| District Clerk | Tarrant County District Clerk |
|---|---|
| County Clerk | Tarrant County Clerk |
| Clerk address | District Clerk (civil and family): Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building, 100 N Calhoun St, Fort Worth, TX 76196. District Clerk (felony): Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center, 401 W Belknap St, Fort Worth, TX 76196 |
| 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 |
Tarrant County (Fort Worth and Arlington) splits its court records the standard Texas way. The Tarrant County District Clerk keeps felony, family, and larger civil cases from the district courts. The Tarrant County Clerk keeps misdemeanor, probate, and county civil records. The district clerk offers online case information through a Tyler Technologies public-access portal, and the county clerk offers its own searches for the courts it serves.
The district clerk's civil and family records are handled at the Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building, while felony records are at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center a few blocks away. Both are in downtown Fort Worth. Arlington and the other cities in the county each run a municipal court for city tickets, which are not in the county system.
Search Tarrant County court records online
District Clerk
Tarrant County District Clerk
- Cost
- Free case-information search; fees for copies
- Coverage
- District-court felony, civil, and family cases; online case information through the county's public-access portal
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
The district clerk's page links to the public-access portal, which may ask you to continue as a public user or create a free account before searching.
County Clerk
Tarrant County Clerk
- Cost
- Free index search; fees for copies
- Coverage
- County courts at law (misdemeanors and county civil) and probate courts
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Probate
Court records and real-property records are separate searches on the county clerk's site.
What is available online
Case information (parties, filing date, docket entries, disposition) is available online for district and county cases. Document images are more limited: many civil filings are viewable, while criminal and family documents often must be requested from the clerk. Older cases may appear in the index without documents.
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
Tarrant County clerk offices
District Clerk (civil and family): Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building, 100 N Calhoun St, Fort Worth, TX 76196. District Clerk (felony): Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center, 401 W Belknap St, Fort Worth, TX 76196
Contact details were taken from the office's website and are re-checked on a schedule; confirm hours before visiting.
District-court records. Visit the appropriate courthouse (civil and family at 100 N Calhoun St; felony at 401 W Belknap St) or write to the Tarrant County District Clerk at the civil courts building address. Include the case number or party names, the documents requested, plain or certified, and payment. The district clerk's website lists current copy and certification fees and any request form.
County-court, probate, and misdemeanor records. Request from the Tarrant County Clerk's court records division; the county clerk's website lists locations and mailing instructions.
Justice courts. Tarrant County has justice courts in each precinct; contact the precinct that heard the case for evictions, small claims, and county-issued Class C citations.
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
Can I search Tarrant County court records online for free?
Yes. Case information for district and county courts is free to search. Some document images are free; others must be ordered from the clerk for a per-page fee.
Which office has a Tarrant County felony record?
The Tarrant County District Clerk, criminal division, at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in downtown Fort Worth. Misdemeanors are with the county clerk instead.
Where are Tarrant County probate records?
With the Tarrant County Clerk. Probate courts hear wills, estates, and guardianships, and the county clerk keeps those files and offers a probate search.
Are Fort Worth or Arlington traffic tickets in the county search?
No. City police tickets go to the city's municipal court. Only citations written by the sheriff or constables are in the county's justice courts.
Sources
- Tarrant County District Clerk — https://www.tarrantcountytx.gov/en/district-clerk.html
- Tarrant County Clerk — https://www.tarrantcountytx.gov/en/county-clerk.html
- 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.