Find Tarrant County Court Docket Records
Tarrant County court docket records are managed by the District Clerk's office in Fort Worth, Texas, covering 27 district courts that handle civil, criminal, family, and juvenile cases. The county processes roughly 90,000 new cases each year, making it one of the busiest court systems in the state. This page explains how to search for docket records, what information is available online, and how to get copies from the Tarrant County clerk offices.
Tarrant County Overview
Tarrant County District Clerk
The Tarrant County District Clerk is the official record keeper for all 27 district courts. The main office is in the Tarrant County Courthouse at 100 W. Weatherford Street in downtown Fort Worth. Additional operations run out of the Family Courts Building and Juvenile Services facilities. The office handles everything from felony criminal filings to complex civil litigation and family law matters including divorce, child custody, and child support cases.
Every case that passes through a Tarrant County district court gets logged in the docket. The docket tracks each filing, motion, hearing, ruling, and final disposition. Staff maintain these records and make them available for public review. Historical court docket records in Tarrant County date back to 1850 when the county was organized. Older records sit in the county archives and can be requested for research purposes.
| Office | Tarrant County District Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 100 W. Weatherford Street, Room 130, Fort Worth, TX 76196 |
| Phone | (817) 850-1400 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Website | tarrantcounty.com/en/district-clerk |
The Tarrant County Clerk handles a separate group of cases. That office serves 10 county courts at law and 2 probate courts. Misdemeanor criminal cases and civil disputes under $250,000 go through the County Clerk at 100 W. Weatherford Street, Room 350. Reach them at (817) 831-6150. The County Clerk also manages real property records, marriage licenses, and vital records for the county.
The Tarrant County District Clerk's website provides case search tools and filing information for the public. The image below shows the District Clerk's homepage, which links to case records, fee schedules, and division contact information.
This page is your starting point for finding court docket information across all of Tarrant County's district court divisions.
How to Search Tarrant County Docket Records
Tarrant County splits its online case search into separate portals by case type. Criminal case records are at criminal.tarrantcounty.com. Civil and family cases are at civil.tarrantcounty.com. The County Clerk's records, including property filings and county court cases, are at records.tarrantcounty.com. Each portal lets you search by name or case number, with date range filters to narrow things down.
These portals are free to use. Results show the case number, parties, filing date, case type, and current status. Some document copies require online payment. If you can't find what you need on the local portals, re:SearchTX also includes Tarrant County records. That statewide portal covers over 150 counties and lets you search across jurisdictions in one place.
Not every document is available online. Full docket sheets are usually there, but attached exhibits, sealed filings, and some older records may need a direct request to the clerk's office. Public access computers at the courthouse let you search records with staff help during business hours.
Note: Tarrant County offers online marriage license pre-application to reduce wait times, which is separate from the court docket search portals.
Tarrant County Court Docket Contents
A court docket is the official record of every action taken in a case. In Tarrant County, docket records cover felony criminal cases, civil lawsuits, family law proceedings, and juvenile matters. Each entry shows the case number, the parties, what happened, and when. Criminal dockets list arraignments, bail settings, plea entries, trial dates, and sentencing details. Family dockets track divorce filings, custody motions, temporary orders, and final decrees.
The Civil Division handles contract disputes, personal injury cases, and property matters. These dockets include the original petition, all responses and counterclaims, discovery motions, hearing dates, and the final judgment. The Juvenile Division keeps separate records that are confidential under the Texas Family Code, with access limited to authorized parties only.
The Tarrant County Clerk's website provides access to county court records and property filings. The image below shows the County Clerk's portal, which covers county-level case searches and vital records services.
Use this portal for county court at law cases, probate matters, and misdemeanor docket records in Tarrant County.
Court Docket Fees in Tarrant County
Tarrant County follows Texas standard rates for court record copies. Plain copies are $1.00 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 for certification plus $1.00 per page after that. Certified copies come with a court seal and are what you need for legal proceedings in other courts. You can get copies in person at the clerk's office, by mail, or through the online portals.
Marriage licenses in Tarrant County cost $71.00 without a premarital counseling certificate or $11.00 with one. Birth certificates are $23.00 and death certificates are $21.00 through the County Clerk. For mail requests, send a check or money order. Allow extra time for processing.
The eFileTexas system is how attorneys submit filings to Tarrant County courts electronically. The image below shows the eFileTexas login page, which is the mandatory e-filing platform for Texas attorneys.
Electronic filing speeds up how fast new entries appear on the Tarrant County court docket, since documents hit the system as soon as the clerk processes them.
Public Access to Tarrant County Records
Court docket records in Tarrant County are public under the Texas Public Information Act, found in Government Code Chapter 552. This law creates a presumption that government records are open unless a specific exception applies. You can submit a formal open records request to the District Clerk in writing. The office must respond within ten business days in most situations.
The Texas Attorney General's Office oversees compliance and publishes guides for people requesting records. If you get pushback on a request that should be public, the AG's office is there to help. Sealed cases, juvenile records, and some family law documents are the main exceptions where access can be denied.
The Texas Attorney General's Open Records page explains public access rights for court filings and docket sheets from offices like the Tarrant County District Clerk.
This resource is useful when you need to understand your rights under the Public Information Act while requesting Tarrant County court records.
Tarrant County Court Structure
Tarrant County has 27 district courts, 10 county courts at law, and 2 probate courts. District courts handle felony criminal cases, civil cases over $200, family law, and juvenile matters. County courts at law cover misdemeanors, smaller civil disputes, and appeals from justice courts. Texas uses a split court system at the top: the Supreme Court for civil matters and the Court of Criminal Appeals for criminal matters.
The Office of Court Administration publishes annual caseload data for every Texas county, including Tarrant. These reports help researchers and attorneys understand how many cases move through the system and how long they take to resolve. Attorneys filing in Tarrant County district courts must use eFileTexas. Self-represented parties can file at the courthouse in person, and staff can point you to the right forms.
Note: Tarrant County's family law division handles a high volume of cases due to the county's large population, so expect longer processing times for family docket matters.
Legal Help in Tarrant County
Free legal resources are available if you need help with a Tarrant County court case. TexasLawHelp provides guides on family law, debt, and housing issues written in plain language. The Texas State Law Library offers free access to statutes, court rules, and research tools online. The State Bar of Texas has a lawyer referral service for the Fort Worth area. Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas serves income-qualifying residents in Tarrant County with free civil legal help.
The Texas State Law Library homepage, shown below, is a free resource for accessing Texas statutes and court rules relevant to Tarrant County court docket cases.
Library staff can help you find the right statutes and procedural rules for your specific Tarrant County court matter.
Nearby Texas Counties
Tarrant County borders several North Texas counties, each maintaining its own court docket records through their respective District Clerk offices. Cross-county cases can sometimes appear in more than one court system.