Ellis County Court Records

Ellis County court records consist of files and documents processed through a courthouse to facilitate cases and court processes. Such records may include documents like affidavits, originating processes, court orders, court calendars, court dockets, and minutes. Such records are public records as defined by Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code. Generally, Ellis County, Texas, court records can be obtained at the courthouse through the court clerk’s office by submitting a records request during weekday business hours.

Are Court Records Public in Ellis County?

Yes, Ellis County court records are public records as defined under the Texas Public Information Act. The law states that members of the public can approach governmental institutions to request their records and make copies if needed. It also provides that government agencies can fix fees for accessing their records, which requesters must pay before submitting their records request. Public court records may be accessed physically at the county courthouses or through the online platforms available for public use.

Note: Court records that include sensitive or personally identifiable information may not be accessible. Such records are typically redacted. Sensitive information may also be sealed to protect the registrant’s privacy or security.

Ellis County Court Records Search

Ellis County court records are generally available through the county courthouses or the online judicial platforms maintained for public use. The first step to retrieving court records is to search the court archives for the court documents. Inquirers can search for court records at the courthouse by submitting a search request to the court clerk. The clerk’s office is open to the public during business hours of the week to receive and process search requests. The public can also use online platforms like the New Online Records Search Information to search related county records. There may be a fee requirement for searches, and the custodian may require identity verification using a valid ID.

Ellis County Court Records Search by Name

Ellis County court records can be recovered or retrieved faster when the requester provides some information on the records to be retrieved. When submitting a records search request, specific details must be added to the request application to aid the records search, including names, addresses, case numbers, and more.

A Name search is the most used and compelling search parameter for retrieving court records. Requesters can provide the names of the record registrant, the judge whose court entertained the matter, or any other names relevant to the documents requested. Using online platforms such as New Online Records Search Information or third-party websites will also require providing a relevant name to the records for a proper search.

Ellis County Courts

Ellis County maintains a court structure drawn from the Texas judicial system. There are District Courts, Constitutional County Courts, County Courts, Justice Courts, and Municipal Courts in Ellis County. Here are the courts in detail:

Ellis County’s District Courts
Ellis County 4th District Court
Ellis County Courts and Administration Building
109 S Jackson St, 2nd Floor, Waxahachie, TX 75165
Phone: (972) 825-5091
Fax: (972) 825-5092

Ellis County 378th District Court
Ellis County Courts and Administration Building
109 S Jackson St, 2nd Floor, Waxahachie, TX 75165
Phone: (972) 825-5091
Fax: (972) 825-5092

Ellis County’s Constitutional County Courts
Ellis County Constitutional Court
Ellis County Courts and Administration Building
109 S Jackson St, 2nd Floor, P.O. Box 250, Waxahachie, TX 75168
Phone: (972) 825-5070
Fax: (972) 825-5075

Ellis County’s County Courts at Law
Ellis County Court at Law No. 1
Ellis County Courts and Administration Building
109 S Jackson St, 2nd Floor, P.O. Box 250, Waxahachie, TX 75168
Phone: (972) 825-5070
Fax: (972) 825-5075

Ellis County Court at Law No. 2
Ellis County Courts and Administration Building
109 S Jackson St, 2nd Floor, P.O. Box 250, Waxahachie, TX 75168
Phone: (972) 825-5070
Fax: (972) 825-5075

Ellis County’s Justice Courts
Ellis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1
207 S Sonoma Trail, Ennis, TX 75119
Phone: (972) 825-5319
Fax: (972) 875-6819

Ellis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2
701 S I-35 East, #1, Waxahachie, TX 75165
Phone: (972) 825-5022
Fax: (972) 825-5025

Ellis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3
Ellis County Courthouse
101 W Main St, #106, Waxahachie, TX 75165
Phone: (972) 825-5030
Fax: (972) 825-5033

Ellis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4
301 N 8th St, Midlothian, TX 76065
Phone: (972) 825-5310
Fax: (972) 723-8629

Ellis County’s Municipal Courts
Bardwell Municipal Court
P.O. Box 271, Bardwell, TX 75101
Phone: (972) 646-5332

Ennis Municipal Court
119 W Brown St, P.O. Box 220, Ennis, TX 75120
Phone: (972) 875-4457
Fax: (972) 875-9738

Ferris Municipal Court
104 S Central St, Ferris, TX 75125
Phone: (972) 842-2028

The contact information is for the court office. Court sessions are held at 215 W 6th St.

Garrett Municipal Court
208 N Ferris St, Garrett, TX 75119
Phone: (972) 875-1136

Italy Municipal Court
161 W Main St, P.O. Box 840, Italy, TX 76651
Phone: (972) 483-7329 ext. 106
Fax: (972) 483-2800

Maypearl Municipal Court
104 E 2nd St, P.O. Box 400, Maypearl, TX 76064
Phone: (972) 435-2380
Fax: (972) 435-2082

Midlothian Municipal Court
1150 N Highway 67, #200, Midlothian, TX 76065
Phone: (972) 775-8932

Milford Municipal Court
P.O. Box 26, Milford, TX 76670
Phone: (972) 493-4193
Fax: (972) 493-5981

Oak Leaf Municipal Court
301 Locust Dr, Oak Leaf, TX 75154
Phone: (972) 617-2660

Ovilla Municipal Court
105 S Cockrell Hill Rd, Ovilla, TX 75154
Phone: (972) 617-7262

Palmer Municipal Court
113 W Jefferson St, P.O. Box 489, Palmer, TX 75152
Phone: (972) 449-3272
Fax: (972) 449-3274

Pecan Hill Municipal Court
1094 S Lowrance Rd, Pecan Hill, TX 75154
Phone: (972) 617-6274

Red Oak Municipal Court
101 Live Oak, Red Oak, TX 75154
Phone: (469) 218-7700
Fax: (469) 218-1216

Waxahachie Municipal Court
401 S Rogers St, P.O. Box 757, Waxahachie, TX 75168
Phone: (469) 309-4070

Ellis County District Court Records

Ellis County has two District Courts located in Waxahachie, Texas. This court is an integral part of the judicial system as it is the court of general jurisdiction with the power to hear a wide range of cases covering civil and criminal issues. Ellis County District Courts have three judges elected for a four-year term.

Ellis County District Courts exercise civil jurisdiction over matters involving personal injury claims, property disputes, contract matters, and family law cases such as divorce and child support or custody cases. The court’s criminal jurisdiction covers cases involving severe offenses and felony criminal cases such as assault, robbery, murder, and drug offenses. Ellis County District Courts also handle juvenile cases, probate matters, and guardianship matters. This court conducts hearings, trials, and other proceedings to facilitate cases till there is a conviction or court order.

Ellis County Criminal Records

Criminal records refer to the information and details of an individual’s criminal activities or involvements. These records reveal information on an individual’s arrests, convictions, and incarceration over time. Ellis County criminal records are available through various governmental institutions such as the courts and law enforcement agencies. The courts maintain criminal court records that reveal details such as the arrest circumstances, arraignment details, trial details, the court’s verdict, and the sentence entered by the judge. Criminal court records are available through the county District Courts as they have the general jurisdiction to hear a wide range of criminal matters.

Law enforcement agencies also maintain criminal records such as Ellis County arrest records and county jail records. Criminal records can also be obtained through correctional facilities, where you can get information about inmates’ crimes and sentencing. These governmental agencies have records departments that are open to the public during business hours of the week for requests. There are also online platforms for mailing requests instead of in-person request submissions. These online platforms include Open Records Requests for accessing the county sheriff’s records or Official Public Records for accessing county records in which court records are included.

Ellis County Criminal Court Case Lookup

The District Courts facilitate Ellis County criminal court cases. Members of the public can approach the District Court locations to look up their criminal court cases. Searches can also be done through in-person search request submission at the court clerk’s office or online platforms such as New Online Records Search Information. The court clerk will search the court archives using a name, case number, or other relevant details provided when submitting the search request. The courthouses are open to the public for records search requests during business hours of the week.

Get Ellis County Civil Court Records

Civil court records are documents, files, and archives created and maintained for processing and concluding civil court cases. Ellis County civil court records are files used to settle non-criminal disputes and claims such as divorce, custody issues, domestic relations matters, small claims, contract matters, and real estate matters. These records are public records under the Texas Public Information Act, which makes them accessible to members of the public.

Requesters can approach the county District Courts for in-person records request submission. The District Courts exercise general civil jurisdiction, making them the go-to courts for physical records requests. The courts will be open within business hours from Monday to Friday to receive and process requests. The public can also opt for the alternative of using online judicial platforms such as the Official Public Records website to access county records, which include civil court records.

Ellis County Family Court Records

Family court records are documents used during hearings and trials for family law cases. Ellis County's family court records facilitate family law matters and are public records under the Texas Public Information Act, except for the parts subject to exemption laws. Family court records contain information about family law cases involving child custody or child support, adoption, divorce, spousal support, paternity matters, domestic order enforcement, and property allocation. These records are available at the county District Courts as they exercise general civil jurisdiction, which covers family law matters.

The District Court clerks are generally available during work hours between Monday and Friday to receive and process family court records requests. Requesters can approach the court clerk with a duly completed request application and evidence of payment of the required fees. A more convenient mode of request is using the Official Public Records website to access county court records and mail requests to the District Court clerk. Always prepare a valid ID when making records requests, as it may be required.

Ellis County Marriage and Divorce Records

Marriage records refer to documents used or required for a valid marriage, while divorce records are documents and files used to facilitate and evidence the end of a marriage. Two governmental institutions, the District Courts and the Ellis County government, oversee marriage and divorce records. The county government maintains records of marriage licenses, marriage certificates, and other relevant documents used when conducting the marriage. In contrast, the courts maintain records from the marriage registry and family law cases involving spouses, such as domestic orders and divorces.

Accessing marriage and divorce records is generally straightforward. Residents can obtain records in person by going to the county’s records office or the District Courts. These governmental institutions will be open to receiving and processing requests from Monday to Friday within business hours.

Records requests received after 4 pm will be processed the following business day. The public can also use the Official Public Records to access county government archives, and mail records requests to the County Clerk. The Ellis County Records website provides access to marriage records between 1850 to 1934 and divorce records from 1899 to 1936. Requesters must satisfy the required fees for a valid records request and prepare a government-issued ID for identity verification.

Ellis Birth and Death Records

Ellis County's birth and death records refer to archives of documents and files detailing the circumstances around births and deaths in the county. Birth and death records are important for understanding the county’s mortality and fertility rates. These records are public records under the Texas Public Information Act and are available through care facilities, hospitals, and the county government. The hospitals and care facilities maintain records and details of births and deaths at their institutions, which are decentralized and difficult to locate. Thus, the county government has records archives, including birth and death certificates.

Members of the public can approach the county clerk between 8 am and 4 pm on weekdays for in-person request submission. There are online platforms for obtaining birth and death records, such as the Death Certificates website, which allows access to county death records. The Death Certificate Application form is available online to be filled out and mailed to the county clerk. The Texas Department of Health has a Vital Statistics office where birth and death records can be obtained based on the counties in the state. The state also maintains a Vital Statistics website where the public can get more information and contact details for mailing requests.

Ellis County Probate Court Records

Probate court records refer to documents for legal proceedings on cases involving probate matters. Such probate matters include wills, guardianship appointments, a deceased’s estate, personal administration, certificates of residence, adoption, change of name, and conservatorship of a minor. These records are public records according to the Texas Public Information Act. Probate court records are available through the County Court at Law courthouses.

The county clerk also maintains county records, including court records. Thus, the county clerk’s office is also open to public requests between 8 am and 4:30 pm on business days. Requesters can use the Official Public Records website to access county records, and mail Ellis County Probate Court records requests to the county clerk. Ensure your records request is accompanied by your payment of the required fees and a valid ID.

Ellis County Property Records

Ellis County property records refer to documents, maps, and files providing information on property, real estate ownership, and interests. Property records will include maps and multimedia files that provide real property information such as property addresses, mailing addresses, surveys, tax rolls, mortgages, and assessment rolls.

These records are public records as defined by the Texas Public Information Act. They are accessible through the Ellis County Appraisal District and the Property Department of the Ellis County Tax Office. These offices are open to the public for property searches and records requests during business hours of the week. They also offer online property searches on their websites where the public can search by property or use a map search. Ensure to pay the required access fee and prepare a valid ID as it may be required.

Ellis County Court Records Online

Ellis County provides open access to court records through in-person requests at the court clerk’s office or online requests using platforms such as the Official Public Records website. Third-party platforms like texascourtrecords.us may also offer a source of information. These platforms provide an organized and user-friendly website for the public to obtain records. The all-round availability of the websites may make them more convenient, and they usually charge no fees for access to their records. However, records obtained from third-party platforms must be used carefully as they might need to be verified using information from government-approved sources.