| District Clerk | Hidalgo County District Clerk's Office |
|---|---|
| County Clerk | Hidalgo County Clerk's Office |
| Clerk address | Hidalgo County Courthouse, 100 N Closner Blvd, Edinburg, TX 78539 (District Clerk and County Clerk) |
| Phone | District Clerk (956) 318-2200; County Clerk (956) 318-2100 |
| 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 |
Hidalgo County (Edinburg, McAllen, Mission, Pharr) in the Rio Grande Valley keeps district-court files with the Hidalgo County District Clerk, who is the registrar and custodian of all civil and criminal district-court documents, and county-court, probate, and misdemeanor files with the Hidalgo County Clerk. Both offices are at the county courthouse complex on North Closner Boulevard in Edinburg.
The county provides an online civil and criminal case search through a public-access portal, reached from a dedicated page on the county website. As with most Texas counties, the search covers county-run courts only; McAllen, Edinburg, and the other cities keep their own municipal-court records.
Search Hidalgo County court records online
District Clerk
Hidalgo County District Clerk's Office
- Cost
- Free case search; fees for copies
- Coverage
- District-court civil, family, and felony cases
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
The district clerk's page links to the civil and criminal case search and lists office contacts.
County Clerk
Hidalgo County Clerk's Office
- Cost
- Free case search; fees for copies
- Coverage
- County courts at law (misdemeanors and county civil) and probate
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Probate
The county clerk also keeps land records, which are a separate search.
Other courts
Hidalgo County Civil and Criminal Case Search
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Public-access search for district and county court cases
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
This county page links to the public-access portal and explains how to use it.
What is available online
The public-access portal shows case summaries and docket entries for district and county cases. Document images are limited online; most documents must be requested from the clerk. Older files are indexed but stored on paper or microfilm at the courthouse, and the clerk may charge a search fee to locate a case that predates the electronic index.
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
Hidalgo County clerk offices
Hidalgo County Courthouse, 100 N Closner Blvd, Edinburg, TX 78539 (District Clerk and County Clerk)
Phone: District Clerk (956) 318-2200; County Clerk (956) 318-2100
Contact details were taken from the office's website and are re-checked on a schedule; confirm hours before visiting.
District-court records. Request in person at the district clerk's office at 100 N Closner Blvd, Edinburg, or by mail to the Hidalgo County District Clerk at that address. Include the cause number or party names, the documents needed, plain or certified, and payment. Call (956) 318-2200 first to confirm current fees.
County-court, probate, and misdemeanor records. Request from the Hidalgo County Clerk at the same courthouse address; call (956) 318-2100 for fees and mailing instructions.
Justice and municipal courts. Hidalgo County's justice courts and each city's municipal court keep their own records.
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
How do I search Hidalgo County court records online?
Start from the county's Civil and Criminal Case Search page, which links to the public-access portal for district and county court cases. Search by name or cause number.
Which Hidalgo County office keeps felony records?
The Hidalgo County District Clerk, who is the custodian of all district-court criminal and civil records. Misdemeanors are with the county clerk.
Where is the Hidalgo County courthouse?
At 100 N Closner Blvd in Edinburg. Both the district clerk and the county clerk have offices at the courthouse complex.
Are McAllen traffic tickets in the county search?
No. McAllen and other city tickets are handled by each city's municipal court. County-issued citations go to the justice courts.
Sources
- Hidalgo County District Clerk's Office — https://www.hidalgocounty.us/192/District-Clerks-Office
- Hidalgo County Clerk's Office — https://www.hidalgocounty.us/161/County-Clerks-Office
- Hidalgo County Civil and Criminal Case Search — https://www.hidalgocounty.us/1477/Civil-and-Criminal-Case-Search
- 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.