Travis County Civil Court Records

Travis County civil court records are maintained by the District Clerk and the County Clerk in Austin. You can search them online through the Travis County courts portal or visit the courthouse in person to request copies of case files, judgments, and other civil documents. Travis County serves as the seat of Texas state government and home to the capital city of Austin, making it one of the busiest civil court jurisdictions in the state. The District Clerk handles all district court civil filings, including personal injury claims, contract disputes, and property matters, while the County Clerk covers county court at law civil cases, probate records, and real property documents.

Travis County District Clerk

The Travis County District Clerk manages civil court records for all district courts in the county. The office handles case records, court filings, jury services, and records management for civil, family, and criminal matters. Civil and family court records are the focus for most public records requests. The District Clerk's office provides free public access to case information online, and attorneys can print and download documents at no charge after registering.

Civil and family records are handled at 1700 Guadalupe, Room 3.200, Austin, TX 78701. The phone number is (512) 854-9457 and hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Felony criminal records are kept at a separate location: 501 W. 11th Street, 2nd Floor, Room 2.300, Austin, TX 78701. For civil court matters, the Guadalupe Street location is where you go. The office can also be reached for open records requests by email at traviscodcpublicinfo@traviscountytx.gov.

Online civil court records go back to 2006 for family and civil case types. Criminal records online start from 2008. The system shows case status, hearing dates, party and attorney information, financial details, and document images for some records. Public users can view case information without an account. Attorneys and parties to cases can register for fuller document access.

The Travis County District Clerk's portal lets you search civil cases by party name, case number, or attorney. You can view case status, upcoming hearings, and filing history. Document images are available for some records.

How to Get Travis County Civil Court Records

There are three ways to request Travis County civil court records. Online requests go through the Court Records Request Form on the District Clerk's website. Mail requests go to Travis County District Clerk, Records Request, P.O. Box 679003, Austin, TX 78767. In-person requests are handled at the Civil and Family Court Facility on Guadalupe or the Criminal Justice Center for felony matters.

Copy fees are $1.00 per page for regular copies. Certified copies cost $5.00 per document plus $1.00 per page. Electronic documents sent by email cost $1.00 per page if the document is in the electronic library. Self-service copies at courthouse kiosks run $0.20 to $0.25 per page. These rates apply to most civil case records. If you need a certified copy for use in another legal proceeding, add the per-document certification fee on top of the per-page cost.

Civil district court records in Travis County cover personal injury cases, contract disputes, property matters, and administrative appeals from state agencies. Family court records include divorce, custody, and child support cases. District courts in Travis County handle cases without a dollar limit on civil matters. County courts at law handle civil cases up to $200,000.

Note: The District Clerk's mailing address for open records requests is Travis County District Clerk, Attn: District Clerk PIA, P.O. Box 679003, Austin, TX 78767.

Travis County Clerk

The Travis County Clerk handles a different set of records than the District Clerk. The County Clerk's office manages county court at law civil records, probate records, real property records, marriage licenses, and misdemeanor criminal cases. If your civil case was filed in a county court at law rather than a district court, the County Clerk's office holds those records.

The County Clerk is located at 5501 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78751. The phone is (512) 854-9188. Online case data goes back to June 1986 for civil records, with redacted document images available from December 2005 forward. Probate records online start from July 1992. The system updates every 24 hours. New document images appear within 72 hours of filing. The County Clerk's website is at countyclerk.traviscountytx.gov.

The Travis County Clerk's online portal gives access to county court civil records, probate filings, and real property documents. Civil case data is available from 1986 forward, with document images from 2005.

County court at law records in Travis County cover civil disputes up to $200,000. Probate records include estates, guardianships, and mental health matters. Real property records include deeds, liens, and other instruments recorded with the county. Marriage licenses and assumed name filings are also part of the County Clerk's records. If you are not sure which office holds the records you need, start with the case type and dollar amount to determine which court had jurisdiction.

Search Civil Cases Online

The statewide re:SearchTX portal covers Travis County civil records along with courts across all 254 Texas counties. This system is run by the Texas Office of Court Administration and lets you search by party name, case number, attorney name, date range, and case type. Data refreshes nightly. Travis County has strong coverage in this system, so it works well for finding both older and recent civil case filings.

For electronic filings, Travis County civil courts use eFileTexas, the statewide system for mandatory e-filing. Attorneys must use this system in civil cases. Self-represented litigants may also file through it. Documents go into the record once court staff accepts them. The system runs around the clock and generates electronic timestamps for each submission.

Travis County sits in the jurisdiction of the 3rd Court of Appeals, which is based in Austin. If a civil case is appealed from a Travis County district court or county court at law, it goes to the 3rd Court of Appeals. That court's records and opinions can be searched through the Texas courts website at txcourts.gov.

What you can find through Travis County civil case searches:

• Case number and style (plaintiff vs. defendant)
• Filing date and current case status
• Party names and attorney information
• Court assignment and presiding judge
• Register of actions showing all case events
• Hearing dates, continuances, and dispositions
• Document filing list with images for many records

Texas Civil Court Law and Records Access

Civil court records in Texas are governed by the common law right of public access, not the Texas Public Information Act. Under Texas Government Code Section 552.0035, judicial records are exempt from the Public Information Act and are instead governed by Rule 12 of the Texas Rules of Judicial Administration and applicable court rules. This means you access court records through the clerk's office rather than through an agency open records request.

The Texas Rules of Civil Procedure govern how civil cases proceed in Texas courts. Fee waivers are available for parties who cannot afford court costs. Under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 145, a party can file a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs. The court reviews your financial situation and may waive filing fees and copy charges. Forms are available at the courthouse and on the Texas courts website at txcourts.gov/rules-forms.

Travis County civil courts handle a wide range of case types. Contract disputes between businesses or individuals. Personal injury claims from accidents and negligence. Property disputes involving real estate or personal property. Administrative appeals from decisions made by Texas state agencies headquartered in Austin. Family law matters including divorce and child custody. The dollar amount and case type both determine which court level has jurisdiction over a given civil matter.

Legal Resources in Travis County

Several organizations provide civil legal help to people in Travis County. Lone Star Legal Aid serves the Austin area and handles civil matters for people with lower incomes. Their website is lonestarlegal.org. Texas RioGrande Legal Aid also operates in the region. Both organizations focus on civil cases including housing, family law, consumer issues, and benefits matters.

The State Bar of Texas runs a lawyer referral service at (800) 252-9690. You can search for licensed attorneys by location and practice area at texasbar.com. For self-help guides and official court forms, texaslawhelp.org covers most common civil legal situations in plain language. Official Texas court forms are also posted at txcourts.gov.

Federal civil court cases involving Travis County parties are handled by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. Federal court records can be searched through PACER, the federal courts' public access system. Registration is free and per-page fees apply for most document views.

Cities in Travis County

Travis County covers Austin and several surrounding communities. All district court civil cases filed in the county go through the Travis County District Clerk. Qualifying cities with civil court records pages include:

Other communities in Travis County include Pflugerville, Manor, Rollingwood, West Lake Hills, Sunset Valley, Jonestown, and Lago Vista. All civil court filings go through the Travis County court system regardless of which city you live in.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Travis County. If you are not sure which county handles your case, check where the dispute arose or where the defendant lives.