Erath County Public Records /Erath County Court Records

Erath County Court Records

What Is Erath County Court Records

Court records in Erath County encompass the official documentation generated by judicial proceedings within the county's court system. These records include case files, docket sheets, pleadings, motions, orders, judgments, transcripts, exhibits, and sentencing records created at each stage of litigation or adjudication. A case file typically contains all documents filed by parties to a proceeding, while a docket sheet provides a chronological index of every action taken in a case.

Court records are distinct from other categories of public records maintained in Erath County. Property records, for example, are held by the County Appraisal District and County Clerk's real property division, while vital records such as birth and death certificates are maintained separately under the Texas Department of State Health Services. Court records, by contrast, document the exercise of judicial authority and are custodied by the clerk of the court in which the matter was heard.

The following courts in Erath County generate and maintain court records:

District Court – handles felony criminal cases, civil matters exceeding $200, family law, and juvenile matters
County Court at Law – handles Class A and B misdemeanors, civil cases, probate, and mental health matters
Constitutional County Court – handles probate, guardianship, and certain civil and criminal matters
Justice of the Peace Courts – handle small claims, Class C misdemeanors, and traffic violations
Municipal Courts – handle city ordinance violations and Class C misdemeanor offenses

Pursuant to Texas Government Code § 552.002, "public information" includes any information collected, assembled, or maintained by or for a governmental body in connection with the transaction of official business, which encompasses court-generated documents.

Are Court Records Public In Erath County

Court records in Erath County are presumptively open to the public under Texas law. The Texas Public Information Act establishes that government records, including those maintained by courts, are available for public inspection unless a specific statutory exception applies. Additionally, the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure affirm the principle of open court proceedings and accessible records.

The following categories of records are generally available to members of the public:

Most civil case files, including petitions, answers, and supporting documents
Criminal case files following the filing of formal charges
Final judgments and court orders
Docket sheets and hearing schedules
Probate filings, including wills admitted to record and letters testamentary
Family court orders, with certain exceptions for sensitive matters

Federal court records for cases arising in Erath County are maintained separately through the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Federal records are governed by federal law and accessible through the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) system, which is distinct from the Texas state court access framework. Members of the public seeking federal case information for Erath County may reference the Erath County – Northern District of Texas court locator for jurisdictional guidance.

Certain records are exempt from public disclosure under Texas law, including juvenile records, sealed cases, mental health commitment records, and documents protected by court order.

How To Find Court Records in Erath County in 2026

Members of the public may obtain Erath County court records through several official channels. The process varies depending on the court type and the nature of the case sought.

In-Person Requests:

Visit the Erath County District Clerk's Office for district court records, including felony criminal, civil, and family cases
Visit the Erath County Clerk's Office for county court, probate, and guardianship records
Visit the appropriate Justice of the Peace precinct for JP court records
Present a written or verbal request identifying the case by name, cause number, or approximate filing date
Pay any applicable copy fees, currently set at $1.00 per page for standard copies in most Texas county offices

By Mail:

Submit a written request to the appropriate clerk's office identifying the case and specifying the documents needed
Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment for estimated copy fees

Online:

Use the Texas Judicial Branch's online portals to search available case information remotely (see the following section for portal details)

How To Look Up Court Records in Erath County Online?

Several official online portals provide access to Erath County court records at no cost for basic searches.

Texas District and County Clerks' Online Portal: The Texas Judicial Branch maintains statewide resources and links to individual county clerk systems. Members of the public may search district and county court case information through the Erath County District Clerk's online case search tool, where available, by entering a party name, cause number, or attorney name.

Tyler Technologies / Odyssey Portal: Many Texas counties, including Erath County, use the Odyssey case management system. Users may access the public-facing portal to search civil, criminal, family, and probate case records by navigating to the county's designated case search URL and entering relevant search criteria such as:

Navigate to the Erath County District Clerk's case search portal
Select the case type (civil, criminal, family, probate)
Enter the party's last name, first name, or cause number
Review the docket sheet and available case documents
Request certified copies through the clerk's office if official documentation is required

Child Protection Court Dockets: Members of the public and legal professionals may access child protection court scheduling information for Erath County through the Eighth Region South Child Protection Court docket system, maintained by the Texas Judicial Branch.

PACER (Federal Cases): Federal civil and criminal cases involving Erath County parties are searchable through the PACER system at pacer.uscourts.gov. A per-page fee applies to document retrieval, though docket searches under a quarterly threshold are provided at no charge.

How To Search Erath County Court Records for Free?

Texas law guarantees members of the public the right to inspect public records, including court records, at no charge. Under Texas Government Code § 552.021, a governmental body shall promptly make available for inspection and copying public information that is not excepted from required disclosure. Fees may be assessed only for copies, not for inspection itself.

The following options are currently available for free record searches:

In-person inspection at the Erath County District Clerk's Office or County Clerk's Office — no fee is charged to view records on-site
Texas Judicial Branch case search portals — basic docket and case status searches are available at no cost
Child protection court dockets — accessible without charge through the Texas Judicial Branch's online docket system
PACER fee waiver — federal court users who accrue less than $30.00 in charges per quarter are not billed

Members of the public who require certified copies will be subject to standard statutory copy fees established by the Texas Government Code.

What's Included in a Erath County Court Record?

The contents of a court record vary by case type, but generally include the following categories of documents:

Civil Case Records:

Original petition or complaint
Defendant's answer and any counterclaims
Motions filed by either party
Court orders and rulings
Final judgment
Jury instructions and verdict forms (if applicable)
Transcripts of hearings or trial proceedings

Criminal Case Records:

Charging instrument (indictment, information, or complaint)
Arrest and booking information (where filed with the court)
Bail and bond documents
Plea agreements
Sentencing orders and probation conditions
Appellate filings

Family Law Records:

Petitions for divorce, custody, or modification
Temporary and final orders
Child support and visitation schedules
Protective orders (subject to access restrictions in certain circumstances)

Probate Records:

Original will and petition for probate
Letters testamentary or letters of administration
Inventory and appraisement of estate assets
Final accounting and order of distribution

Traffic and Class C Misdemeanor Records:

Citation information
Plea and payment records
Compliance documentation

How Long Does Erath County Keep Court Records?

Erath County courts retain records in accordance with retention schedules established by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) under the authority of the Texas Local Government Code. Retention periods vary by record type and court level.

Record Type	Minimum Retention Period
District court civil case files	10 years after final disposition
District court felony criminal files	Permanent
County court misdemeanor files	10 years after final disposition
Probate records	Permanent
Justice of the Peace civil records	5 years
Justice of the Peace criminal records	5 years after final disposition
Judgment dockets	Permanent
Court minutes and orders	Permanent

Pursuant to Texas Local Government Code § 203.042, local government records may not be destroyed except in accordance with a records retention schedule approved by TSLAC. Permanent records must be maintained indefinitely and, where feasible, preserved in archival formats.

Types of Courts In Erath County

Erath County's court system operates within the Texas judicial hierarchy, which proceeds from municipal and justice courts at the base through district courts, the Courts of Appeals, and ultimately the Texas Supreme Court (civil) and Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (criminal) at the apex.

Erath County District Court (266th Judicial District)

Erath County Courthouse 100 W. Washington St., Stephenville, TX 76401 (254) 965-1462 Erath County District Clerk Public counter hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Erath County Court at Law

Erath County Courthouse 100 W. Washington St., Stephenville, TX 76401 (254) 965-1452 Erath County Clerk Public counter hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Erath County Constitutional County Court

Erath County Courthouse 100 W. Washington St., Stephenville, TX 76401 (254) 965-1452 Erath County Clerk Public counter hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Erath County Justice of the Peace Courts (Precincts 1–4)

Erath County Courthouse 100 W. Washington St., Stephenville, TX 76401 (254) 965-1200 (main county line) Erath County Official Website

Stephenville Municipal Court

298 W. Washington St., Stephenville, TX 76401 (254) 918-1240 City of Stephenville Public counter hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

What Types of Cases Do Erath County Courts Hear?

Each court within Erath County exercises jurisdiction over specific categories of cases as defined by Texas law.

266th District Court:

Felony criminal cases (state jail felonies through first-degree felonies)
Civil cases with amounts in controversy exceeding $200
Family law matters, including divorce, child custody, and termination of parental rights
Juvenile delinquency and CINS (child in need of supervision) cases

County Court at Law:

Class A and Class B misdemeanor criminal cases
Civil cases with amounts in controversy between $200 and $250,000
Probate and guardianship matters
Mental health commitment proceedings

Constitutional County Court:

Probate, guardianship, and mental health matters
Appellate jurisdiction over Justice of the Peace and Municipal Court decisions

Justice of the Peace Courts:

Small claims civil cases (currently up to $20,000)
Class C misdemeanor offenses
Traffic violations
Eviction (forcible detainer) proceedings
Magistrate functions, including issuing arrest and search warrants

Municipal Court (Stephenville):

City ordinance violations
Class C misdemeanor offenses occurring within city limits
Traffic citations issued within the municipality

How To Find a Court Docket In Erath County

A court docket is the official schedule of proceedings and chronological record of filings in a case. Members of the public may access Erath County court dockets through the following methods:

Online Search:

Access the Texas Judicial Branch's statewide case search resources at txcourts.gov and navigate to Erath County court links
Use the Odyssey public portal, where available, to search active and closed case dockets by party name or cause number
Review child protection court hearing schedules through the Eighth Region South Child Protection Court docket portal maintained by the Texas Judicial Branch

In-Person:

Visit the Erath County District Clerk's Office at 100 W. Washington St., Stephenville, TX 76401, during regular business hours to request a docket sheet for any case on file
Visit the Erath County Clerk's Office at the same address for county court and probate dockets

By Telephone:

Contact the District Clerk's Office at (254) 965-1462 to inquire about case status and scheduled hearing dates

Which Courts in Erath County Are Not Courts of Record?

A court of record is a court whose proceedings are officially documented and preserved, whose acts and judicial proceedings are enrolled in permanent records, and whose judgments carry a presumption of regularity. Courts not of record, by contrast, do not maintain a verbatim transcript of proceedings as a matter of course, and appeals from such courts are typically heard as trials de novo (new trials) in a higher court.

Under Texas Government Code § 30.00003 and related provisions of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Justice of the Peace Courts and most Municipal Courts in Texas are classified as courts not of record unless the legislature has specifically designated them otherwise.

In Erath County, the following courts are currently classified as courts not of record:

Justice of the Peace Courts (Precincts 1–4) — These courts handle small claims, Class C misdemeanors, and traffic matters. Appeals from JP court decisions are heard de novo in the County Court or County Court at Law.
Stephenville Municipal Court — Unless specifically designated as a court of record by the Texas Legislature, municipal courts operate as courts not of record. Appeals are taken to the County Court at Law for a new trial on the merits.

Because these courts do not produce verbatim transcripts, parties who wish to preserve a record for appellate purposes must be aware that the appeal will proceed as a new proceeding rather than a review of the lower court's record.