Bastrop County Court Records

A court record is any document containing evidence, exhibits, transcripts, and other information about a court case filed with the Clerk of Court. The District Clerk and County Clerk are the primary court clerks operational in Bastrop County. Both clerks ensure proper maintenance of Bastrop County court records.

Bastrop County court records and other Texas court records aid transparency and accountability within the county’s judicial system.

Are Court Records Public in Bastrop County?

Yes, the Texas Public Information Act classifies court records in Bastrop County under Texas public records. This means Bastrop County court records are open to the public for examination. Access to these records is governed by Rule 12 of the Texas Rules of Judicial Administration, which outlines what court records can be accessed and the procedures for obtaining them.

Bastrop County court records relating to confidential cases are redacted from the public space by the court to protect the privacy of the individuals involved. These cases include adoption cases, juvenile cases, sensitive personal information such as social security numbers and financial account numbers, mental health cases, and some domestic cases. An external party (one not authorized to access the record) will need to obtain a court order to view the court record.

Bastrop County Court Records Search

Inquirers interested in looking up Bastrop County court records may do so through the following options:

• The District Clerk or County Clerk, depending on the type of case
• The Bastrop County Case Search portal
• Third-party resources

Bastrop County Courts

Bastrop County is served by several courts, including the County Court at Law and four District Courts: the 21st, 335th, 423rd, and 465th District Courts. The State of Texas requires each county to have at least one District Court to address serious criminal and civil cases.

In addition, Bastrop County cities are also served by municipal courts that handle Class C criminal violations in their jurisdiction. Below are the court addresses of Bastrop County courts:

Bastrop County Courthouse
804 Pecan Street
Bastrop, Texas 78602
Phone: (512) 581-4277
Fax: (512) 332-7291

Bastrop City Municipal Court
104 Grady Tuck Lane
Bastrop, TX 78602
Phone: (512) 332-8650

Smithville City Municipal Court
317 Main Street
P.O. Box 449
Smithville, Texas 78957
Phone: (512) 237-3282

Elgin City Municipal Court
310 N Main Street
P.O. Box 591
Elgin, Texas 78621
Phone: (512) 281-5724
Fax: (512) 285-3016

Bastrop County Criminal Records

Bastrop criminal records are generated from information provided by local law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system regarding an individual. They contain Bastrop County arrest records, details of criminal charges, court proceedings, convictions, and sentencing information.

To access basic criminal record data like arrest information, an individual may contact the Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office or the agency that made the arrest. An arrest record request at the Sheriff’s Office can be made in person or by mailing a written request to the Sheriff’s Open Records Department at:

Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office
Attn: Open Records
200 Jackson Street
Bastrop, TX 78602

Inquiries can also be made to the Open Records Department via email or phone at (512) 549-5195.

Individuals may obtain their personal complete criminal history record from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). They can request the criminal record themselves or authorize someone else to do so on their behalf. To request a criminal history record from the DPS, a requester is required to submit their fingerprints at a Fingerprint Applicant Services of Texas (FAST) location. A third-party company runs the FAST locations under contract with the DPS. An applicant may schedule an appointment with the company to have their fingerprints captured electronically at their preferred FAST location with the company online or by phone. Fingerprint capturing at a DPS FAST location costs $10. Applicants outside Texas cannot submit their fingerprints electronically.

Applicants unable to submit their fingerprints electronically at a FAST location can submit their fingerprints by mail to the third-party vendor. They are to legibly complete a DPS-approved fingerprint card, which can be obtained at a law enforcement agency. The fingerprint card should contain their full name, sex, race, date of birth, signature, and fingerprints. They may include their social security number if they want it printed on their criminal history record.

After an applicant has successfully submitted their fingerprints electronically or by mail, with a criminal history record search fee of $15, the DPS processes their application. Any criminal records found are then sent to the requester by mail or email. If no response is received within 14 days of submitting the fingerprints, applicants can contact the DPS at (512) 424-2474 for assistance. It is important to note that the DPS does not process fingerprint submissions over 30 days old.

An alternative option to accessing criminal history information from the DPS is through their Conviction Name Search. The portal is publicly accessible and discloses information about arrests, prosecutions, and case dispositions for persons arrested for at least a Class B misdemeanor. Results may also include Class C convictions and limited supervision information provided they are reported to the DPS. A search is conducted strictly by name.

Get Bastrop County Civil Court Records

A case involving a disagreement between at least two persons is a civil case. Civil cases in Bastrop County are handled by both the County Court at Law and the District courts.

To obtain a civil court record, an inquirer may visit the appropriate court clerk, either the District Clerk or the County Clerk, or the Court at Law Clerk. A requester will need to provide basic information about the case like the name of a person involved or the case number. A fee will be required if a requester wishes to receive a copy of the record.

Bastrop County civil court records can be viewed online on the Bastrop County Case Records Search portal. A civil court record search by case, party, or attorney can be done on the portal.

Bastrop County Marriage Records

A legal marriage in Bastrop County occurs when two eligible individuals obtain a marriage license and have a ceremony officiated by an authorized person. Individuals authorized to join a couple in marriage include licensed religious personnel, active judges, or a retired judge who served for at least 12 years (Texas Family Code, Section 2.202). The Bastrop County Clerk is responsible for issuing marriage licenses and maintaining a record of marriages that occur in the county.

The married couple is required to return the license to the County Clerk for recording after their marriage ceremony within 30 days. Once the license has been recorded, the Clerk issues a Bastrop County marriage certificate to the couple. Obtaining a Bastrop County marriage license costs $81, including the initial marriage certificate fee. The license fee is reduced to $21 if both completed (with a certificate as proof) the Texas premarital education course a year before applying for a marriage license. The couple can obtain subsequent marriage certificates from the County Clerk for $5. The County Clerk can be located at the Bastrop County courthouse. Individuals can call the clerk’s office to make further inquiries about the process.

Individuals can also search the county's marriage index on the Bastrop County Public Records portal. Users can search the index using the applicant’s name, license number range, application date range, marriage date range, and license status.

Bastrop County Divorce Records

The District Courts handle divorce cases in Bastrop County. When a divorce happens, the case file is kept with the District Clerk. Individuals wanting access to the record can do so in person at the District Clerk at the courthouse. An inquirer may also obtain a Bastrop divorce certificate from the District Clerk for a fee.

Individuals can also access divorce records through the Bastrop County Case Search portal. A researcher may use the name of either spouse or the divorce case number if available to locate a divorce record.

Bastrop Birth and Death Records

Marriages, births, deaths, and divorces are considered vital events in Bastrop County. The records of these events constitute Bastrop County vital records. The County Clerk is responsible for the preservation of vital records. These records are useful to the Bastrop County government in various ways including tracking population trends, resource allocation, and public health initiatives.

Birth and death records in Texas are not accessible to the general public. Only the person named on the record (for birth records), an immediate family member, or a legal representative may access information contained in the record. However, the index of births and deaths is accessible to the general public. The index can searched on the Bastrop County Public Records portal.

An eligible individual can obtain a Bastrop County birth or death certificate in person at the County Clerk’s Office. Alternatively, an inquirer can mail a completed birth/death certificate application form to the County Clerk’s address. The mail should include payment and the requester’s valid photo ID. A Bastrop County birth certificate costs $23 per copy, while a death certificate costs $21 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy requested simultaneously.

Bastrop County Probate Court Records

A probate court record contains information about the administration of an individual’s estate after their death. Bastrop County has a dedicated probate court, an arm of the County Court at Law that oversees probate cases. Individuals can access probate court records at the County Clerk’s Office or search for them online via the County’s Case Search portal.

Bastrop County Property Records

Bastrop County requires property owners to provide the county with important information, including deeds, property transfers, and any other documents related to their property ownership. The County Clerk maintains these documents, tax records, and property assessments conducted by the Bastrop County Central Appraisal District.

A requester can access property information and documents at the County Clerk’s Office. For convenience, a researcher can perform a 'Real Estate' search on the Bastrop County Public Records platform. Users have the option to search the grantor list and the grantee list or conduct an advanced search using the available search criteria. However, documents viewable on the web platform are not the official version and may not be current.

Individuals can also search for a property in Bastrop County using the Property Search tool on the Central Appraisal District’s website. A search can be done by owner name, property address, or property ID.

Bastrop County Court Records Online

Individuals seeking to access Bastrop County court records remotely at their convenience may utilize the services of third-party vendors like Texascourtrecords.us. These vendors often provide access to court records for a fee, though some may offer limited information for free. Individuals should use the information obtained from third parties mainly for research purposes and not for official purposes.