| District Clerk | Harris County District Clerk — Online Services |
|---|---|
| County Clerk | Harris County Clerk — Court Records |
| Clerk address | District Clerk: 201 Caroline St, Houston, TX 77002 (civil and family); 1201 Franklin St, Houston, TX 77002 (criminal). County Clerk: 201 Caroline St, Houston, TX 77002 |
| Phone | Listed on the clerk website |
| Hours | Confirm current hours with the clerk before visiting |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
| Certified copy fee | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
Harris County is the largest county in Texas and one of the largest court systems in the country, so it is also one of the best organized for online research. The Harris County District Clerk keeps every district-court file: felonies, divorces, custody, and civil suits above the county-court limit. Its website offers a free public index search and, after a free registration, images of most filed documents.
The Harris County Clerk is a separate office with a separate website. It keeps county civil court, probate court, and misdemeanor criminal court records. If you are looking for a DWI, a theft under the felony threshold, a will, or a guardianship, that is the office you want.
Sixteen justice-of-the-peace courts (two per precinct) handle evictions, small claims, and Class C tickets written by county deputies and constables. Those records are in a third system run by the justice courts. Tickets written by Houston police go to Houston Municipal Courts, which the county does not index at all.
Search Harris County court records online
District Clerk
Harris County District Clerk — Online Services
- Cost
- Free index search; free account to view document images; per-page fee for certified copies
- Coverage
- District-court criminal (felony), civil, and family cases; document images for most cases filed electronically
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
Create a free account to see filed documents. Criminal case images may require the case to be disposed or the document to be marked public.
County Clerk
Harris County Clerk — Court Records
- Cost
- Free index search; fees for copies
- Coverage
- County civil courts, probate courts, and misdemeanor criminal courts
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Probate
Look for the court records search under the Courts section; real-property records are a separate search on the same site.
Other courts
Harris County Justice Courts — Public Extracts
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Justice-of-the-peace cases across all sixteen JP courts, including evictions, small claims, and Class C misdemeanors
- Records
- Civil, Traffic
Search by name or case number; select the precinct if you know it.
What is available online
The district clerk's online index goes back decades for civil and criminal cases, but document images are complete only for cases filed electronically, roughly the last fifteen years. Older documents can be ordered as copies. The county clerk's court search covers county civil, probate, and misdemeanor cases; probate documents are often viewable online. Justice-court data is a nightly extract, so same-day filings may not appear until the next morning.
Which clerk has your record
In Texas, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Texas page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| District Courts | Felony criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other family cases; Civil suits with larger amounts in dispute | District Clerk of the county |
| County Courts (constitutional and statutory) | Class A and B misdemeanors; Civil cases with smaller amounts in dispute; Probate and guardianship | County Clerk of the county |
| Justice Courts (justice of the peace) | Class C misdemeanors; Small claims and civil cases up to the justice-court limit; Evictions | Clerk of the individual justice court precinct |
| Municipal Courts | Class C misdemeanors within city limits; City ordinance violations; Traffic tickets issued by city police | Municipal court clerk for that city |
Request records in person or by mail
Harris County clerk offices
District Clerk: 201 Caroline St, Houston, TX 77002 (civil and family); 1201 Franklin St, Houston, TX 77002 (criminal). County Clerk: 201 Caroline St, Houston, TX 77002
Contact details were taken from the office's website and are re-checked on a schedule; confirm hours before visiting.
District-court records. Request copies through the district clerk's website after logging in, or in person at the civil courthouse (201 Caroline St) or criminal courthouse (1201 Franklin St). Mail requests go to the Harris County District Clerk, P.O. Box 4651, Houston, TX 77210-4651; include the case number, the documents you need, whether you want them certified, and payment or a request for a quote.
County-court, probate, and misdemeanor records. Request from the Harris County Clerk's court division at 201 Caroline St, or by mail to the address on the clerk's website. Probate files are frequently requested for estate matters; ask for the letters testamentary or the order admitting the will to probate if that is what you need.
Justice-court records. Contact the specific JP precinct that heard the case; each court keeps its own file.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Texas |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
| Certified copy | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
Copy fees are set by state statute (Government Code Chapter 51 for district clerks; Local Government Code Chapter 118 for county clerks) and are charged per page, with an added certification fee for certified copies. Amounts change when the Legislature amends the fee schedules, so confirm the current figure with the clerk before sending payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Texas court records are presumed open, but several categories will not appear in any public search:
The Texas guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Are Harris County court records online?
Yes. The district clerk publishes felony, civil, and family case information with document images for registered users, the county clerk publishes county civil, probate, and misdemeanor records, and the justice courts publish a searchable extract of JP cases.
Which Harris County office has my divorce or custody case?
The Harris County District Clerk. Family cases are heard in the family district courts, and the district clerk keeps the file. Search by party name on the district clerk's website.
How do I look up a misdemeanor in Harris County?
Search the Harris County Clerk's court records, not the district clerk. Class A and B misdemeanors (most DWIs, thefts under the felony threshold, simple assault) are heard in the county criminal courts at law.
Where are Houston traffic tickets?
Tickets written by Houston police are in Houston Municipal Courts, a city system. Tickets written by Harris County deputies or constables are in the justice courts and appear in the JP public extract.
Can I get a certified copy of a Harris County court record by mail?
Yes. Write to the clerk that holds the file with the case number, the documents you need, and payment. Call ahead for the current per-page and certification fees.
Sources
- Harris County District Clerk — https://www.hcdistrictclerk.com/
- Harris County Clerk — https://www.cclerk.hctx.net/Applications/WebSearch/CourtSearch.aspx
- Harris County Justice Courts public extracts — https://jpwebsite.harriscountytx.gov/PublicExtracts/search.jsp
- Harris County official website — https://www.harriscountytx.gov/
- Texas Judicial Branch — About Texas Courts — https://www.txcourts.gov/about-texas-courts/
- re:SearchTX (Office of Court Administration) — https://research.txcourts.gov/CourtRecordsSearch/
- Texas DPS Crime Records Division — https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/crime-records
- Code of Criminal Procedure, Chapter 55A — Expunction of Criminal Records — https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CR/htm/CR.55A.htm
- Government Code, Chapter 411 — Orders of Nondisclosure (Subchapter E-1) — https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.411.htm
- Government Code, Chapter 51 — District Clerk Fees — https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.51.htm
- Local Government Code, Chapter 118 — County Clerk Fees — https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/LG/htm/LG.118.htm
- Government Code, Chapter 552 — Public Information Act — https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.552.htm
- PACER — Federal court records — https://pacer.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Texas counties.