El Paso County Court Records
A court record is any document or material created or maintained by a court concerning a legal proceeding. In El Paso County, Texas, common law, statutory law, and court rules dictate access to court records. The court clerk's office is the government office responsible for keeping El Paso County court case records, and they make them available to the public alongside related El Paso Public Records.
El Paso County courts preserve court records for several reasons, including:
- Past case rulings, and their records set precedents for future proceedings.
- Citizens can learn about their rights, responsibilities, and liabilities through past judgments found in court records.
- Access to court records lets judicial institutions stay accountable to citizens.
Are Court Records Public in El Paso County?
Yes. However, public access to El Paso County court records is determined by court rules rather than the Texas Public Information Act, which ordinarily governs access to Texas government records.
Under open records policies established by the Texas Supreme Court (for example, Rule 76a of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure), every person has the right to complete information about legal proceedings held in El Paso County. In other words, anyone can inspect or copy court records maintained by the county's custodians.
Notwithstanding, certain court records are exempt from the public requirement for disclosure. A sealed court record is a case in point. Furthermore, some records may be removed from public access but available to certain parties. For example, records from the juvenile courts in El Paso County are not open for public inspection, but they may be accessible to child protection agencies and noncriminal justice agencies by law.
What Do El Paso County Court Records Contain?
The contents of court case records in El Paso County differ depending on the case type and the court that resolved it. For instance, the contents of a civil court record differ from that of a criminal court record. Still, an El Paso County court record will typically feature the following:
- Case Documents: All records created or filed during case proceedings, including motions, claims and counterclaims, court orders, and judgments.
- Case Information: Full names of the parties involved, the case type and case number, filing date, court where the case was filed, case disposition, the presiding judge's name, and the prosecution and defense lawyers
- Evidentiary exhibits
- Court transcripts in physical or electronic formats
Where to Conduct an El Paso County Case Lookup
A researcher may look up El Paso County Court records at:
- The courthouse where a case was heard
- The El Paso County's Online Records Search website
- The Texas Judicial Branch's case records search website
- Certain third-party websites
How to Conduct an El Paso County Case Records Search
At the Courthouse
An individual can submit a written or oral request to search for and obtain El Paso County court case records. In El Paso County, such requests primarily go to the district and county clerk's offices (i.e., the custodians of court records). Each request should contain sufficient information to identify the document(s) needed. In some cases, it is possible to view these records for free at the courthouse. However, making copies typically attracts some charges. This search method retrieves extensive records and case details.
The El Paso County Online Records Search Portal
The El Paso County Online Records Search is another place to search criminal, civil, family, and probate case records created and maintained in the local district courts and county courts at law. However, no actual case documents can be downloaded from the search portal. To obtain records, one must contact or visit the clerk's office.
The Texas Judicial Branch Website
El Paso County case records can be obtained through the Texas Online Court Records Search portal. Researchers must, however, register to retrieve case information. No fee is charged for registration or case record searches, but a subscription is necessary to access certain features like tracking a case.
El Paso County Civil Court Case Records
El Paso County civil court records consist of all documents related to any case filed in civil court. The district courts and county courts at law are responsible for resolving civil cases in the county. Some district and county courts hear only civil cases, others hear only criminal matters, and some can handle both case types.
To obtain civil court case records, one may contact the district or county clerk's office (or their respective civil divisions). An individual may also search the EL Paso County case records website. Remote searches can be conducted with a case party's name, case number, or attorney's name.
El Paso County Criminal Court Case Records
El Paso County criminal court case records are the official documentation of cases stemming from criminal law violations. They include records of court proceedings involving criminal charges that resulted in a sentence of up to one year of imprisonment in county jail or more than a year in state prison.
El Paso criminal case records are available at the courthouse where charges were brought or at the local custodian's office (the county or district clerk's office). The El Paso County case records portal (available on the county government's website) furnishes another avenue to find criminal court case records generated by the county courts at law and the district courts.
How to Get Court Records Online for Free
Users of the El Paso County Online Records Search tool can search criminal and civil court records online for free. Also, individuals can access the Texas Online Court Records Search portal to find El Paso court records for free,
In addition, interested persons can obtain information about civil and criminal court proceedings held in El Paso County at no cost from third-party aggregate websites. Not all third-party sites provide free online access to court case records.
Courts in El Paso County, Texas
Appeals Courts
Court of Appeals - 8th District
500 East San Antonio
Suite 1203
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone: (915) 546-2240
Fax: (915) 546-2252
Criminal-Only District Courts
327th District Court
500 East San Antonio
Suite 606, 6th Floor
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone: (915) 546-2032
Fax: (915) 546-2131
409th District Court
500 East San Antonio
Suite 459, 4th Floor
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone: (915) 834-8209
Fax: (915) 834-8204
County Courts at Law - Civil Cases Only
County Court at Law 3
500 East San Antonio
Suite 1001, 10th Floor
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone: (915) 546-2183
Fax: (915) 546-2184
County Court at Law 6
500 East San Antonio
Suite 1106, 11th Floor
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone: (915) 543-3868
Fax: (915) 543-3830
Family Law - Associate Judges
388th District Court - Associate Family Court 1
500 East San Antonio
Suite 903, 9th Floor
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone: (915) 543-3859
Fax: (915) 543-3858
383rd District Court - Associate Family Court 2
500 East San Antonio
Suite 1102, 11th Floor
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone: (915) 543-3871
County Court at Law 5 - Associate Family Court 4
500 East San Antonio
Suite 1103, 11th Floor
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone: (915) 543-3824
Fax: (915) 543-3843
Probate Courts
Probate Court 1
500 E. San Antonio
Suite 101
El Paso, Texas 79901
Probate Court 2
500 East San Antonio
Suite 422
El Paso, Texas 79901
Phone: (915) 546-8183
Fax: (915) 875-8530
Child Support Courts
Title IV-D - Child Support Court 1
500 East San Antonio
Suite 603, 6th Floor
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone: (915) 546-2010
Fax: (915) 834-8291
Title IV-D - Child Support Court 2
500 East San Antonio
Suite 604, 6th Floor
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone: (915) 546-2036
Fax: (915) 543-3814
Juvenile Courts
6400 Delta Drive
El Paso, Texas 79905
Phone: (915) 849-2500
The county's website has a comprehensive directory of the El Paso County courthouses, their locations, and relevant contact numbers.
