Harris County, Texas Court Records

Harris County Court Records

Harris County court records cover a wide range of documents and information related to legal proceedings within the county. According to Rule 76a of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, these records include case files, dockets, judgments, orders, transcripts, and exhibits, among other documents. They are generated by and for various courts within the county, such as the District Courts, County Courts of Law, Justice of the Peace Courts, and Municipal Courts.

Court records are essential for tracking legal proceedings, ensuring fair practices within the judicial system, and upholding the principles of justice. These records serve a diverse group of people, including the county's residents, attorneys, law enforcement agencies, researchers, journalists, and other interested parties. They are deemed a part of Harris County Public Records unless otherwise determined by a judicial order.

The Harris County Court System handles a substantial volume of cases and generates a vast number of court records, as it serves more than 4.7 million residents. The county's official custodians of court records are primarily the court clerks, such as the Harris County District Clerk, Harris County Clerk, Harris County Justice Courts Clerks, and the Municipal Courts Clerks.

Are Court Records Public in Harris County?

Yes, court records in Harris County are generally considered public information. Section 552.0035 of the Texas Public Information Act authorizes the Supreme Court to regulate access to records associated with the state's judiciary, including court records originating from Harris County. Still, some records may be removed or barred from public viewing. For example, Rule 76a of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure allows courts to seal court records in specific situations.

What Do Harris County Court Records Contain?

Harris County court records are the documents and information created or received during proceedings heard in the county's courts. They include:

Case Files: A case file is a collection of all the paperwork generated or filed in a court case, including complaints, petitions, motions, affidavits, and other legal filings.
Dockets: A docket is a summarized record of every proceeding and filing in a particular case. It provides an overview of a court case's history and the actions taken by the parties.
Judgments: A judgment is a court's final decision after considering all the relevant evidence.
Orders: Orders are directives issued by a judge outlining specific actions that parties in a case must take or avoid.
Transcripts: Transcripts are the official written records of the proceedings in a courtroom, including attorney arguments, witness testimonies, and judicial rulings.
Exhibits: Exhibits are materials presented as evidence during a trial or hearing to support a party's case.

The Texas judiciary does not consider all judicial records to be court records. Rule 12, Rules of Judicial Administration, refers to "judicial records" as documents created and kept by or for a judicial agency or court in the course of its day-to-day business. Any record, specifically generated or maintained because of a disposed or active court case is not considered a judicial record.

Where to Conduct a Harris County Case Lookup

Individuals can conduct a Harris County case lookup in the following places:

The website of the court that presided over a case. For example, the Harris County District Clerk's website to search for the District Courts and County Criminal Courts at Law records.
The courthouse where a case was handled. Requests are typically submitted to the clerk's office.

How to Conduct a Harris County Court Case Search

Here's how to conduct a Harris County case records search through the clerk's offices in Harris County and obtain court records from the Harris County courts:

The Harris County District Clerk's Office

The Harris County District Clerk's office allows researchers to purchase court records online (through the clerk's website) or in person (at a customer service location). Purchasing documents online is considered the quickest and most convenient method.

The cost structure for purchasing court records from the clerk is as follows:

Paper printed copies mailed or picked up cost $1 per page.
Electronic copies cost $1 for 1 to 10 pages and $0.10 per page for 11 pages and above.
Paper copies converted to electronic format cost $1 per page.
Certification and seal cost an additional $5 for each document.

To purchase copies, one will need the following information: case (cause) number, names of parties involved in the case, and date of birth (only for criminal search).

A person must register on the District Clerk's website to obtain copies of court records online. Subsequently, the individual can access the search page, provide the required information (such as case number) to find the record, and identify and confirm the documents they want to purchase. They can then pay the required fee and choose a delivery method.

The District Clerk's Office offers a primary information search service to aid requesters who do not have the required information to find specific court documents. The service costs $5.

If one prefers to purchase documents in person, one can use the public kiosks in the customer service areas of the Harris County District Clerk's Office. These kiosks allow requesters to search for court records and purchase documents on-site.

Researchers can learn more about how to find District Courts and County Criminal Courts at Law records in person on the District Clerk's website.

The Harris County Clerk's Office

Individuals seeking to access court records from the Harris County Probate Courts and County Civil Courts at Law should visit the Harris County Clerk's case inquiry portal. Here, visitors can use an online search tool, which offers different search parameters to help narrow down results. These include the filing date range, case number, and a case party's details. Search results for a case include the case number, case description, and the names of the plaintiffs and defendants. Users can also view case events.

There is no fee charged for searching the clerk's portal. However, users must register to view documents. Purchasing a record costs $0.10 per page, and certified copies incur an additional $5 fee per document.

Harris County Justice of the Peace Courts

The Harris County Justice of the Peace Courts utilize an online database called the Odyssey Web Portal, which contains court records created in any of the county's Justice Courts. Site visitors can initiate search queries using a case number or party's name. Researchers can also use the system to search for ongoing hearings by providing a date range.

The Justice Courts also offer a data extraction service. The service is a valuable resource to individuals and organizations who need access to information about civil, criminal, and traffic cases active in the courts.

A person can download three types of extracts: All Cases Entered Yesterday, All Events Set Yesterday, and All Cases Disposed Yesterday. All three use the same data fields, but the type of extract requested will determine the case record included in the download.

For example, the All Cases Entered Yesterday extract comprises a list of all non-civil cases added to the court's case management system the day before, while the All Events Set Yesterday extract includes a list of all non-civil cases with docket activity. This service can be useful to legal professionals, law enforcement agencies, and researchers who need to keep track of case activity in the Harris County Justice Courts.

Harris County Municipal Courts

Persons who want to access court records stored within the municipal court system in Harris County can contact or visit the applicable municipal clerk's office. One may also check the court's website for a court records portal.

For example, the Municipal Courts Public Information Office maintains records for Class C misdemeanors and city ordinance violations issued within the City of Houston. Individuals seeking information on these types of cases can contact the office at:

1400 Lubbock Street, Room 203
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (713) 247-547

The office's business hours can be found online.

Individuals can also request a court record through the office's GovQA Portal, provided they are registered users.

Harris County Civil Court Case Records

Harris County civil court case records are the documents, transcripts, motions, orders, judgments, and other legal papers created or filed in relation to civil proceedings held in the county.

Civil proceedings are legal disputes between two or more parties involving non-criminal matters. These cases are heard in Civil District Courts, County Civil Courts at Law, and Justice of the Peace Courts.

The Harris County District Clerk maintains civil court case records for the District Courts, and the Harris County Clerk maintains records for the Civil County Courts at Law. The Harris County Justice Courts clerks maintain civil court case records for the county's Justice Courts.

Harris County Criminal Court Case Records

Criminal court case records are legal documents created during criminal proceedings for and by different courts in Harris County, including:

Harris County Criminal District Courts
Harris County Criminal Courts at Law
Harris County Justice Courts
Municipal Courts

Criminal court case records pertaining to the Criminal District Courts and the County Criminal Courts at Law cases are maintained by the Harris County District Clerk. Individuals who want to obtain these records can do so on the clerk's website or at one of the clerk's customer service locations.

To obtain criminal court case records maintained by the Harris County Justice Courts or Municipal Courts, individuals should identify the court that handled the case. They can then stop by in person or search the court's case portal (if one is provided).

How to Get Court Records Online for Free

Generally, members of the public can only access an index of court records for free on the websites of the court clerks or courts in Harris County. Requesters incur a fee when requesting copies of documents, whether online, in person, or by mail.

Considered open to citizens of the United States, court records are available through both traditional, government sources, and through third-party websites and organizations. In many cases, third-party websites make the search easier as they are not limited geographically or by technological limitations. They are considered a good place to start when looking for a specific record or multiple records. In order to gain access to these records, interested parties must typically provide:

The name of the person listed in the record. Juveniles are typically exempt from this search method.
The last known or assumed location of the person listed in the record. This includes cities, counties, and states.

While third-party sites offer such services, they are not government sponsored entities, and record availability may vary on these sites when compared to government sources.

The name of the person listed in the record. Juveniles are typically exempt from this search method.
The last known or assumed location of the person listed in the record. This includes cities, counties, and states.

While third-party sites offer such services, they are not government sponsored entities, and record availability may vary on these sites when compared to government sources.

Courts in Harris County

District Courts of Harris County

Harris County Civil Courthouse
201 Caroline
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (832) 927-6576

Harris County Criminal Justice Center
1201 Franklin
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (832) 927-6576

Harris County Juvenile Justice Center
1200 Congress
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (832) 927-6576

Harris County Courts at Law

Harris County Criminal Court at Law
1201 Franklin,
Houston, TX 77002

Harris County Civil Court at Law
201 Caroline
Houston, TX 77002

Harris County Probate Court
201 Caroline
Houston, TX 77002

Harris County Justice of the Peace Courts

Justice of the Peace Court for Precinct 1, Place 1
7300 North Shepherd
Houston, TX 77091-2437
Phone: (713) 274-0695

Justice of the Peace Court for Precinct 1, Place 2
1302 Preston
Houston, TX 77002-2013
Phone: (713) 274-0600

Justice of the Peace Court for Precinct 2, Place 1
10851 Scarsdale
Houston, TX 77089-5743
Phone: (281) 481-9630

Justice of the Peace Court for Precinct 2, Place 2
101 South Richey, Suite B
Pasadena, TX 77506
Phone: (713) 274-6100

Justice of the Peace Court for Precinct 3, Place 1
14350 Wallisville Road
Houston, TX 77049-4145
Phone: (713) 274-0760

Justice of the Peace Court for Precinct 3, Place 2
701 W. Baker Road
Baytown, TX 77521-2376
Phone: (713) 274-0900

Justice of the Peace Court for Precinct 4, Place 1
6831 Cypresswood Drive
Spring, TX 77379-7700
Phone: (713) 274-6550

Justice of the Peace Court for Precinct 4, Place 2
7900 Will Clayton Parkway
Humble, TX 77338-5849
Phone: (713) 274-2450

Justice of the Peace Court for Precinct 5, Place 1
6000 Chimney Rock
Houston, TX 77081-4004
Phone: (713) 274-8700

Justice of the Peace Court for Precinct 5, Place 2
16715 Clay Road
Houston, TX 77084-4009
Phone: (713) 274-0800

Justice of the Peace Court for Precinct 6, Place 1
333 Lockwood
Houston, TX 77011-2141
Phone: (713) 274-3985

Justice of the Peace Court for Precinct 6, Place 2
1001 Macario Garcia
Houston, TX 77011
Phone: (713) 274-8774

Justice of the Peace Court for Precinct 7, Place 1
5737 Cullen Boulevard
Houston, TX 77021-1638
Phone: (713) 274-1499

Justice of the Peace Court for Precinct 7, Place 2
5300 Griggs Road
Houston, TX 77021-3715
Phone: (713) 274-0700

Justice of the Peace Court for Precinct 8, Place 1
7330 Spencer Highway
Pasadena, TX 77505-1824
Phone: (281) 479-6900

Justice of the Peace Court for Precinct 8, Place 2
16603 Buccaneer
Houston, TX 77062-5823
Phone: (281) 488-8780

Municipal Courts

Herbert W. Gee Municipal Courthouse
(Central Municipal Courts Building)
1400 Lubbock
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (713) 247-5479

Acres Homes / North Command Station
9455 West Montgomery
Houston, TX 77088
Phone: (281) 405-5319

Clear Lake Sub-Station
2855 Bay Area Boulevard
Houston, TX 77058
Phone: (832) 395-1877

Kingwood Annex Court
3915 Rustic Woods
Kingwood, TX 77339
Phone: (832) 395-8042

Southeast Command Station
8300 Mykawa
Houston, TX 77048
Phone: (832) 394-2202 (Court 13) or
(832) 394-2206 (Court 14)

Westside Command Station
3203 South Dairy Ashford
Houston, TX 77082
Phone: (832) 394-5150

Note: This is not an extensive list of municipal courts in Harris County - only those within the City of Houston. Individuals can peruse the state judiciary's list of municipal courts in Texas for a more comprehensive list. One may also use a search engine query to find the contact information and address of the municipal court they seek in Harris County.