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Harris County court records

Harris County has 4 courts with their own files and case search, kept by the Harris County District Clerk, the Harris County Clerk's Office and the Harris County Clerk – Probate Courts Department. This page maps each kind of case to its court, then adds the Texas rules on public and sealed files, statewide searches and copy fees.

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. Which court has the case
  2. District Courts
  3. County Civil Courts at Law
  4. Probate Courts
  5. Justice of the Peace Courts
  6. Copies and fees
  7. What is public and what is sealed
  8. Statewide case search and court system
  9. Criminal history checks
  10. Divorce and probate files
  11. Questions people ask
  12. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  13. Sources

Which court has the case

Each court keeps its own files and runs its own case search. Find the kind of case in the second column, then use that court's search or ask its clerk.

CourtCases it hearsFiles kept byCase search
District Courts (civil, family, felony criminal)Felony, civil district, family/divorce, child support; District Clerk also e-files County Criminal Courts at Law (misdemeanor)Harris County District ClerkSearch cases1Free search
County Civil Courts at LawCounty-level civil casesHarris County Clerk's OfficeSearch cases2
Probate Courts (statutory)Wills, estates, guardianships, mental healthHarris County Clerk – Probate Courts DepartmentSearch cases3
Justice of the Peace CourtsSmall claims, evictions, Class C misdemeanors—Search cases4

District Courts

Cases: Felony, civil district, family/divorce, child support; District Clerk also e-files County Criminal Courts at Law (misdemeanor).

Case search
hcdistrictclerk.com/…1Free search
About this search
Free with registered login1

Harris County District Clerk

Address
1001 Preston, 6th Floor Suite 630c, Houston, Texas 770025
Mail
P.O. Box 4651, Houston, Texas 77210-46515
Hours
Public lobby Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.5

County Civil Courts at Law

Cases: County-level civil cases.

Harris County Clerk's Office

Address
201 Caroline St., 3rd Floor, Houston, TX 77002 (downtown); plus annex locations6
Mail
Teneshia Hudspeth, Harris County Clerk, P.O. Box 1525, Houston, TX 77251-15257
Hours
Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM (all locations)6

Probate Courts

Cases: Wills, estates, guardianships, mental health.

Harris County Clerk – Probate Courts Department (clerk for the Harris County Probate Courts)

Address
Harris County Civil Courthouse, 201 Caroline St, 8th Floor, Suite 800, Houston, TX 770026
Mail
Teneshia Hudspeth, Harris County Clerk, Attn: Probate Court Department, P.O. Box 1525, Houston, TX 772518
Hours
Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM6

Justice of the Peace Courts

Cases: Small claims, evictions, Class C misdemeanors.

Case search
jp.hctx.net4

Copies and fees

What the Harris County clerks charge:

Fees
District Clerk copies: $1.00 per page paper; electronic $1.00 for 1-10 pages, $.10 per page 11+; certification and seal $5.00 per document9

Fees set for Texas courts generally:

Fees
District clerk: certified copy $5 (certificate and seal) plus $1 per page; noncertified $1 per page; $5 to search for a cause without a docket number. County court clerks: same $5 + $1/page certified, $1/page noncertified.10

What is public and what is sealed

These rules come from Texas law and court rules and apply to the Harris County courts as to every court in the state.

What is public
Most case files, records and docket sheets are public; court case records are not subject to the PIA.11
Sealed and confidential records
Civil records may be sealed under Tex. R. Civ. P. 76a; family and juvenile matters are often restricted; criminal records can be expunged or covered by an order of nondisclosure, after which courts may not disclose them to the public.12
Court system
Not unified: each court keeps its own records. District Clerk keeps district court files (felony, civil, family/divorce); County Clerk keeps county court, county court at law and probate files; justice and municipal courts keep their own.11
Statewide case search
re:SearchTX (research.txcourts.gov/CourtRecordsSearch) for civil cases from participating district, county and probate courts (free subscription plan; full documents may cost); TAMES Case Search (search.txcourts.gov/CaseSearch.aspx) for the Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals and courts of appeals.11

Criminal history checks

A court case file and a criminal history report are different records: the courts keep case files, and the state repository issues the report.

State repository
Texas Department of Public Safety, Crime Records Service — Computerized Criminal History (CCH); public portion = convictions and deferred adjudications.13
State: online portal
publicsite.dps.texas.gov/…13
State: fee
$3.00 per search credit (credit card adds 2.25% convenience fee and $0.25 per transaction); a credit is used even when no match is found.14
State: who may order
Any person; may use the conviction/deferred-adjudication information for any purpose.12

Divorce and probate files

Questions people ask

Which clerk has felony case files in Harris County?

The Harris County District Clerk, for the District Courts (Felony, civil district, family/divorce, child support; District Clerk also e-files County Criminal Courts at Law (misdemeanor)).4

Where are Harris County civil and small claims cases kept?

County Civil Courts at Law: County-level civil cases. Files are kept by the Harris County Clerk's Office.

Can I search Harris County court cases online for free?

Free with registered login. The search is at hcdistrictclerk.com/…1

What does a certified copy of a Harris County court record cost?

District Clerk copies: $1.00 per page paper; electronic $1.00 for 1-10 pages, $.10 per page 11+; certification and seal $5.00 per document.9

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any Harris County office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from; all 14 sources were checked on November 4, 2026. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Search Our Records and DocumentsHarris County District Clerk
  2. Document Search Portal Real PropertyHarris County Clerk
  3. Probate CourtsHarris County Clerk
  4. Harris County, Texas (home page)Harris County
  5. Hours and LocationsHarris County District Clerk
  6. Contact Us / LocationsHarris County Clerk
  7. Real PropertyHarris County Clerk
  8. Document Search Portal homeHarris County Clerk
  9. Purchase CopiesHarris County District Clerk
  10. Texas Government Code Chapter 51, ClerksTexas Legislature
  11. Texas Court Records (research guide)Texas State Law Library
  12. Texas Government Code Chapter 411, Department of Public SafetyTexas Legislature
  13. Criminal History Conviction Name SearchTexas Department of Public Safety
  14. How To Use the Conviction Name SearchTexas Department of Public Safety