Brownsville Criminal Records Search
Brownsville criminal records are maintained by the Cameron County District Clerk in downtown Brownsville, since Brownsville is the county seat of Cameron County. The District Clerk handles all felony criminal cases from Brownsville and the rest of Cameron County. Misdemeanor cases at the Class A and B level go through the county courts at law. Brownsville sits on the Texas-Mexico border at the southern tip of the state and is the largest city in the Rio Grande Valley. If you need to find a criminal case record tied to Brownsville, this page covers how to search, which offices to contact, and what other resources are available.
Brownsville Overview
How to Search Brownsville Criminal Records
Since Brownsville is the Cameron County seat, the courthouse is in the city. You can visit in person at the Cameron County Courthouse at 974 E. Harrison Street or search online through the county's public records portal. The Cameron County District Clerk's office handles felony criminal case files for all of Cameron County, including Brownsville.
To search online, the Cameron County District Clerk provides access to case information through the county's website. You can look up cases by defendant name or cause number. Results show basic case data, party names, and status. For full documents, you need to request copies in person or by mail with the applicable fee.
The statewide re:SearchTX portal also covers Cameron County courts. This is useful if you need to look across multiple courts or want to download e-filed documents from any Texas court. Documents cost 10 cents per page with a $6 cap per document.
Misdemeanor cases at Class A and B levels go to the county courts at law. The Cameron County Clerk handles those files. Both offices are at the same courthouse. If you are not sure whether a case is a felony or misdemeanor, start with the District Clerk for more serious charges.
Brownsville Police Department and Municipal Court
The Brownsville Police Department handles law enforcement throughout the city. Arrests made by Brownsville PD go through the Cameron County Jail and into the county court system for charges above Class C. The department has a records division for police report requests and arrest information.
The Brownsville Municipal Court handles Class C misdemeanor cases. These include traffic violations, minor ordinance violations, and low-level offenses that carry fines only. Municipal court records are separate from the county court system. For more serious charges, you need the county court records, not the municipal court.
| Agency | Brownsville Police Department |
|---|---|
| Website | brownsvilletx.gov/police |
| Jurisdiction | City of Brownsville |
| Municipal Court | Class C misdemeanors only |
Brownsville also has a federal law enforcement presence given its location on the border. U.S. Border Patrol and federal agencies operate in the area. Federal cases go through the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, not the state court system. Federal court records are separate and can be accessed through PACER at pacer.gov.
Cameron County District Clerk Records
The Cameron County District Clerk is the custodian of all felony criminal records in the county. Cameron County handles a wide range of felony cases given its border location, including drug trafficking, human smuggling, aggravated assault, and other serious offenses. The clerk keeps all case filings, indictments, plea records, judgments, and sentencing orders.
| Office | Cameron County District Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 974 E. Harrison Street Brownsville, TX 78520 |
| Phone | (956) 544-0838 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
Certified copies of criminal case documents require the applicable per-page fee plus a certification charge. Plain copies cost less. You can request copies in person, by mail, or through the online portal if available. Call the office to confirm what you need to bring and current fee amounts.
Cameron County is part of the 138th, 197th, 357th, 444th, and 445th Judicial Districts among others. If you need to know which specific court handled a case, the cause number on the case file usually indicates the court number.
Texas DPS Criminal History
The Texas DPS Computerized Criminal History system receives conviction data from Cameron County courts. Convictions and deferred adjudications from Brownsville cases flow into the state database once the court reports them. The public name-based search at publicsite.dps.texas.gov costs $3 and covers all 254 Texas counties in one search.
The DPS public search only shows convictions and deferred adjudications. Arrests without a conviction do not appear. If you need a thorough check that includes more complete records, fingerprint-based searches through IdentoGO are available. Call 1-888-467-2080 to schedule a FAST appointment. This is the better option for employment screening, licensing, or other official purposes.
For cases involving federal charges at the border, those records are not in the Texas DPS system. Federal criminal history requires a separate search through the FBI or through PACER for federal court records.
Expunction and Nondisclosure in Brownsville
Texas residents with qualifying criminal records may be able to have them expunged or sealed. Expunction under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55 destroys records for cases that qualify. Acquittals, certain dismissals, pardons, and identity theft cases may be eligible. You file the petition in Cameron County District Court if the arrest happened in Brownsville or elsewhere in Cameron County.
Nondisclosure under Texas Government Code Section 411 is another option for people who completed deferred adjudication. It seals records from most public searches but does not destroy them. Certain offenses, including family violence cases and sex offenses, do not qualify. Waiting periods vary. Some misdemeanor cases are eligible right after completing probation. Felony nondisclosures typically require a five-year wait.
Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid serves the Brownsville area and can help with expunction and nondisclosure eligibility at (956) 996-8752 or trla.org. TexasLawHelp at texaslawhelp.org has step-by-step guides and forms for self-represented filers.
Cameron County Criminal Records
Brownsville is the seat of Cameron County, and all felony criminal cases from the city go through the Cameron County District Clerk right in town. For more on the Cameron County court system, visit the county page.