Find Criminal Records in Austin County

Austin County criminal records are kept by the District Clerk and County Clerk offices in Bellville, the county seat in Southeast Texas between Houston and San Antonio. Felony cases filed in district court are the District Clerk's responsibility. The County Clerk holds misdemeanor records from the county court. Arrest and booking records are maintained by the Austin County Sheriff's Office. Note that this is Austin County, not the city of Austin. If you need to look up a case, find charges, or review a court outcome, start at the courthouse in Bellville.

Austin County District Clerk

The Austin County District Clerk maintains all felony criminal case records filed in the county. Felony charges handled in district court include drug delivery, assault causing serious bodily injury, burglary of a habitation, theft over a certain value, and other serious offenses. The clerk holds the full file from indictment to final disposition, including all motions, plea documents, and sentencing orders. These are public records.

You can access Austin County criminal records in person at the courthouse in Bellville. Staff can search by name or case number. Certified copies are available for a fee set by state law. The courthouse is located at 1 E. Main Street in Bellville.

The Austin County portal at austincounty.org has contact information and links for county offices including the District Clerk and County Clerk in Bellville.

The Austin County portal provides contact details and office links for the clerk offices and other county departments that handle criminal records in Bellville.

The statewide re:SearchTX system may include Austin County felony case records. Search by party name and pull documents online at 10 cents per page with a $6 cap per document.

Austin County Clerk - Misdemeanor Records

The Austin County Clerk holds misdemeanor criminal records from the county court at law. Class A and Class B misdemeanors are filed here. These cases cover DWI, simple assault, petty theft, and small drug possession charges. The clerk keeps charge details, plea records, and final case outcomes for all misdemeanor cases in Austin County.

You can reach the County Clerk at (979) 865-5911. Both the District Clerk and County Clerk are at the same courthouse in Bellville. The charge type determines which office holds the file. Felonies go to the District Clerk. Misdemeanors go to the County Clerk.

Some Austin County criminal cases may also appear in the statewide TOPICs system, which pulls court data from participating Texas counties into one searchable database.

Austin County Arrest Records

The Austin County Sheriff's Office holds arrest records and booking data for the county. Booking records include name, date of birth, charges at arrest, bond amount, and booking date. These are separate from court case files, though both relate to the same criminal event.

Contact the Austin County Sheriff's Office at (979) 865-5400. Requests can be submitted in person or by mail. City police agencies in Austin County also book felony arrests through the county jail system for processing.

An arrest record only shows what was alleged at booking. The final outcome is found in the District Clerk's case file. Check both sources for a complete view of any criminal matter in Austin County.

Texas DPS Criminal History - Austin County

Austin County criminal records feed into the Texas DPS Computerized Criminal History (CCH) system. When Austin County courts report convictions and deferred adjudications to DPS, those records are added to the statewide database that covers all 254 Texas counties.

The DPS public name-based search at publicsite.dps.texas.gov costs $3 per search. Only convictions and deferred adjudications reported to DPS appear in public results. Dismissed cases and arrests without a conviction do not show. For thorough background checks, fingerprint-based searches are available through IdentoGO.

For case-level detail in Austin County, the District Clerk in Bellville has complete records. The Texas Sex Offender Registry is also searchable by name or zip code for Austin County residents.

What Austin County Criminal Records Contain

Felony case files at the District Clerk typically contain the indictment, motions from both parties, hearing notices, plea agreements, jury instructions if the case went to trial, the judgment, and sentencing documents. Misdemeanor files at the County Clerk are similar but shorter in most cases. Both are public records under Texas law.

Arrest records from the Sheriff's Office include booking data: name, date of birth, physical description, charges at booking, bond amount, and release date. Austin County arrest records can be requested from the Sheriff's Office. Mugshot availability depends on the county's current policy.

Court records show legal outcomes. Arrest records show what was alleged. The DPS CCH shows statewide conviction history. For case detail in Austin County, the District Clerk in Bellville is the right starting point for felony records.

Expunction and Nondisclosure in Austin County

Texas law allows eligible people to have criminal records expunged or sealed. Expunction under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55 removes and destroys records for qualifying cases. The petition is filed in the district court of the county where the arrest occurred. For Austin County arrests, that is the district court in Bellville. Once granted, all agencies holding records on that arrest must destroy their copies.

Qualifying cases include acquittals, pardons, identity theft cases, and some dismissals. If expunction is not available, nondisclosure under Texas Government Code Section 411 may apply for deferred adjudication cases. Serious felonies and sex offenses do not qualify. The Austin County District Clerk can explain what forms and fees are involved.

Cities in Austin County

Bellville is the county seat of Austin County. All felony criminal cases from across the county are filed in the Austin County District Courts in Bellville.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Austin County. Each has its own District Clerk and court system for criminal records.