Orange County Court Records

In Orange County, court records contain case-related details (such as parties involved, case numbers, and dates), court processes, rulings, and legal decisions. Furthermore, marriage and divorce certificates are accessible to qualified people. Legal practitioners, scholars, and individuals looking for background on legal events and historical context depend on these records.

Are Court Records Public in Orange County?

Yes. In Texas, common laws, statutory laws, and court rules provide the public general access to public records, including court records. These laws, such as the Public Information Law and Section 191.006 of the Local Government Code, grant the public the right to inspect and make copies of court case recordings maintained by record custodians. Nonetheless, unless otherwise stated by statutes or court rulings.

However, there are specific restrictions that prevent the disclosure of certain records. For instance, classified records concerning adoptions, juvenile records, and some mental health records are inaccessible to the public.

Similarly, sensitive data like social security numbers, financial account details, expunged or sealed case information, internal judicial communications, and protected person's addresses may be redacted. This is usually done to strike a balance between accountability to the public and personal privacy in court proceedings.

Orange County Court Records Search

When searching for court records in Orange County, requesters have the following options:

TAMES Search: The Texas Appeals Management and eFiling System (TAMES) search tool provides free access to available cases from the Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals, and courts of appeals.

Online Record Search: Using the County Clerk’s Online Records Search page, visitors may find official public records of real property from 1985 to the present day and Image Books between 1852 and 1985. Searches on the site return results on property records like ownership details, property location, and tax information.

In-Person and Mail Requests: Searchers possessing state or federally-issued photo IDs and the case number or party name may visit or contact the County Clerk to request Orange County court records in person or via mail.

Orange County Courts

The trial court system in Orange County comprises 3 District Courts, 1 Constitutional County Court, 2 County Courts at Law, and 7 Municipal Courts. The locational addresses of some of these courts are as follows:

Orange County 128th District Court
801 W Division Ave, Orange, TX 77630
Phone: (409) 882-7825
Fax: (409) 882-7083

Orange County 163rd District Court
801 W Division Ave, Orange, TX 77630
Phone: (409) 882-7825
Fax: (409) 882-7083

Orange County 260th District Court
801 W Division Ave, Orange, TX 77630
Phone: (409) 882-7825
Fax: (409) 882-7083

Orange County Constitutional Court
Physical: 801 W Division St, Orange, TX 77630
Mailing: 123 S 6th St, Orange, TX 77630
Phone: (409) 882-7055

Orange County Court at Law
Physical: 801 W Division St, Orange, TX 77630
Mailing: 123 S 6th St, Orange, TX 77630
Phone: (409) 882-7055
Fax: (409) 882-7012

Orange County Criminal Records

Orange County residents can access criminal records from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), the state's central repository for criminal history records. To get started, navigate to the Texas DPS Crime Records Service webpage. The site offers the option of name-based or fingerprint-based searches.

Clicking on Criminal History Conviction Name Search will start the process of conducting a name-based search. This method requires the applicant's name and birth date. After entering their details, the requester must pay the relevant fee to view the results generated.

For a fingerprint-based search, the requester must schedule an appointment at a DPS FAST (Fingerprint Applicant Services of Texas) site. This procedure entails getting their fingerprints taken and paying the required fees. The results are generated instantly after fingerprinting, which ensures an accurate background check.

Applicants who do not have an account on the DPS Secure Site must create one before they can submit a request. The website provides users guidance on creating an account. After the applicant has set up the account, they can use their preferred search option.

After receiving the results, applicants should use their DPS account to inspect and download the criminal history report. It is advisable to save a copy for personal records.

The fees for these services vary, so the applicant should consult the DPS website to find up-to-date fee schedules. If there are issues, the inquirer may contact the DPS Access and Dissemination Bureau at (512) 424-2474 for assistance.

Note: Public access to Orange County arrest records may vary depending on local laws.

Get Orange County Civil Court Records

In Orange County, civil court records encompass different legal matters such as contract disputes, election disputes, property, and land ownership disputes, personal injury claims, family law matters concerning divorces, child support, and custody.

Inquirers seeking Orange County civil court records may visit the County Clerk's Office to submit a request for such records. They should, however, take note of the following conditions regarding civil court records requests at the office:

• Requesters may use the County Clerk's public computers and index books to search for records.
• The office charges a search fee of $5.00 per name for civil court records.
• The office does not perform searches by phone or email. Requesters must mail in their requests along with the necessary payment.
• Payment methods available to requesters include checks, money orders, and credit cards via mail.
• Providing information such as the plaintiff and defendant’s name or the filing date will be helpful for a civil court record search.
• Making copies of civil court case records costs $1.00 per page for plain copies and $5.00 per case for certified copies.

Interested parties may contact the County Clerk’s Office at the following address:

801 W Division
Orange, TX 77630
E-Mail: countyclerk@co.orange.tx.us
Phone Numbers: (409) 882-7055
Office Hours: Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri., 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wed., 8:30 am - 5:00 pm

Orange County Marriage Records

The Vital Statistics Section of the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) maintains public indexes of Texas marriages from 1966 to date. Consequently, Orange County residents searching for the county’s marriage records should consider contacting the DSHS. For records older than 1966, they may contact the County Clerk's Office.

To obtain marriage records from the County Clerk's Office, record searchers must provide genuine proof of identification and briefly explain the reason for the record request. This helps to ensure that only individuals with a legitimate interest in these records are applying for them.

The contact details of the Orange County Clerk’s Office are as follows:

801 W Division
Orange, TX 77630
E-Mail: countyclerk@co.orange.tx.us
Phone Numbers: (409) 882-7055
Fax: (409) 882-7012

Mailing Address:
123 S 6th St
Orange, TX 77630

Orange County Divorce Records

Interested parties searching for Orange County marriage records may acquire such documents from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). The DSHS maintains public indexes of Texas divorces from 1968 to date.

Certified copies of Orange divorce records filed before 1968 may be requested from the District Court. However, before the District Court processes such requests, requesters must provide valid proof of identification and briefly state the reasons for their record requests.

The locational address of the Orange County District Clerk is as follows:

801 W. Division Ave.
Orange, Texas
77630-6364
Phone: (409) 882-7825

Orange Birth Records

In Orange County, birth certificates over 75 years old are available to the general public. However, birth documents under 75 are protected records and are only accessible to immediate family members.

Individuals qualified to receive certified copies of Orange County birth certificates include individuals identified on the record or their legal representative, an immediate family member, or someone with a direct and important reason for requesting the record.

When submitting an Orange County birth certificate request, applicants must include a copy of their valid driver’s license, download and complete the birth record application form, and pay the required fee.

The County Clerk charges $23.00 for a certified copy of a birth record. Payments for copies of birth certificates may be made with checks or money orders payable to the Orange County Clerk.

Orange Death Records

The general public may obtain Orange County death certificates older than 25 years. Death records less than 25 years are only accessible to immediate family members.

Eligible applicants typically need to include a copy of their valid driver’s license, download and complete the death record application form, and pay the required fee when submitting an Orange County death certificate request.

The County Clerk charges $21.00 for the first certified copy of a death record ordered and $4.00 per extra copy.

Payments for Orange death certificates may be made with checks or money orders payable to the Orange County Clerk at the address above.

Orange County Probate Court Records

In Orange County, the Probate Court handles several legal matters, such as estate administration, guardianship, conservatorship, and name changes.

Interested parties seeking Orange County probate records may access the County Clerk's Office online or visit the office to use the public terminals and index books available on the premises. The office can also conduct a search for requesters for a $5.00 per name fee. To begin, the record searcher must mail a search request form and the relevant fee to the County Clerk's Office.

Orange County Property Records

Individuals seeking property records in Orange County may browse the Orange County Official Public Records of Real Property website. This search tool allows users to look up documents concerning the ownership, use, and legal status of property from 1985 to date. Some of the property-related records on the platform include deeds, deeds of trust, abstracts of judgments, bills of sale, and mechanics liens.

Similarly, an inquirer can obtain property records by conducting a property search on the Orange County Tax Office website. By inputting a few search criteria, users can access property records like ownership details, property location, and tax information.

Orange County Court Records Online

Members of the public may be able to access records online by visiting the Orange County Clerk’s website. Alternatively, third-party online repositories such as texascourtrecords.us may offer an alternative solution for people who might not wish to visit the courthouse in person. These platforms usually have easy-to-use interfaces that enable users to search for particular cases or persons quickly. However, such sites operate independently of government agencies. As such, sought records may be inaccurate, unavailable, or incomplete. Accuracy cannot be guaranteed.