Harris County Criminal Records

Harris County criminal records are kept by the District Clerk and County Clerk offices in Houston. If you need to find a felony or misdemeanor case, check arrest records, or look up charges and court dispositions, both offices can help. Harris County is the largest county in Texas and the third most populous in the United States. The District Clerk handles all felony criminal cases. The County Clerk handles misdemeanor cases. Arrest and jail records are held by the Harris County Sheriff's Office. The county seat is Houston, and the court system here is one of the busiest in the state.

Harris County District Clerk

The Harris County District Clerk is the custodian of all felony criminal case records in the county. Felony charges include aggravated assault, robbery, drug trafficking, murder, and other serious crimes. The office keeps indictments, plea documents, judgments, and sentencing orders. You can search felony records online or in person at the courthouse in Houston.

The District Clerk's public portal is at hcdistrictclerk.com. You can search by defendant name or cause number. The system shows case status, docket entries, and basic case details. Full documents may need an in-person visit or a certified copy request. Certified copies cost a per-page fee plus a certification charge. The office is at 201 Caroline Street in downtown Houston.

The Harris County Records Portal is another free way to look up court cases including felony criminal records. It covers both district court and some county court records. Basic case lookups are free. Printed or certified copies carry fees set by the District Clerk.

The Harris County Court Records portal lets you search for criminal cases filed in district courts across the county.

The portal shows case details, party names, and docket entries for Harris County criminal cases filed in district court.

Search Harris County Criminal Records Online

The Harris County District Clerk runs one of the better county-level court search tools in Texas. You search by defendant name or cause number. Results show parties to the case, hearing dates, dispositions, and attorney information. It covers all felony criminal cases filed in Harris County. The system is free to use for lookups.

Search for Harris County felony criminal cases through the District Clerk's public access site.

The District Clerk's site at hcdistrictclerk.com lets you find cases, view docket entries, and request copies of documents filed with the court.

The statewide re:SearchTX system also covers Harris County. You can search for e-filed documents and case records from multiple courts in one place. Documents cost 10 cents per page to download, with a $6 cap per document.

Note: Online search results for Harris County criminal cases show what is on file with the court. Some records may be restricted by court order. Sealed or expunged records do not appear in public searches.

Harris County Clerk - Misdemeanor Records

The Harris County Clerk handles misdemeanor criminal records. Class A and Class B misdemeanors are filed in county courts at law. Misdemeanor offenses include DWI, theft under $2,500, simple assault, and drug possession in small amounts. The County Clerk keeps case files with charges, pleas, and dispositions for these cases.

The County Clerk's office address is P.O. Box 4087, Houston, TX 77253. In-person visits to retrieve misdemeanor court records go through the Harris County Civil Courthouse. The office provides certified copies of court records. Staff can help you search by defendant name or case number during business hours. The main county website is harriscountytx.gov/county-clerk.

Misdemeanor cases in Harris County are handled separately from felony cases. Make sure you search the right office based on the charge type. Felony cases go to the District Clerk. Misdemeanor cases go to the County Clerk.

Harris County Arrest and Jail Records

The Harris County Sheriff's Office maintains all arrest records and jail booking information for the county. The Harris County Jail processes a large number of bookings each year. Arrest records include booking photos, charges at the time of arrest, bond amounts, and release dates. The Sheriff's Office processes arrests made by county deputies and agencies from cities throughout Harris County.

Contact the Harris County Sheriff's Office for jail records and inmate status information at harriscountytx.gov/sheriff. The office provides information on inmates in current custody and those recently released. Arrest records from the Harris County Sheriff reflect what was alleged at the time of booking. The final court outcome may differ from the initial charges.

The Harris County District Attorney's Office handles prosecution of criminal cases in the county. Case status information for pending and closed cases is available through the DA's office. For cases that have been charged and filed, the District Clerk has the most complete record of the court proceedings.

Note: An arrest record does not mean a person was convicted. Charges may be reduced, dismissed, or result in acquittal. The court case file reflects the final disposition.

Texas DPS Criminal History for Harris County

Harris County criminal records flow into the statewide Texas DPS Computerized Criminal History (CCH) system. As the most populous county in Texas, Harris County adds the largest amount of data to the state database. When Harris County courts report convictions and deferred adjudications to the Texas Department of Public Safety, those records become part of the CCH and show up in public searches.

The DPS public name-based search at publicsite.dps.texas.gov costs $3 per search. Results only show public criminal history, meaning convictions and deferred adjudications that have been reported to DPS. Arrests that did not result in a conviction do not appear in public results. Fingerprint-based searches through the FAST system operated by IdentoGO provide more complete results at a higher cost. FAST appointments can be scheduled online or by calling 1-888-467-2080.

The DPS CCH search is a good starting point when you want a quick statewide record check. It pulls from courts across all 254 Texas counties. For a deeper look at Harris County-specific case details, the District Clerk's online portal gives you more information on each case.

Expunction and Nondisclosure in Harris County

Texas law lets eligible people have certain criminal records expunged or sealed. Expunction under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55 destroys arrest records, court files, and related documents for cases that qualify. You file a petition in the district court of the county where the arrest occurred. For arrests in Harris County, that means the Harris County District Court at 201 Caroline Street.

Qualifying situations for expunction include acquittal, pardon, identity theft, and certain dismissals. Not all dismissed cases qualify. If your case does not qualify for expunction, you may be able to get an order of nondisclosure instead. Nondisclosure orders under Texas Government Code Section 411 apply to people who completed deferred adjudication. The order seals records from public view but does not destroy them. Certain serious felonies and all sex offenses are excluded from nondisclosure eligibility.

Waiting periods vary. Some misdemeanor nondisclosure petitions can be filed right after completing deferred adjudication. Most felony cases require a five-year wait after discharge. The District Clerk handles expunction and nondisclosure filings and can tell you what forms and fees apply. Lone Star Legal Aid in Houston helps eligible residents with this process at (800) 733-8394 or lonestarlegal.org.

Note: After an expunction order is granted and served on all agencies, the Harris County District Clerk removes the records from the case file. The DPS also deletes the records from the state CCH database.

Cities in Harris County

Harris County covers Houston and dozens of surrounding communities. Felony criminal cases from all cities in Harris County are filed in the Harris County District Courts. Misdemeanor cases go to the county courts at law.

Other communities in Harris County include Humble, Katy, Spring, Cypress, and Deer Park. All criminal cases from these areas go through the Harris County court system in Houston.

Nearby Counties

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