Tarrant County Superior Court Case Search

Tarrant County District Court records are generated and stored from the pre-trial stage to the sentencing phase. They include formal charges and pleas, information exchange between parties to evidence presentation, witness testimonies, and exhibits documented during court proceedings. Inquirers typically conduct case searches of District Court records for trial research, tracking case status, personal matters, or background checks related to employment or tenancy.

What Kinds of cases have been heard in Tarrant Superior Court?

Tarrant County does not have a Superior County. However, the Tarrant County District Court comprises several district courts that specialize in hearing specific cases.

In Tarrant County, Criminal District Courts mainly exercise jurisdiction over criminal cases but retain general authority over all types of cases. Cases heard in specialized district courts include civil, criminal, juvenile, or family-type cases.

The Tarrant County District Courts also offer several rehabilitation and alternative sentencing specialty programs, including Felony Alcohol Intervention, Domestic Violence Diversion, First-Offender Drug Programs, and Veterans Treatment Courts.

Tarrant County Superior Court

Like other counties in Texas, Tarrant County does not have a Superior Court. Instead, District Courts serve as the main trial-level courts. They typically handle most civil and criminal matters beyond the legal authority of lower courts. The District Court also deals with high-value lawsuits involving sizable amounts of money, property disputes, breach of contract, personal injury claims, and more.

In terms of criminal legal matters, the District Court handles felony cases, including murder, robbery, drug trafficking, and aggravated assault.

The District Court also has specialized divisions that handle specific types of cases, including the Family, Juvenile, and Probate District Courts. These courts are the bedrock of local justice administration in the county. They preserve law and order and are impartial avenues for resolving major legal disputes.

Requesters may contact most Tarrant County District Courts at:

Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center
401 West Belknap Street
Fort Worth, TX 76196
(817) 884-1066

Tarrant County Case Lookup

Individuals wishing to conduct a county-wide search of Tarrant County court records may do so using the following resources:

Online Searches
The District Clerk's Web-Based Access provides users with remote access to Tarrant County District Court case records. Requesters who create an account may access district court civil, delinquent tax, family, felony, and misdemeanor court records. However, in accordance with state laws, the portal restricts access to certain sensitive information, including juvenile, sealed, mental health, adoption, grand jury, and other records.

To open an account, interested parties must pay a non-refundable $50.00 initiation fee during the application process. A $35 monthly subscription costs for one to five users.

Walk-in Requests
Interested parties who wish to request records in person may visit the record custodian’s office during working hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., except weekends and holidays).

Record searchers must provide a case number (or incur a $5 research fee) and a valid government-issued photo ID when submitting written requests. They may also use public access terminals in the courthouses to find case numbers or statuses.

Obtaining certified paper copies (court records) costs $1.00 per page and a $5.00 certification/seal fee. Certified electronic copies cost $1.00 for 1-10 pages and 10 cents per page for 11 or more pages, in addition to the $5.00 certification/seal fee.

Individuals making in-person requests may pay for such services by money order, credit/debit card, Cashier's check, or cash.

Mail-in Requests
Requesters who choose to mail in their record requests must provide the case number of the record of interest; otherwise, they will incur a $5 research fee.

Mail-in applications must also include a self-addressed stamped envelope for certified copies and a functional email address for non-certified copies.

Non-certified copies of court records cost $1.00 per page, while certified paper copies cost $1.00 per page in addition to the $5.00 certification fee.

Subsequently, record searchers must mail their request packets to the courthouse or divisions overseeing the court records of interest. Some of these divisions include:

Felony Criminal Cases
Tarrant County District Clerk
401 W. Belknap Street
Fort Worth, TX 76196 (Attn: Criminal Section)

Family Law
Family Law Center
200 E. Weatherford, Third Floor
Fort Worth, TX 76196 (Attn: Family Court Records)

Tarrant Superior Court Case Search by Name

Requesters who wish to perform a name-based search of Tarrant County District Court records may do so online, in person, or by mail.

Online:
Visit the Tarrant County District Clerk Online website and navigate to the search section labeled "Search Docket Settings by Person".

1. Insert the last and first names of the individual being searched for.
2. To refine their search, the requester may input additional information such as the Case ID (CID#), Court, from date, and until date.
3. Click on the search button to view the results.

Inquirers must confirm that the spelling of names they conduct searches on is correct. Minor spelling mistakes may prevent the system from returning accurate results.

In-Person Search
Record seekers may perform name-based searches by visiting the District Clerk's Office at Tim Curry Justice Center or the Tarrant County Family Law Center.

At the Clerk's Office, they must supply the party's first and last names and any extra information that may hasten the search.

Mail
Requesters may mail a written request to the District Clerk's Office. The request must contain the party's first and last name and any additional identifying details (e.g., case number, type of case, etc.). For common names, the applicant should provide additional details to help narrow down the results.

The request packet should be mailed to the Tarrant County District Clerk's Office at:

100 N. Calhoun St.
Fort Worth, TX 76196
Phone: (817) 884-1195

Tarrant Superior Court Docket Search

A docket is a historical record of every action taken during a court case. From the first petition until the final judge's order, every item submitted to the court is documented or numbered on a docket page.

Court dockets are useful tools for researching trials. They also help judges, court staff, and parties to cases locate information about cases, especially previous court dates.

In Tarrant County, Individuals seeking criminal court dockets may search by "person" or "court" on the District Clerk's online platform.

To search by person, users must provide the party's first name, last name, or CID Number. To search by the court, the searcher must provide the County Criminal Court Number and the date range (from-to until). Interested parties looking for civil court dockets must contact Individual Court Coordinators, not the District Clerk.

Lookup Tarrant County Superior Court Online

Information searchers may obtain information on Tarrant County District Court through the District Court Subscriber Access platform. Online visits to the District Clerk's Criminal Court Docket page may also yield updated court filing and summaries. Alternatively, third-party sites such as Texascourtrecords.us offer user-friendly interfaces for effectively searching Tarrant County District Court records. Visitors may obtain specific case details by entering information like case numbers and party names from the confines of their homes. Using these sites enables users to view and download court records easily. However, these databases do not have affiliations with state regulatory agencies. Consequently, their data may be incomplete or outdated, meaning accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

Supreme Court vs. Superior Court

The Supreme Court and the District Court perform different roles within the Texas legal system:

Tarrant District Court
The Tarrant District Court is a first-instance court where cases are heard. The court has general powers over several types of cases, but usually major civil lawsuits, felony criminal cases, family law issues, and probate court proceedings.

Texas Supreme Court
The Texas Supreme Court is the highest appellate court in the state for civil cases. It usually evaluates appeals from lower courts like the Tarrant County District Court to ensure there has been no miscarriage of justice. The Court's decisions are final unless the U.S. Supreme Court chooses to review a case.