Jim Wells County Court Records

Court records are official records of judicial proceedings. Jim Wells County court records generally include documents like notices of petition, warrants, sworn declarations, motions, pleadings, transcripts, log notes, audio and video recordings of legal proceedings, electronic recordings, affidavits, final judgments, and associated materials maintained by the court.

In Jim Wells County, the court clerks and county clerks are responsible for maintaining and filing court documents. Access to court documents promotes transparency in the judicial system and ensures accurate record-keeping for appellate cases.

Are Court Records Public in Jim Wells County?

Yes. The Texas Public Information Act codifies and reinforces the constitutional right that every person is entitled to complete information about government affairs. In adherence to the PIA, government agencies must make public documents reasonably available upon request unless the disclosure is expressly prohibited by law or the information is confidential under law. The Texas PIA sets out information that is exempt from public disclosure. In these instances, government bodies are permitted to withhold records from the public.

Below are records that are expressly prohibited from public access under the law or information that may be redacted from publicly available court records in Texas.

• Information considered to be confidential by law, either constitutional, statutory, or court order.
• Information where such disclosure may constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy
• Confidential information protected by attorney-client privilege
• Law enforcement investigation records
• Sensitive crime scene image
• Birth and death records
• Trade secrets or financial information
• Crime victim or claimant information.

Jim Wells County Court Records Search

Researchers can conduct a Jim Wells County court record search at any of the following sources:

• The originating courthouse
• The county court clerk’s office
• Jim Wells County Court Portal
• Texas Courts Case Search
• Third-party court record search sites.

Jim Wells County Courts

The Texas judicial branch consists of district courts, constitutional county courts, county courts at law, statutory probate courts, justice courts, and municipal courts. The Jim Wells County Courthouse houses the county’s court at law, constitutional court, and the 79th Judicial District Court. The Jim Wells County Court at Law is a trial court that has concurrent jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases alongside the district court.

Jim Wells County Courthouse
200 North Almond Street, Suite 103
Alice, TX 78332.

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 1459
Alice, TX 78333
Phone: (361) 668-5702
Fax: (361) 661-1372

Jim Wells County Criminal and Civil Records

Members of the public can access Jim Wells County civil and criminal court records at the county courthouse. By law, court clerks have a duty to make court records reasonably available to requesters. The Jim Wells court clerk’s office may have public access terminals where researchers can look up and inspect copies of civil or criminal court records. A member of staff will be available to provide assistance and supervise all in-person requests. The office is open to visitors Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., excluding state and national holidays.

Civil court cases are non-criminal cases involving disputes between private individuals or corporations, such as medical negligence, personal injury, trespass, actions for declaration of right to property, tenancy, eviction, foreclosures, breach of contract, dissolution of marriage, spousal support, domestic violence, and other civil family court cases. On the other hand, criminal court cases include information about a person’s arrest, charge, plea, trial, testimony, conviction, appeal, release, probation, or parole. The state usually institutes a criminal action against a defendant (the offender)

Interested parties can also search Jim Wells County civil court records and criminal records online at the County CourtView Portal. The case management system allows users to find court records by the attorneys' information, case number, case type, and case name.

Jim Wells County Marriage Records

In Texas, marriage records are public records. The Texas Department of State Health Services maintains public indexes of marriage records from 1966 till date. To obtain a certified copy of a Jim Wells marriage license, simply complete and mail the Application for a Certified Copy of Marriage License form and mail or submit it to the county clerk.

The requester must provide the full names of the applicants as they appear on the incense, the date and place of marriage, the requesting party’s name, phone number, and mailing address, a valid photo ID, the number of copies requested, the amount enclosed, the signature of the requesting party, and the date of the application. This service costs $7 per copy, excluding postage fees. Fees are payable in check or money order made payable to the Jim Wells County Clerk.

Mailing Address:

Jim Wells County Clerk
P.O. Box 1459
Alice, TX 78333.

Jim Wells County Divorce Records

The 79th Judicial District Clerk in Jim Wells County files and maintains all divorce records and divorce decrees issued in the county. Interested persons may submit a record request by mail indicating the Jim Wells County Divorce Record they wish to obtain.

Requestors who prefer to submit their requests or view records in person must contact the office to confirm if in-person requests are permitted and schedule an appointment in that regard. According to the district clerk fee schedule, obtaining copies of district court records cost $1, while certified copies are $5. Payments by check, money order, or cashier's check must be payable to R. David Guerrero, District Clerk, and mailed to the district clerk's mailing address.

Jim Wells County - District Clerk
200 North Almond Street, Suite 207
Alice, TX 78332

Mailing Address:

P.O. Drawer 2219
Alice, TX 78333
Phone: (361) 668-5717, ext. 6.

Jim Wells County Birth Records

The Texas Department of State Health Services, Vital Statistics Section (VSS) maintains all vital records for the state of Texas, including birth and death certificates. The Jim Wells County Clerk also maintains all local birth, death, and marriage records that occurred or were issued in the county.

County residents can also local vital records locally through county offices. The Jim Wells County Clerk maintains records of birth and death that occur in its jurisdiction. To send a valid request for a birth certificate, complete the application form and mail it to the county clerk along with payment ($23 per copy) and a clear copy of a government-issued Photo ID.

Certified birth records are restricted to eligible persons only. The applicant must have a legal relationship with the person named on the certificate, i.e., the record owner, children, spouses, siblings, parents, grandparents, or legal guardians. Anyone who is not an immediate family member must provide legal documentation demonstrating direct and tangible interests in the record.

Birth certificates are required for proof of age, citizenship, identification, and employment, and they can also be useful for inheritance and insurance claims.

Jim Wells County Death Records

Jim Wells County Death Records are legal documents that serve as official proof of death and are used in probate cases and the administration of estate matters to close the deceased's estate. They are necessary to execute a will, make funeral arrangements, and claim life insurance pension benefits. They can also be used to investigate the cause of death.

A copy of a birth certificate in the custody of the Jim Wells County clerk costs $21 for the first certified copy and $4 for each additional copy ordered. Death certificates are only available to immediate family members. Authorized applicants are to complete and mail the Application for Certified Copy of Birth or Death Certificate form, a copy of a valid government-issued photo ID, and payment (check or money order) to the Jim Wells County Clerk.

Jim Wells County Probate Court Records

Interested persons can find Jim Wells County Probate records at the county clerk's office or online at the Jim Wells County Courtview website. The county court at law has concurrent jurisdiction over probate matters, including administration of estate, wills, distribution of assets, guardianship, and conservatorship. Probate court records include wills, appraisals of the deceased’s estate, letters, petitions, order books, inventories, and settlements.

Jim Wells County Property Records

Property records in Jim Wells County are filed and maintained by the county clerk and the Jim Wells County Appraisal District. Both public officers/offices maintain different categories of property records. The county clerk files and handles official land records (foreclosures, deeds, leases, mortgages, assignments), while the County Appraisal District is in charge of property appraisal, property tax records, information on property value, and improvements on land. Interested persons may contact or visit the Appraisal District to obtain property tax and appraisal records.

Jim Wells County Appraisal District
1600 East Main Street, Suite 100
P.O. Box 607
Alice, TX 78333
Phone: (361) 668-9656
Fax: (361) 668-6423

Jim Wells County Court Records Online

Third-party court record search websites are useful online research tools for finding court records. These privately owned resources index court records from multiple jurisdictions for ease of access for users. Third-party online search platforms like texascourtrecords.us also provide useful information on understanding court systems and the different types of court records.

A drawback for an everyday researcher is that, unlike traditional/official sources, third-party alternatives require subscription fees or payment plans to access detailed case information. Records obtained from such sites must be reviewed to ensure that they are error-free and updated.