Hays County TX Court Records Search

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Independent court-record guide: Public-Court-Records.us is an independent educational website. It is not the Hays County District Clerk, Hays County Clerk, Hays County Courts at Law, a Hays County Justice Court, Texas Judicial Branch, Texas Department of Public Safety, PACER, a law firm, Consumer Reporting Agency, or government agency. This guide explains official public-access routes and does not certify, alter, seal, expunge, remove, or determine the legal effect of any court record.

Hays County court records search: first identify whether the District Clerk, County Clerk, or Justice Court has the case

The most important step in a Hays County court records search is not typing a person’s name—it is choosing the correct custodian. Hays County uses a public Tyler Technologies court-access system, but Texas law divides local cases among District Courts, County Courts at Law, and Justice Courts.

Felonies, divorces and many family cases generally route through the Hays County District Clerk. Class A and B misdemeanors, County Court-at-Law civil cases, probate and guardianship records are maintained through the Hays County Clerk’s Courts Division. Justice Court matters remain with the individual Justice Court.

Sources reviewed: August 31, 2026 Official Tyler Public Access 6 District Courts 3 County Courts at Law 7 Justice Court seats
Texas itself does not provide one complete trial-court case-search website. The Texas Office of Court Administration directs researchers to the district clerk, county clerk, justice court or municipal court that actually maintains the case. For Hays County, the county’s own Tyler portal and clerk offices should therefore be your primary trial-court sources.

Who has the Hays County record you need?

District Clerk

Maintains records of Hays County District Court proceedings.

Common records: felony criminal cases, divorce, many family matters, district civil litigation and other District Court cases.

County Clerk Courts Division

Supports Hays County Courts at Law and maintains county-level court records.

Common records: Class A/B misdemeanors, county civil cases, probate, guardianship and related matters.

Justice Courts

Hays has seven Justice Court seats across five precincts.

Common records: evictions, small/debt claims, civil matters within JP jurisdiction and fine-only misdemeanor cases.

Restricted cases

Juvenile, sealed, expunged, confidential and protected records are not made public merely because an online search system exists.

Hays County Court Record Route Finder

Felony criminal case

Start with the Hays County District Clerk. Publicly available District Court criminal case information can be searched online by name through the county’s Tyler portal.

Search Hays District Court Records
Class A or B misdemeanor

These cases are handled by the Hays County Courts at Law and maintained through the County Clerk’s Courts Division.

Hays County Clerk
Divorce or Family Court case

The Hays County Clerk specifically warns that divorces and Family Court matters are held in the District Clerk’s Office. Do not send a divorce-record request to the County Clerk’s normal Courts Division.

Hays District Clerk
District civil lawsuit

Use the District Clerk and the county’s online court-record portal. Hays District Courts are Texas trial courts of general jurisdiction and hear substantial civil matters along with other cases assigned by law.

County Court-at-Law civil case

Hays County Courts at Law currently have concurrent civil jurisdiction with the District Courts in specified matters where the amount in controversy exceeds $500 and does not exceed $325,000, excluding certain amounts identified by statute.

Probate or guardianship case

The Hays County Clerk’s Courts Division supports probate and guardianship matters in the County Courts at Law. Start with the County Clerk and the official court case search.

Eviction or Justice Court small/debt claim

Use the specific Hays County Justice Court that handled the case. Justice Courts can hear civil matters within their jurisdiction, including qualifying cases where the amount in controversy does not exceed $20,000.

Traffic or fine-only Justice Court case

Identify the exact Justice Court and judge before paying or requesting information. Hays County specifically warns users to confirm the court and judge before using an online fine-payment service.

Texas appellate case from Hays County

Most ordinary Hays County civil and criminal appeals route to the Third Court of Appeals in Austin. Certain specialized civil matters involving specified state-government parties or issues can fall within the statewide Fifteenth Court of Appeals’ jurisdiction.

Search Third Court of Appeals Cases
Federal case involving Hays County

Hays County is in the Austin Division of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Federal cases are searched in PACER rather than Hays County’s Tyler system.

Search PACER

How to search Hays County court records by name

The District Clerk states that online public name searches are free and can return useful case-level information.

Available public case information can include:

  • parties;
  • cause number;
  • case type;
  • filing date;
  • case summary;
  • bond company where applicable;
  • disposition date where applicable.
  1. Open the official Hays County Tyler Public Access portal. Use the county-linked portal rather than a commercial people-search site.
  2. Select the correct record category. Determine whether the case is criminal, civil/family/probate or another supported case-search category.
  3. Search the party name. Start with the most accurate legal first and last name available.
  4. Review spelling variations only when needed. If no result appears, try a legitimate prior surname, spacing variation or alternate legal spelling.
  5. Compare the case type. A person with a common name can appear in unrelated civil and criminal matters.
  6. Check the filing date. Compare it with what you know about the dispute or alleged offense.
  7. Open the case summary. Do not make a conclusion from the search-result line alone.
  8. Record the cause number. Once you identify the correct case, use its cause number instead of repeating broad name searches.
  9. Review the parties and disposition information. In a criminal matter, check whether the charge resulted in dismissal, conviction, acquittal or another disposition.
  10. For the filed document itself, request a copy from the correct clerk. A case-information screen is not the same as the underlying judgment, order, petition or indictment.
Open Hays Public Access
Most useful Hays search habit: once the correct case appears, write down the cause number. It will make a copy request, Clerk phone call, courthouse visit and appellate search substantially easier.

What if the person’s name is common?

Full legal nameStart narrow
Case typeCriminal / Civil / Family
Filing dateMatch known timeline
Cause numberSave exact case ID
DispositionVerify final outcome

Before identifying a person from a Hays County name match, compare:

  • full name;
  • middle name or initial if shown;
  • filing date;
  • case type;
  • party role;
  • court;
  • cause number;
  • attorney information where available;
  • disposition date;
  • lawfully displayed identifying information.
A matching name is not identity proof. Do not label someone a criminal defendant, debtor or judgment debtor merely because a common name appears in a search result.

Hays District Clerk: the most important office for felony and divorce records

Hays County District Clerk

Hays County Government Center
712 South Stagecoach Trail
Suite 2211
San Marcos, TX 78666

Phone: 512-393-7660

The District Clerk maintains District Court proceedings and provides public search terminals, online case information, record searches, copies and certified copies.

Public search terminals

The District Clerk states that public search terminals are available in the reception area of its office during regular business hours.

Useful fallback: if an online search produces an unclear result or you need to investigate a case at the courthouse, the District Clerk reception area has public terminals. The Hays County Law Library does not keep the court records themselves.

District Clerk staff can run a 10-year record search for you

If you cannot locate the case yourself, the Hays District Clerk currently offers a staff-conducted civil or criminal records search.

$5/name Current District Clerk staff search fee
10 years Current search period covered by the Clerk service
5 business days Requested allowance for search results

Payment is required in advance.

Do not pay $5 before trying the free portal. The District Clerk’s own page states that public online name searches are free. The paid Clerk search is more useful when you need staff assistance or a formal search certificate.

How to request a District Court record search or copies

  1. Open the District Clerk Records Search & Copy Requests page.
  2. Identify the person’s name or exact cause number.
  3. Identify the document you need where possible.
  4. Use the page’s Email the District Clerk link to request a price quote.
  5. Wait for the District Clerk’s return message with the amount due.
  6. If paying online, use the official Certified Payments route linked by the District Clerk.
  7. The District Clerk currently identifies Bureau Code #5779509 for this payment workflow.
  8. After payment confirmation, tell the Clerk whether you need results emailed or a record-search certificate mailed.
  9. For mailed copies, provide your complete name and mailing address.
  10. Keep the Clerk’s payment confirmation until the request is complete.
Official District Clerk Copy Instructions

Hays District Clerk copy fees are unusually clear

Electronic copy
$1 for first 10 pages
Then $0.10 per page after the first 10 pages.
Certified copy
$1 per page
The District Clerk’s current fee page lists this per-page certification-copy rate.
Certification / embossed seal
+$5
Added to the certified-copy request.
Staff records search
$5 per name
Current 10-year District Clerk civil/criminal search service.

Fees reviewed August 31, 2026. Verify the quoted total before payment because the number of pages and requested certification affect the final charge.

How quickly are certified copies mailed?

The District Clerk currently states that copies or certified copies will be mailed within two working days after confirmation of payment.

Save time: ask for a price quote by email first. The Clerk requires payment in advance and needs your mailing address before sending paper certified copies.

Hays County Clerk: misdemeanor, county civil, probate and guardianship records

The County Clerk includes a Courts Division that supports the Hays County Courts at Law.

Hays County Clerk

712 S. Stagecoach Trail
Suite 2008
San Marcos, TX 78666

Phone: 512-393-7330

Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

The County Clerk’s Courts Division maintains records involving matters such as:

  • Class A misdemeanors;
  • Class B misdemeanors;
  • county civil cases;
  • probate;
  • guardianship;
  • mental-health matters;
  • other County Court-at-Law cases.
Do not request divorce records from the County Clerk. The County Clerk’s own website says divorces and Family Court matters are held in the District Clerk’s Office.

Hays has three County Courts at Law

County Court at Law #1

One of the county’s statutory County Courts at Law.

County Court at Law #2

Handles matters within the statutory/local jurisdiction assigned to the Hays Courts at Law.

County Court at Law #3

Part of the current three-court Hays County Court-at-Law system.

County Courts at Law Administration

Hays County Government Center
712 S. Stagecoach Trail
Suite 2292
San Marcos, TX 78666

Phone: 512-393-7625

What Hays County Courts at Law actually handle

Hays County currently states that its Courts at Law have jurisdiction over:

  • Class A misdemeanor criminal cases;
  • Class B misdemeanor criminal cases;
  • juvenile matters;
  • civil cases filed in County Courts;
  • probate;
  • guardianship;
  • mental commitments;
  • traffic and other appeals from Justice and Municipal Courts;
  • specified family-law matters;
  • specified civil cases sharing concurrent jurisdiction with District Courts.

Current concurrent civil-jurisdiction range

More than $500 and not more than $325,000 The Hays Courts at Law currently describe concurrent District/County Court-at-Law jurisdiction for specified civil matters within this range, subject to the exclusions stated by law.

Hays County Court-at-Law jail docket

Hays County currently publishes a regular Thursday jail docket at 1:30 p.m. for the County Courts at Law.

Inmates are transported to the Government Center for the docket.

This is not a personal court-date guarantee. Use the actual public case/hearing search to verify a defendant’s specific setting. Court schedules can be reset or changed.

How to verify a Hays court date

Hays County’s public court portal includes court-setting/hearing information for supported cases.

Felony court date

Search caseTyler Public Access
Verify cause #Correct defendant
Check settingDate / court
Confirm if urgentDistrict Clerk

If the matter is a felony and a court date is unclear:

Hays County District Clerk
Phone: 512-393-7660

Misdemeanor court date

For misdemeanor offenses, Hays County’s jail FAQ specifically directs users to the Hays County Clerk.

Hays County Clerk
Phone: 512-393-7330

Do not call the Hays County Jail expecting it to assign or track the court date. The Sheriff’s Office expressly says the jail does not assign or track court settings: felony questions go to the District Clerk and misdemeanor questions go to the County Clerk.

Six current Hays District Courts

The Hays County District Court administration currently identifies these District Courts:

22nd District Court

Part of Hays County’s multi-county District Court structure.

207th District Court

Handles assigned District Court matters, including criminal and civil caseloads.

274th District Court

One of the District Courts serving Hays County.

428th District Court

One of the county’s current general-jurisdiction District Courts.

453rd District Court

Part of the current Hays District Court structure.

483rd District Court

Part of the current Hays District Court structure.

Hays County District Court Administration

712 S. Stagecoach Trail
Suite 3240
San Marcos, TX 78666

Phone: 512-393-7700

Multi-county structure: some Texas judicial districts serving Hays also serve neighboring counties. Always verify that the particular case was filed in Hays County rather than assuming every case assigned to the same District Court number is a Hays case.

Hays Justice Courts: seven seats across five precincts

Hays County currently lists:

JP 1-1
San Marcos
Justice Court Precinct 1, Place 1.
JP 1-2
San Marcos
Justice Court Precinct 1, Place 2.
JP 2-1
Kyle
Justice Court Precinct 2, Place 1.
JP 2-2
Kyle
Justice Court Precinct 2, Place 2.
JP 3
Wimberley
Justice Court Precinct 3.
JP 4
Dripping Springs
Justice Court Precinct 4.
JP 5
Buda
Justice Court Precinct 5.

What a Hays Justice Court can handle

The county’s current Justice of the Peace guidance includes jurisdiction over matters such as:

  • fine-only misdemeanor cases;
  • small/debt claims within statutory jurisdiction;
  • civil disputes where exclusive jurisdiction is not vested elsewhere and the amount does not exceed $20,000;
  • evictions;
  • specified lien/foreclosure matters involving personal property;
  • magistrate functions;
  • warrants;
  • bond-setting duties;
  • inquests.
Payment warning from Hays County: when paying a Justice Court ticket online, verify both the court name and judge before submitting money. There are seven separate Justice Court seats.
Hays Justice Courts

Small Claims can mean two different Hays court levels

Texas users often search “Hays County small claims” without realizing that jurisdiction depends on the amount and type of case.

Justice Court

Justice Courts can hear qualifying civil matters within statutory jurisdiction up to $20,000.

This is the common route for Texas small/debt claims and evictions.

County Court at Law

Hays County Courts at Law have broader statutory county-court jurisdiction and concurrent jurisdiction with District Courts over specified higher-value civil disputes.

Search tip: if a small civil dispute is missing from the county-wide search route you tried, identify whether it was actually filed with a Justice Court precinct.

Hays divorce records belong to the District Clerk

The County Clerk explicitly directs divorce and Family Court researchers to the District Clerk.

For a divorce case

  1. Open the official Hays court-record portal.
  2. Search either spouse’s legal name.
  3. Identify the Family/Divorce case.
  4. Save the cause number.
  5. Review the case summary and disposition/status.
  6. If you need the actual Final Decree of Divorce, request that document from the District Clerk.
  7. Ask the recipient whether a plain or certified copy is required.
  8. If a certified copy is required, use the District Clerk’s copy-request process and current certification fee schedule.
Do not ask the Hays County Clerk’s vital-records office for a divorce decree. Marriage records and divorce court records are different records maintained through different workflows.

Probate and guardianship records belong with the County Clerk Courts Division

The County Clerk supports probate and guardianship proceedings in the Hays County Courts at Law.

These files can involve:

  • decedent estates;
  • wills;
  • letters testamentary;
  • letters of administration;
  • guardianships;
  • trust-related matters;
  • probate citations.
Original will ≠ public online image in every circumstance. If the probate search shows the case but not the document you need, contact the County Clerk’s Courts Division rather than assuming no filing exists.

Court records and property records use different Hays County systems

Court Case Search

  • felony cases;
  • misdemeanors;
  • civil lawsuits;
  • family cases;
  • probate;
  • guardianship;
  • court hearings;
  • court dispositions.
Court Case Search

County Clerk Property / Official Public Records

  • deeds;
  • recorded liens;
  • property instruments;
  • assumed-name records;
  • recorded documents;
  • other Official Public Records.
Hays Property Records Search

Hays property-record search has its own name-search warning

The Hays County Clerk’s official self-service property-record system instructs researchers to search all reasonable spelling variations and other available criteria to maximize results.

The Clerk also warns that its index should be treated like a library card catalog—a guide to underlying documents rather than a substitute for examining the actual recorded instrument.

Why this matters: a recorded lien or deed result should not be interpreted solely from the index line. Open or request the actual recorded instrument before making a legal or financial conclusion.

Do not use a general Hays Public Information Act request as a substitute for the court-record process

Hays County provides a GovQA Public Information Act route for county-government records, but an individual court case should be researched through the court and clerk that maintain the case.

The Texas Office of Court Administration explicitly directs users seeking:

  • District Court records → District Clerk;
  • County Court records → County Clerk;
  • Justice Court records → the Justice Court;
  • Municipal Court records → the Municipal Court.
Do not send a broad county PIA request asking for “all court records on John Smith.” Use the official case-search and clerk/court record process instead.

Should you also search re:SearchTX?

Texas currently identifies re:SearchTX as its statewide electronic court-record document-access system. It can be useful as a supplemental discovery route for electronic Texas trial-court records.

However:

  • Texas still states that there is no single complete trial-court search portal;
  • local clerks remain the official custodians;
  • coverage and electronic document access vary;
  • criminal-record access is not equivalent to a complete statewide criminal-history search;
  • older local records can remain outside an online statewide workflow.
re:SearchTX

Hays court record vs Texas criminal-history record

Hays court case

Shows a specific prosecution or lawsuit filed in a Hays County court.

Source: District Clerk, County Clerk or Justice Court.

Texas DPS criminal history

A separate state criminal-history system maintained by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Source: Texas DPS Crime Records Service.

A Hays County name search is not a complete Texas criminal-history check. It also is not fingerprint-level identity verification.
Texas DPS Criminal History

How to read a Hays criminal case responsibly

Arrest
Law-enforcement action
Does not establish guilt.
Charge
Criminal allegation
A charge is not a conviction.
Filing
Case formally enters court
Still does not prove the allegation.
Bond
Release/security information
Does not prove current jail custody or guilt.
Plea
Defendant’s formal response
Check the later disposition.
Dismissal
Charge/case ended without conviction on that matter
Check whether other charges remained.
Conviction
Guilty disposition where entered
Later appeal, nondisclosure or expunction can affect the record.
Disposition date
Resolution timing
One of the key fields available in qualifying Hays public searches.
Correct sequence: arrest ≠ charge ≠ filing ≠ plea ≠ conviction. Read the final disposition before describing what happened.

Hays jail records and court records answer different questions

Current jail custody
Hays County Sheriff’s Office
Use jail/inmate records rather than the court docket.
Felony court case
District Clerk
Use public court search and District Clerk records.
Misdemeanor court case
County Clerk
Use County Court-at-Law records.
Court date
Clerk / court
The jail specifically says it does not assign or track court dates.
Release from custody
Hays Jail
Custody status can change independently of court-docket status.

Hays County Corrections Bureau

1307 Uhland Road
San Marcos, TX 78666

Main phone: 512-393-7800

Jail Records: 512-393-7832

Bond Information: 512-393-7807 or 512-393-7690

Old Hays District Court record not online?

Older court records do not always have the same online depth as newer electronic cases.

  1. Search the Hays Tyler Public Access system.
  2. Search by cause number if known.
  3. If the case is absent, identify the approximate filing year.
  4. Determine whether it is a District Clerk or County Clerk matter.
  5. Ask the clerk whether the case exists in electronic, paper, microfilm or archival form.
  6. For a District Court record, consider the District Clerk’s staff-conducted search.
  7. If requesting the actual filing, give the exact document name if known.
  8. Request certification only if required by the receiving agency.

Naturalization research

The Hays District Clerk’s record-search page also provides an official Index to Naturalization Records for historical research.

District Clerk Historical Record Resources

Hays County Law Library can help with legal research—but it does not hold the case files

The Hays County Law Library expressly states that court records are maintained by the District Clerk or County Clerk, not by the Law Library.

The Law Library can instead help researchers access legal research resources such as:

  • Westlaw Patron Access;
  • limited Lexis Patron Access;
  • Texas statutes and rules;
  • legal forms and practice resources;
  • Texas Court Help materials;
  • Texas Justice Court Training resources.
Use the Library after you identify the case. The public court portal finds the case; the Law Library helps you understand the law, rules and forms relevant to it.

Hays appeals usually go to the Third Court of Appeals in Austin

The Third Court of Appeals currently serves 24 Texas counties, including Hays County.

Third Court of Appeals

Price Daniel Sr. Building
209 West 14th Street, Room 101
Austin, TX 78701

Phone: 512-463-1733

Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

How to search a Hays appeal

  1. Find the Hays trial-court case first.
  2. Save the trial-court cause number.
  3. Open Texas Appellate Case Search.
  4. Select the Third Court of Appeals when appropriate.
  5. Search by appellate case number when known.
  6. If not known, use case style, attorney information or trial-court case number.
  7. Set Trial Court County = Hays when useful.
  8. Open the appellate case.
  9. Review docket entries, orders and available appellate documents.
  10. Return to the Hays District/County Clerk when you need the underlying trial-court record.
Search Third Court of Appeals Third Court of Appeals
Fifteenth Court caveat: beginning in 2024, Texas created a statewide Fifteenth Court of Appeals with specialized civil jurisdiction over certain matters involving the state and specified government actors. A Hays case within that specialized jurisdiction may therefore follow a different appellate route.

Federal Hays County cases go to the Western District of Texas — Austin Division

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas expressly places Hays County in the Austin Division.

U.S. District Court — Austin Division

U.S. District Clerk’s Office
501 West Fifth Street
Suite 1100
Austin, TX 78701

Phone: 512-916-5896

Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Central Time.

Federal record workflow

  1. Open PACER.
  2. If the case is known to arise in Hays County, select the Western District of Texas.
  3. Search the Austin Division case using the federal case number when known.
  4. If the federal court is uncertain, use PACER Case Locator.
  5. Confirm that the case actually belongs to the Western District rather than a Texas state court.
  6. Read the docket.
  7. Review the displayed document charge before opening PDFs.
Official PACER Western District Austin Division

Hays County bankruptcy cases also route to Austin

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas expressly includes Hays County in its Austin Division.

U.S. Bankruptcy Court — Austin Division

Homer J. Thornberry Federal Judicial Building
903 San Jacinto Blvd.
Suite 322
Austin, TX 78701

Phone: 512-916-5237

Public office hours: generally 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Central Time, subject to the court’s current lunch/closure schedule.

Bankruptcy and adversary-case files can be researched through PACER. The Bankruptcy Court also states that case-file information in its Clerk offices is available for public review during business hours.

Austin Bankruptcy Division

Current PACER pricing if the Hays case is federal

Electronic access
$0.10/billable page
Current PACER rate through December 31, 2026.
Typical document cap
Generally $3
Subject to PACER exceptions.
Quarterly waiver
$30 or less
Qualifying charges at or below the current quarterly threshold are automatically waived.
January 1, 2027
$0.12/page announced
PACER has announced a $40 quarterly exemption threshold beginning January 1, 2027.

Why a Hays County court-record search may return nothing

  1. Wrong spelling. Retry using the legal name and reasonable spelling variations.
  2. Wrong clerk. A divorce belongs with the District Clerk; a misdemeanor may belong with the County Clerk.
  3. Wrong court level. An eviction or small/debt claim may be in one of seven Justice Courts.
  4. Cause number available? Search by cause number instead of the person’s name.
  5. Very old record. Contact the clerk about paper, microfilm or archived records.
  6. Confidential matter. Juvenile, sealed, expunged and other protected records are not normal public search results.
  7. Case in neighboring county. Some District Court judicial districts span multiple counties.
  8. Appealed case. Search the Third Court of Appeals when applicable.
  9. Federal case. Use PACER instead of the Hays Tyler portal.
  10. Property record rather than court case. Switch to the County Clerk Official Public Records search.

What to do after finding the correct Hays case

Need only basic case status?
Use public case summary
Review filing date, case type and status/disposition.
Need a court document?
Request copy from custodian
Identify the exact document and cause number.
Need certified proof?
Ask receiving agency first
Then pay only for the certification level actually required.
Need felony court date?
District Clerk
Phone 512-393-7660 if the online setting is unclear.
Need misdemeanor court date?
County Clerk
Phone 512-393-7330.
Need current custody?
Hays County Jail
Do not infer current incarceration from the court docket.
Need appeal?
Texas appellate search
Third Court of Appeals is the ordinary Hays appellate district.
Need federal record?
PACER
Hays routes to the Western District of Texas Austin Division.

Hays County Government Center

Main court-record location

712 South Stagecoach Trail
San Marcos, TX 78666

The Government Center houses the District Clerk, County Clerk, District Court administration, County Courts at Law and multiple related judicial services.

Responsible use and FCRA boundary

Public-Court-Records.us is not a Consumer Reporting Agency and should not be used as an FCRA consumer-reporting service for:

  • employment screening;
  • tenant or housing screening;
  • credit decisions;
  • insurance eligibility;
  • other eligibility decisions regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

A public Hays County search result should also not be used to imply guilt or liability without reading the actual disposition and verifying that the record belongs to the intended person.

Official sources reviewed for this Hays County guide

Research review date: August 31, 2026. Court schedules, judges, portal interfaces, office hours, copy fees and payment procedures can change. Verify transaction-sensitive and hearing-sensitive information at the official source before paying or traveling.

Frequently asked questions about Hays County court records

1. Where can I search Hays County court records online?

Hays County links its public court-record searches to a Tyler Technologies Public Access portal. The Hays District Clerk states that publicly available civil and criminal District Court case information can be searched online by name for free.

2. Can I search Hays County court records by name for free?

Yes. The District Clerk currently states that public online name searches are free. Available information can include parties, cause number, case type, filing date, case summary, bond company where applicable and disposition date where applicable.

3. Who keeps Hays County felony and divorce records?

The Hays County District Clerk maintains District Court records. Felony criminal cases and divorce/Family Court matters generally route through the District Clerk. The County Clerk specifically states that divorces and Family Court records are held in the District Clerk’s Office.

4. Who keeps Hays County misdemeanor and probate records?

The Hays County Clerk’s Courts Division supports the County Courts at Law and maintains county-level court records. The Courts at Law handle Class A and B misdemeanor cases and also have jurisdiction over probate and guardianship matters.

5. How much does a Hays District Clerk record search cost?

The District Clerk currently charges $5 per name for a staff-conducted civil or criminal record search covering the past 10 years and asks users to allow five business days for results. Public online name searches are free.

6. How much does a certified Hays District Court copy cost?

The District Clerk currently lists certified copies at $1 per page plus $5 for certification or an embossed seal. Electronic copies are $1 for the first 10 pages and $0.10 per page thereafter. Verify the quoted amount before paying.

7. Where do I search a Hays County eviction or Justice Court case?

Search or contact the specific Hays County Justice Court. Hays has seven Justice Court seats across five precincts. Justice Courts handle qualifying small/debt claims, evictions, fine-only misdemeanors and other matters within their statutory jurisdiction.

8. Where do Hays County court appeals go?

Most ordinary appeals from Hays County route to the Third Court of Appeals in Austin. Texas also has a statewide Fifteenth Court of Appeals with specialized civil jurisdiction over specified matters. Use Texas Appellate Case Search to confirm the appellate court for a particular case.

9. Which federal court handles Hays County cases?

Hays County is in the Austin Division of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Federal bankruptcy cases also route to the Western District of Texas Bankruptcy Court’s Austin Division. Federal case records are searched through PACER.

10. Can Public-Court-Records.us be used for employment or tenant screening?

No. Public-Court-Records.us is not a Consumer Reporting Agency and should not be used as an FCRA consumer-reporting service for employment, housing, tenant, credit, insurance or similar eligibility decisions. A Hays County name match also does not independently establish a person’s identity, guilt or liability.

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