Travis County Criminal Records

Travis County criminal records are maintained by the District Clerk and County Clerk offices in Austin, the county seat and state capital. Austin is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and Travis County handles a high volume of criminal case activity. The District Clerk manages felony cases filed across multiple district courts, while the County Clerk holds misdemeanor records from the county courts at law. If you need to search for a case, find charges that were filed, or look up a court outcome in Travis County, both offices handle public records requests. The Travis County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest and booking records separately. All criminal case filings are processed at the courthouse complex in downtown Austin.

Travis County District Clerk

The Travis County District Clerk maintains all felony criminal case records in the county. Felony charges filed here include aggravated assault, drug manufacturing and distribution, robbery, murder, and many other serious offenses. The clerk's office handles a large volume of cases across numerous district courts. The full case file from indictment through final disposition is held here, including plea documents, jury verdicts, and sentencing orders. Records are open to the public.

Travis County offers online case information access through the district clerk's case search system on the Travis County website. You can also visit the courthouse in Austin for in-person records requests. Certified copies carry a per-page fee plus a certification charge under state law.

The Travis County District Clerk's case information page at traviscountytx.gov provides online access to case records and instructions for requesting copies of court documents.

The statewide re:SearchTX system covers Travis County felony case records. You can search by party name across multiple Texas courts. Documents cost 10 cents per page to download, with a $6 cap per document.

Travis County Clerk - Misdemeanor Records

The Travis County Clerk maintains misdemeanor criminal records from the county courts at law. Class A and Class B misdemeanors are filed here. These cases cover DWI, simple assault, petty theft, and possession of small amounts of controlled substances. The County Clerk holds charge information, plea records, and final dispositions for all misdemeanor cases in Travis County.

The County Clerk's office is at 5501 Airport Blvd. in Austin. You can reach them at (512) 854-9184. Records are available for public inspection. If you are not sure whether a case is a felony or misdemeanor, the charge type determines which clerk holds the file. Felonies go to the District Clerk. Misdemeanors go to the County Clerk.

Some Travis County criminal cases may also be accessible through the statewide TOPICs system.

Travis County Arrest Records

The Travis County Sheriff's Office holds arrest records and jail booking data for the county. When someone is arrested and booked into the county jail, the Sheriff's Office creates a record that includes the person's name, date of birth, charges at the time of arrest, bond amount, and booking date. These records are separate from court case files, though both relate to the same criminal matter.

You can contact the Travis County Sheriff's Office at (512) 974-5091. The Austin Police Department and other city agencies in Austin also book through the county jail system for felony charges. Requests for arrest records can be made in person or by mail.

An arrest record only reflects what was alleged at the time of booking. The person may not have been charged or may have had charges dropped. The District Clerk's case file shows the final outcome. Check both sources if you need a full picture of a criminal matter in Travis County.

Arrest records in Travis County are public records under Texas law, but some details may be withheld if a case is active or involves certain protected categories.

Texas DPS Criminal History - Travis County

Travis County criminal records feed into the Texas DPS Computerized Criminal History (CCH) system. When Travis County courts report convictions or deferred adjudications to the Texas Department of Public Safety, those records appear in the statewide database. The CCH system consolidates data from all 254 Texas counties into one searchable index.

The DPS public name-based search at publicsite.dps.texas.gov costs $3 per search. Results only show convictions and deferred adjudications reported to DPS. Arrests without a conviction, dismissed cases, and sealed records do not appear in public results. Fingerprint-based checks are available through IdentoGO under the DPS FAST program for more complete results.

For county-level case details in Travis County, the District Clerk's office in Austin has more detailed information on each individual case. Use both sources together for a thorough records check.

You can also check the Texas Sex Offender Registry for Travis County residents. The registry is maintained by DPS and is searchable by name or zip code.

What Travis County Criminal Records Contain

Criminal records in Travis County can include a range of documents depending on the case type and stage. Felony case files at the District Clerk typically contain the indictment or information, motions filed by both sides, 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.

Arrest records from the Sheriff's Office contain booking information: name, date of birth, physical description, charges at booking, bond amount, and release date. Jail records may also include mugshots. Travis County arrest records are available through the Sheriff's Office by request.

The type of record you need depends on your purpose. Court case records show legal outcomes. Arrest records show what was alleged. The DPS CCH shows the consolidated conviction history. For detailed court documents including docket entries and case notes, the District Clerk in Austin is the right starting point for Travis County felony records.

Expunction and Nondisclosure in Travis 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. You file the petition in the district court of the county where the arrest happened. For Travis County arrests, that means a district court in Austin. Once granted, all agencies holding records on that arrest must destroy their copies.

Qualifying situations include acquittals, pardons, identity theft cases, and some dismissals. Not all dismissed cases qualify. If expunction is not available, you may seek an order of nondisclosure under Texas Government Code Section 411 for cases that ended in deferred adjudication. Nondisclosure seals records from the public but does not destroy them. Serious felonies and sex offenses do not qualify for nondisclosure. Waiting periods depend on the offense class. The Travis County District Clerk can tell you what forms apply and what fees to expect.

After an expunction order is entered and served on all agencies, the Travis County District Clerk removes the records and DPS deletes the entry from the state CCH database.

Cities in Travis County

Travis County includes Austin and several other communities. All felony criminal cases from cities in the county are filed in the Travis County District Courts in Austin.

• Austin - county seat and state capital of Texas

Smaller communities in Travis County, including Pflugerville, Rollingwood, and Lago Vista, do not have individual city pages. Criminal cases from those areas are also processed through the District Clerk's office in Austin.

Nearby Counties

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