Texas
Texas Court Records: How to Search, What's Public, and How to Seal Them (2026)
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 10, 2026). · 7 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
Texas is home to 254 counties, and its court records reflect that. There is no single site that searches every case in the state. The Texas State Law Library, the official research arm of the Texas Judicial Branch, says it plainly: Texas courts each keep their own records, and finding a case usually means going to the right county's system rather than a single statewide portal.
Information last verified on 2026-08-10. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
Texas Has No Statewide Court Records Database
The Texas State Law Library's own guide is direct about this structural reality: "Texas doesn't have a single database where you can search all court records for the state. Each court is responsible for keeping their own records." That single sentence explains most of the friction people run into when they try to look someone up in Texas. There is no equivalent of a one-stop statewide portal the way some other states operate.
re:SearchTX: A Partial Statewide Search
re:SearchTX, hosted by the Texas judiciary at research.txcourts.gov, comes closest to a statewide tool. Per the Texas State Law Library's guide, "Re:SearchTX offers a free subscription plan that lets you search records from multiple counties and courts," and it focuses primarily on civil cases. But the same guide cautions that it "may not have all records from all counties in Texas," so a blank result there does not mean a record does not exist elsewhere. Document access through re:SearchTX involves per-page or per-document fees set by each participating court; because those specific fee tiers could not be independently confirmed on the court's own site for this article, do not rely on a specific figure without checking directly with re:SearchTX at the time you use it.
County Clerk Systems: Harris County as an Example
Harris County runs one of the more built-out county-level systems in the state. The Harris County District Clerk's office requires free registration before you can search: "In order to better protect court documents, we now require you to have a registered login with our site." Once registered, "All public case information is still available to everyone, once they login, and can be viewed FREE of charge." The system covers civil, family, and criminal cases, plus background checks for Harris County specifically, and historical records dating back to 1837.
That coverage has real limits. Family court documents are not available through the standard Party Inquiry search. That restriction comes from court rules and clerk policy rather than from a general Family Code limit on online access: Texas Government Code § 552.0035(a) provides that "access to information collected, assembled, or maintained by or for the judiciary is governed by rules adopted by the Supreme Court of Texas or by other applicable laws and rules." The Family Code itself seals only specific categories, such as adoption files under § 162.021 and termination files under § 161.210. It does add one Harris-relevant rule: § 102.0086 applies in counties with a population of 3.4 million or more, which includes Harris, and makes pleadings in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship confidential until service of citation or the 31st day after filing, whichever comes first. Historical search results exclude federal cases, other counties' cases, Justice of the Peace courts, and Class C misdemeanors, and a $5.00 fee applies to historical searches when the standard search criteria are not available. Harris County's own disclaimer is worth keeping in mind for any Texas county system: "Data returned relies on the information obtained and entered. Inaccurate data obtained or entered will result in erroneous data returned."
Dallas County: A Split System
Dallas County splits its records between the District Clerk and County Clerk portals, with civil case files mostly available from 2008 forward and criminal records reaching back to 1975. Dallas County's own terms are blunt about the limits of the data: it is provided "as is," "subject to changes and updates at any time," and "with no warranties, express or implied, as to quality, content, accuracy, validity, reliability, timeliness, or completeness." The county also prohibits commercial use of the information and notes that "the sites information is extracted from multiple sources and is not subject to independent verification."
Every Other County
Outside Harris, Dallas, and the counties covered by re:SearchTX, expect to contact the district clerk or county clerk directly, by phone, in writing, or in person, for the county where the case was filed. Coverage, fees, and whether an online portal exists at all vary widely across Texas's 254 counties, and there is no substitute for confirming with the specific clerk's office.
Sealing Records: Expunction vs. Nondisclosure
Texas uses two legal terms that are easy to confuse, and getting them right matters. The Texas State Law Library's guide distinguishes them clearly: a person may "have their criminal record expunged (i.e., cleared), or they may petition for their record (including juvenile records) to be sealed through a nondisclosure order." Expunction, governed by Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55A, destroys the record. An order of nondisclosure, governed by Texas Government Code Chapter 411, Subchapter E-1, seals the record from public view but does not destroy it, meaning certain government agencies can still see it. These are not interchangeable, and using the wrong term matters when you are researching which process actually applies to a given record. For a full walkthrough of eligibility for each, see the Texas expungement laws guide.
Certified Copies and Courthouse Access
Certified copy fees are set by each county's clerk rather than by a single statewide schedule, so confirm the current fee with the clerk of the court where the case was filed before requesting one. The same is true for in-person or courthouse-terminal access, which varies by county.
Using Texas Court Records the Right Way
These tools are built for checking your own case or a matter you are personally involved in, not for compiling a background file on someone else. If a Texas court record is being used to screen a job applicant or tenant, that use is governed separately by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act rather than by any county portal's terms of use. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681c, records of criminal convictions are exempt from the federal seven-year reporting limit. Texas law is narrower on its face: Texas Business and Commerce Code § 20.05(a)(4) bars a consumer reporting agency from furnishing a consumer report containing a record of arrest, indictment, or conviction of a crime in which the date of disposition, release, or parole predates the report by more than seven years. Section 20.05(b) carves out reports furnished in connection with a credit transaction of $150,000 or more, life insurance with a face amount of $150,000 or more, or employment at an annual salary of $75,000 or more. How the federal and Texas rules fit together is not settled, because 15 U.S.C. § 1681t(b)(1)(E) preempts state law on the subject matter of § 1681c "except that this subparagraph shall not apply to any State law in effect on September 30, 1996." Do not assume that either the federal indefinite-reporting rule or the Texas seven-year cutoff controls a given report without checking with the reporting agency or a Texas attorney. Because Texas's records are so fragmented by county, treat a blank result with real caution. It may only mean you searched the wrong county's system.
Related Resources
Court Records by State covers the full 50-state picture. See also How to Look Up Court Records, Are Court Records Public?, Texas Expungement Laws, Texas Background Check Laws, Texas Warrant Search, and Texas Public Records Laws.
Disclaimer
This article provides general information about how Texas's court record systems are organized. It is not legal advice. County systems, fees, and statutes change; verify current details with the relevant clerk's office or a Texas attorney before relying on anything here for a specific situation.
Last updated: 2026-08-10. Portal facts and fees reflect their published status as of August 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there one website to search all Texas court records?
No. Texas has no single statewide database. re:SearchTX searches participating counties for free but may be missing records, and most counties run their own separate systems.
What is re:SearchTX and what does it cover?
re:SearchTX is a free subscription search tool covering multiple participating Texas counties and courts, focused primarily on civil cases. The Texas State Law Library warns it may not have all records from all counties.
How do I search Harris County court records?
Use the Harris County District Clerk's online portal. Registration is required but free, and public case information can then be viewed at no cost.
How do I search Dallas County court records?
Dallas County splits access between its District Clerk and County Clerk portals. Civil records are mostly available from 2008 forward, and criminal records reach back to 1975.
What is the difference between expunction and an order of nondisclosure in Texas?
Expunction destroys the record entirely. An order of nondisclosure seals the record from public view but does not destroy it, so some government agencies retain access. Texas treats these as distinct legal remedies.
Can I see Texas family court documents online?
Generally no. Family court filings are commonly kept out of standard online case search, but that restriction comes from court rules and county clerk policy under Texas Government Code Section 552.0035, not from a general Family Code limit on online access. The Family Code seals only specific categories, such as adoption files and termination files.
Can I use Texas court records to screen a tenant or job applicant?
You can search public records, but using them for an employment or housing decision is separately governed by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act and by the Texas consumer reporting limits in Business and Commerce Code Chapter 20. This guide addresses personal lookups, not screening compliance.
Updates
Corrected the attribution for restricted family court records to court rules and county clerk policy under Texas Government Code § 552.0035, and added the Texas Business and Commerce Code § 20.05 seven-year limit on reporting criminal records alongside the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act rule.
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Texas Government Code
§ 552.0035ACCESS TO INFORMATION OF JUDICIARYIn force
(a) Access to information collected, assembled, or maintained by or for the judiciary is governed by rules adopted by the Supreme Court of Texas or by other applicable laws and rules. (b) This section does not address whether information is considered to be information collected, assembled, or maintained by or for the judiciary.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at statutes.capitol.texas.gov
Texas Business & Commerce Code
§ 20.05REPORTING OF INFORMATION PROHIBITEDIn forcecited in 2 of our articles
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a consumer reporting agency may not furnish a consumer report containing information related to: (1) a case under Title 11 of the United States Code or under the federal Bankruptcy Act in which the date of entry of the order for relief or the date of adjudication predates the consumer report by more than 10 years; (2) a suit or judgment in which the date of entry predates the consumer report by more than seven years or the governing statute of limitations, whichever is longer; (3) a tax lien in which the date of payment predates the consumer report by more than seven years; (4) a record of arrest, indictment, or conviction of a crime in which the date of disposition, release, or parole predates the consumer report by more than seven years; (5) a collection account with a medical industry code, if the consumer was covered by a health benefit plan at the time of the event giving rise to the collection and the collection is for an outstanding balance, after copayments, deductibles, and coinsurance, owed to an emergency care provider or a facility-based provider for an out-of-network benefit claim; or (6) another item or event that…
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-07 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at statutes.capitol.texas.gov
Cited in 2 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2023
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Consum Data Indust Assoc v. State of TX (Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 2023)“…umer credit reports that are furnished to third-parties. Tex. Bus. & Com. Code § 20.05(a)(5). Defendant-Appellant Pa…”
- Consumer Data Industry Association v. State of Texas (District Court, W.D. Texas 2020)“…On May 31, 2019, the State of Texas enacted Texas Business & Commerce Code § 20.05(a)(5) (the “Statute”), amending the…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Texas Background Check Laws (2026 Guide)
Texas Family Code
§ 102.0086CONFIDENTIALITY OF PLEADINGSIn force
(a) This section applies only in a county with a population of 3.4 million or more. (b) Except as otherwise provided by law, all pleadings and other documents filed with the court in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship are confidential, are excepted from required public disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code, and may not be released to a person who is not a party to the suit until after the date of service of citation or the 31st day after the date of filing the suit, whichever date is sooner.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at statutes.capitol.texas.gov
United States Code Title 15
§ 1681cRequirements relating to information contained in consumer reportsIn forcecited in 61 of our articles
Except as authorized under subsection (b), no consumer reporting agency may make any consumer report containing any of the following items of information: Cases under title 11 or under the Bankruptcy Act that, from the date of entry of the order for relief or the date of adjudication, as the case may be, antedate the report by more than 10 years. Civil suits, civil judgments, and records of arrest that, from date of entry, antedate the report by more than seven years or until the governing statute of limitations has expired, whichever is the longer period. Paid tax liens which, from date of payment, antedate the report by more than seven years. Accounts placed for collection or charged to profit and loss which antedate the report by more than seven years. Any other adverse item of information, other than records of convictions of crimes which antedates the report by more than seven years.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-16 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov
Cited in 383 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Katz v. Donna Karan Co. (2017) addressed the FACTA truncation rule in 1681c(g) and affirmed dismissal for lack of Article III standing, treating material risk of harm as a fact question. Edward Seamans v. Temple University (2014) held the seven-year window in 1681c(a)(4) is extended for an education loan only until that loan is repaid.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Katz v. Donna Karan Co. (Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit 2017, 872 F.3d 114)✓A shopper sued two stores whose receipts printed the first six digits of his credit card number; the Second Circuit affirmed dismissal for lack of standing, seeing no clear error in the finding that those digits show only the card issuer, not a material risk of identity theft.
- Edward Seamans v. Temple University (Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit 2014, 744 F.3d 853)✓A defaulted university loan kept appearing on a borrower's credit reports after he repaid it because the school never reported the delinquency date; the Third Circuit held the Higher Education Act suspends section 1681c(a)(4)'s aging-off rule only until repayment.
- Gonzales v. Arrow Financial Services, LLC (Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 2011, 660 F.3d 1055)✓A debt buyer offered to settle health club debts over seven years old, saying that if it was reporting the account the bureaus would be told it was settled; the Ninth Circuit, treating those debts as unreportable under section 1681c(a)(4), called that implication misleading.
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: How Long Does a Felony Stay on Your Record? (2026), Background Check Laws by State (2026 Guide), Alabama Background Check Laws (2026 Guide)
§ 1681tRelation to State lawsIn forcecited in 4 of our articles
Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), this subchapter does not annul, alter, affect, or exempt any person subject to the provisions of this subchapter from complying with the laws of any State with respect to the collection, distribution, or use of any information on consumers, or for the prevention or mitigation of identity theft, except to the extent that those laws are inconsistent with any provision of this subchapter, and then only to the extent of the inconsistency.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov
Cited in 326 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Carvalho v. Equifax Information Services, LLC (Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 2010, 629 F.3d 876)“…rounds that the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”), 15 U.S.C. § 1681t(b)(l)(F), preempted Carvalho’s CCRAA cl…”
- MacPherson v. Jpmorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit 2011, 665 F.3d 45)“…g 30 agency. We hold that the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681t(b)(1)(F), preempts the 31 consumer’s…”
- Galper v. JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit 2015, 802 F.3d 437)“…umer reporting agencies, and is therefore not preempted by 15 U.S.C. § 1681t(b)(1)(F). VACATED AND…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Montana Background Check Laws (2026 Guide), Alaska Data Privacy Laws: Constitutional Privacy & Breach Rules (2026), 15 U.S.C. § 1681 (FCRA): Credit Report Rights Explained
Sources and References
- Texas State Law Library, Court Records guide(guides.sll.texas.gov).gov
- Texas State Law Library, Expunctions and Non-Disclosure guide(guides.sll.texas.gov).gov
- Harris County District Clerk, Public Case Search(hcdistrictclerk.com).gov
- Dallas County, Public Access to Court Records(dallascounty.org).gov
- Cornell Legal Information Institute, 15 U.S.C. § 1681c (FCRA obsolete information)(law.cornell.edu)
- Texas Government Code § 552.0035, Access to Information of Judiciary(statutes.capitol.texas.gov).gov
- Texas Business and Commerce Code § 20.05, Reporting of Information Prohibited(statutes.capitol.texas.gov).gov
- Texas Family Code § 102.0086, Confidentiality of Pleadings(statutes.capitol.texas.gov).gov
- Cornell Legal Information Institute, 15 U.S.C. § 1681t (FCRA relation to state laws)(law.cornell.edu)