Austin Criminal Court Records
Austin criminal court records are maintained by Travis County and the City of Austin depending on the type of case. Felony cases go through the Travis County District Clerk. Misdemeanor cases are handled by the Travis County Clerk. Class C misdemeanors are processed by the Austin Municipal Court. This page covers each court and how to search records in Austin.
Austin Overview
Travis County District Clerk - Felony Records
Felony criminal cases in Austin are filed with the Travis County District Clerk. Travis County operates several criminal district courts at the Travis County Courthouse at 1000 Guadalupe Street in downtown Austin. When someone is indicted on a felony charge in Austin, the case is filed here and tracked through the entire court process.
The Travis County District Clerk provides online case access at traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk. You can search by name or cause number. The free re:SearchTX portal also covers Travis County felony cases and returns charges, court dates, and case status without any fee or account requirement.
For in-person requests, go to the Travis County District Clerk at 1000 Guadalupe Street, Austin, TX 78701. Staff handle copy requests, certified documents, and expunction petitions under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55.
The re:SearchTX portal covers all Travis County felony cases filed in Austin and requires no account to search.
| Office | Travis County District Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 1000 Guadalupe Street Austin, TX 78701 |
| Phone | (512) 854-9457 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Website | traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk |
Austin Misdemeanor Records
Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases in Austin are handled by Travis County Courts at Law and maintained by the Travis County Clerk. These cases include charges like DWI, assault, and theft below the felony level. You can search misdemeanor cases through the re:SearchTX portal or contact the Travis County Clerk for copies of case files.
Class C misdemeanor cases filed in Austin Municipal Court are city records. They are separate from the Travis County court system and are not searchable through re:SearchTX.
Austin Municipal Court
The Austin Municipal Court handles Class C misdemeanor offenses within city limits. This includes traffic citations, city ordinance violations, minor theft, public intoxication, and similar offenses. The Austin Municipal Court is located at 6800 Burleson Road in Austin.
You can search citations and make payments online through the Austin Municipal Court website at austintexas.gov/department/municipal-court. The court offers deferred disposition and driving safety courses for eligible cases. Municipal court records are maintained by the city and are separate from Travis County court records.
Austin Police Department Records
Arrest records and incident reports in Austin are maintained by the Austin Police Department Records Unit. APD handles requests for incident reports, accident reports, and arrest records. You can request records online through the APD website or in person at APD headquarters at 715 E. 8th Street in Austin.
Arrest records document what someone was charged with at booking and are separate from the court case files held by the District Clerk. For a statewide criminal history, the Texas Department of Public Safety offers a name-based search for $3. The FAST fingerprint program provides a more precise result tied to a specific individual. The Texas sex offender registry lists registered offenders in Austin by zip code.
What Austin Criminal Records Contain
A felony criminal case file in Austin includes documents from every stage of the case. Most records are public under Texas Government Code Chapter 552. Travis County felony files typically include the indictment, arrest warrant, bond documents, pre-trial motions, plea agreement or trial record, final judgment, and sentence. The Travis County District Clerk holds all of these for Austin felony cases.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice offender search shows current state prison inmates statewide. For legal help in Austin, Lone Star Legal Aid provides free civil legal services to qualifying low-income residents. The Texas Bar Find-A-Lawyer tool helps locate attorneys. Self-help guides on criminal records and expunctions are at TexasLawHelp.org.
Travis County Criminal Court Records
Austin is the county seat of Travis County and the state capital of Texas. All felony and misdemeanor criminal cases filed in Austin go through the Travis County courts. For full courthouse information, district clerk contact details, and more on the Travis County court system, see the Travis County criminal court records page.