. The Texas PIA cannot make such records available to the public. Furthermore, in some instances, records that are not restricted by statute may still be withheld by a governing body. In such circumstances, the information requested and the request will be subject to a review by the Open Records division.
Brownsville Crime Statistics
The Brownsville Police Department produces a yearly compilation of the crime trends and police-related activity within the city for the year. In keeping track of crime within the city, Brownsville Police Department under its Uniform Crime Reporting program measures seven index crime statistics. These are categorized into two main groups, offenses against a person and offenses against property. Offenses against a person include rape, murder, aggravated assault, and robbery while offenses against property include burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft. In 2019, there were no murders, 64 incidences of rape, 144 instances of robbery, 460 aggravated assaults, 631 burglaries, 3,800 thefts, and 122 motor vehicle thefts. In total there were 5, 227 crimes recorded which represented a 4.65% decrease in comparison to 2018.
Are Brownsville Criminal Records Public?
Brownville criminal records are accessible to the public subject to the Freedom of Information Act and the Texas Public Information Act. Members of the public may send requests to the city police station for copies of records but certain records such as juvenile records may be restricted.
How to Obtain Brownsville Police Reports and Arrest Records?
To obtain police reports or arrest records in Brownsville an interested party may make a request to the Brownsville Police Department using its Record Check Form. Requesters may gain access to background /criminal history, open records, accident reports, or offense and incident reports. Requests must include the names of the persons involved, the address and date of birth of the person seeking the record, case number, type of incident, and date of incident as well as how the response to the request is to be sent. A fee may be charged for certain requests. These requests may be sent by email to openrecordsrequest@cob.us or by mail to:
Attn: Records Division
Brownsville Police Department
600 East Jackson Street
Brownsville, TX 78520
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Brownsville?
The Texas Department of Public Safety maintains an online registry of sex offenders within the state of Texas under Chapter 62, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. Entries on the registry may be accessed online or downloaded by users. The website also provides access to the National Sex Offender Public Website.
How to Find Brownsville Inmate Records?
The Brownsville Police Department maintains an online list of inmates within its jails. This list provides the name of the inmate as well as the picture of the offender, and the offense (s) which they have committed. Information on inmates can be accessed dating back to the year 2012. For further information on the status of inmates in the city jail and other similar queries, the police department may be contacted at (956) 548-7000.
How Do I Visit an inmate in Brownsville Jail?
Inmates in the Cameron County jail in Brownsville may be entitled to two types of visitations, these are privileged/professional visits and social visits. Privileged visits are visits from the inmate’s lawyers or other authorized officers while social visits are visits from family and friends. Inmates are entitled to privileged visits as a right but may only be granted social visits as a privilege.
Visitors at the county jail must be above the age of 18 and present a valid ID card at the time of registration. Where a visitor is less than 18 years old such a person must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. A visitation application will often be responded to within 24 to 48 hours of the request. Inmates may conduct visitations face to face, via on-site video link, or by remote video link.
For on-site visitations, the applicant must be on the inmate’s list of approved visitors. Visitors cannot bring anything except car keys and ID when visiting and must not exceed five in number. Visitors must adhere to all the visitation rules failing which visitation may be terminated and the erring visitor barred for a certain period.
On-site video visitations must adhere to the visitation rules stated above and be completely dressed. Phones are not allowed in the visitation hall.
Inmates are only permitted ten remote visits in a week. Remote visits must be scheduled online. The visits are for a 20 minute period and inmates and visitors must adhere to laid down rules. There must be no nudity, three-way calls, or provocative behavior. Note that all visits are recorded.
Court Records
Brownsville’s judicial system comprises three courts, the Cameron County District Court, the Justice of Peace, and the Brownsville Municipal Court.
Locations of Courts in Brownsville
United States Courthouse
600 East Harrison Street
Brownsville, TX 78520
1034 East Levee Street
City Plaza 1st Floor
Brownsville, TX 78520
835 East Levee Street
2nd Floor
Brownsville, TX 78520
(956) 544-0857
Are Brownsville Court Records Public?
Court records in Brownsville are available to the public except in certain situations. Some records such as juvenile records and domestic violence cases may be restricted or classified by statute or the court.
How to Obtain Brownsville Civil Court Case Records?
The manner of obtaining civil court records will depend on the court in question. Dockets and information on civil cases in the Brownsville district court may be gotten from the Cameron County Website. If a particular record is not found or in the alternative, an interested party may contact the court clerk in person at the court’s address. Civil case records at the Municipal court are uploaded weekly and provide information on the case number, offense, court location, citation number, etc. Interested persons may also visit the court in person, call at (956) 548-7181 or send an email to mc@cob.us.
How to Obtain Brownsville Criminal Court Records?
Criminal case court records in Brownsville District Court may be obtained by visiting the Cameron County Website. A record of proceedings to be held before the court, parties, offenses e.t.c. are made available through this means. Interested parties may also contact the court clerk by visiting the court in person. At the Municipal courts, criminal case records such as the docket number, offenses, offender, and the case number are published weekly. Members of the public may also visit the court in person, call (956) 548-7181, or email mc@cob.us.
What are Brownsville Vital Records?
Brownsville’s vital records are records of births, deaths, divorces, and marriages that occur within the city of Brownsville. Certain records such as birth records and death records are protected and may be restricted.
Where and How to Obtain Brownsville Divorce Records
The Vital Statistics Section of the Texas Department of State Health Services verifies Divorces that may have occurred in Brownsville. An interested party may make an application online for a divorce record but such an applicant must be at least 18 years old. In the alternative, an application may also be made by post by sending a completed request form to:
Texas Vital Statistics
Department of State Health Services
P.O. Box 12040
Austin, TX 78711-2040
This service will cost $20. Applicants will be expected to provide information on the date of the divorce, place of the divorce, full names of the parties.
On the other hand, an interested party may contact the District Clerk of the Brownsville District Court for a certified copy of the divorce decree if the divorce was filed in Brownsville.
Where and How to Get Public Brownsville Marriage Records
Brownsville marriage records may be obtained from the Cameron County Clerk. Requests may be made in person or by mail. Requesters who make an application by mail will be required to include two separate checks or money orders for the search conducted and a copy of the record. A marriage record request form is to be filled and a response will often be sent out within ten days.
Verification of a marriage may be obtained from the Texas Department of State Health Services. Marriage verifications will cost $20 and may be accessed online or by mail. A request form must be completed and sent to:
Texas Vital Statistics
Department of State Health Services
P.O. Box 12040
Austin, TX 78711-2040
Where and How to Get Confidential Marriage Records in Brownsville?
All marriages in Brownsville are considered public as a result there are no confidential marriage records. The public is granted access either through the county mechanisms or by the state departments.
Where and How to Find Brownsville Birth Records?
Birth records in Brownsville are protected and thus not accessible by everybody. Only members of the immediate family of the record owner may access the record. These include the wife/ husband of the record owner, children, siblings, and parents or legal guardian. After 75 years, a birth certificate may be made a public record and thus accessible to the public.
The Texas Department of State Health Services allows applicants to request for verification of birth or a birth certificate. Applicants will be expected to provide a valid form of ID as well as the date of birth and the relationship of the applicant to the record owner. A fee may be charged for these applications.
The city secretary in Brownsville also keeps a record of births that occur within the city. Birth Certificates may be obtained at a $23 fee. Applicants would be expected to fill in a request form and provide the full name, phone number, address, and relationship to the record owner. Applications may be made in person or through the mail. Applications by mail must be notarized and sent to:
P.O. Box 911
Brownsville, TX 78521
Note that payment for mail-in applications can only be made through money orders or cashier’s checks. Applications in person may be paid for using debit or credit cards, money orders, local checks, or cashier’s checks.
Where and How to Find Brownsville Death Records?
Death records in Brownsville are classified for 25 years after the creation of the record. During this period only permitted persons may access these records. They include husband/wife, mother, father, grandparents, siblings, legal guardian, children, or attorney.
The Texas Department of State Health Services is a medium through which interested parties may gain access to death records within the city. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and present valid means of identification alongside the application. A non-refundable fee will be charged for any requests. Applicants will have to provide a full name, relationship to the owner of the record, and date of death. Applications may be made online or by mail by sending an application form to
Texas Vital Statistics
Department of State Health Services
P.O. Box 12040
Austin, TX 78711-2040
Applications may also be made to the city secretary in Brownsville. An eligible applicant may obtain a certified copy of the death certificate at a fee of $21 and additional uncertified copies for $4. Applications to the secretary may be made in person by visiting:
City Plaza
1st Floor
1034 East Levee Street
Brownsville, TX 78520
Or by mail by sending a completed application to:
P.O. Box 911
Brownsville, TX 78521
Note that mail-in applications may be paid for only through money orders and cashier’s checks while walk-in applications may be paid for using credit/debit cards, money orders, local checks, or cashier’s checks.
