Tarrant County Court Records

This guide explains how court records work in Tarrant County, Texas — which courts hear which cases, which clerk holds the file, and how to use the online case search and order certified copies. It is informational only and is not a substitute for legal advice.

How Tarrant County courts are organized

Tarrant County, Texas has several layers of courts, and knowing which one handled a case tells you which clerk holds the record. The main categories are:

District Courts — hear felony criminal cases, civil disputes and family law matters such as divorce. These records are kept by the Tarrant County District Clerk.
County Courts at Law — handle misdemeanor criminal cases and many civil matters. Criminal records for these courts are held through the Tarrant County Clerk's criminal courts section.
Justice of the Peace (Justice) Courts — handle small claims, evictions, traffic and other Class C misdemeanor citations. Traffic-warrant questions go to the agency that issued the citation or the Justice of the Peace shown on the citation.
Municipal Courts — city courts that handle city ordinance and traffic matters; those records are held by the individual city, not the county.

Appellate matters are searched separately through the Texas Courts appellate case search maintained by the state.

Which clerk holds which record

Matching the case type to the correct custodian saves time:

Felony criminal, civil and family (including divorce) — Tarrant County District Clerk. Divorce records in Tarrant County are held by the District Clerk (Family Law), not by County Clerk Vital Records.
Misdemeanor criminal — Tarrant County Clerk, criminal courts section.
Deeds, plats and recorded liens — County Clerk Official Public Records. Note the Clerk does not perform title or lien searches for you.
Marriage licenses — searchable on the free Tarrant Clerk Official Records site; certified copies require ID and the fees listed by the Clerk.

If you are unsure which office to contact, the County Telephone Operator at 817-884-1111 can help route your call.

Using the online case search

Several free public search tools are available for Tarrant County court records:

The Tarrant County Court Records Search runs on the Tyler Odyssey Public Access system and lets you look up many case types by name or case number.
The Criminal Docket Search operated by the District Clerk lets you review criminal docket information.
The Tarrant County Clerk Official Public Records Search covers recorded documents such as deeds and other official public records.
The Texas Courts appellate case search covers appellate-level cases.

When searching by name, try spelling variations and confirm the date of birth or case number where possible, because common names return multiple matches. Confirm any result against the official case file before relying on it. Remember that an arrest or a filed charge is not a conviction — a charge may be dismissed, reduced or result in acquittal.

What is public and what is restricted

Most court filings in Texas are public, but some records are confidential or sealed by law or court order. Examples of restricted material can include juvenile records, sealed or expunged cases, records under nondisclosure orders, and certain family-law and adoption files. Vital records handled by the Tarrant County Clerk Vital Records Division are also restricted: birth records are confidential for 75 years and death records for 25 years from the event.

If a search shows a case but the detailed documents are not visible online, the file may be restricted, or it may simply require an in-person or clerk-assisted request. The clerk cannot release records that a statute or court order keeps confidential. If you believe a record should be sealed or unsealed, that is a legal question you should confirm with an attorney or the appropriate clerk's office.

Ordering certified copies and fees

Viewing a record online is free, but a certified copy — the kind you may need for official or legal purposes — must be ordered from the clerk that holds the case. In general:

Identify the correct clerk (District Clerk for felony/civil/family; County Clerk for misdemeanor and recorded documents).
Gather the case number, party names and any dates you already know.
Request the certified copy in person, by mail, or through any method the clerk offers.
Pay the copy and certification fees the clerk charges.

This site does not list current court copy fees. Because fees, accepted payment methods, and mailing instructions change, confirm the exact amount and process with the District Clerk or County Clerk before you send payment or visit. For marriage-license certified copies, the Clerk requires ID and charges the fees it lists.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I find a Tarrant County divorce record?

Divorce (family law) records are held by the Tarrant County District Clerk, not by County Clerk Vital Records. You can search family case dockets through the online public access tools and request certified copies from the District Clerk.

Are Tarrant County court records free to search online?

Yes, viewing case information through the Tyler Odyssey Public Access system, the District Clerk's Criminal Docket Search, and the County Clerk's Official Public Records Search is free. Certified copies, however, carry fees set by the clerk.

Does a court record mean someone was convicted?

No. A court file may show a filed charge, a dismissal, a plea, a verdict or an ongoing case. An arrest or a charge is not a conviction. Read the disposition carefully and confirm the current status with the clerk.

How do I get information about a traffic warrant?

Traffic-warrant questions go to the agency that issued the citation, or to the Justice of the Peace shown on the citation. The Sheriff's Office does not release criminal warrant information to the general public.