Clay County Criminal Court Records

Clay County criminal court records are filed and stored at the courthouse in Henrietta, Texas, where the District Clerk handles felony cases and the County Clerk maintains Class A and B misdemeanor filings. You can search Clay County district court criminal records online using the free re:SearchTX portal, visit the courthouse in person, or request copies by mail. This page explains which offices hold which records, how to search them, and what you can expect to pay for copies.

Clay County District Clerk

The Clay County District Clerk is the official custodian of all felony criminal court records for the county. This office opens and maintains a case file whenever the grand jury returns an indictment in Clay County. The file includes the indictment itself, arrest warrant records, bond paperwork, motions filed by either side, the plea agreement or trial record, and the final judgment and sentence issued by the court.

The District Clerk's office is located in the Clay County Courthouse in Henrietta and is open weekdays during normal business hours. Staff can search records by defendant name or cause number. The office serves the 97th Judicial District Court, which handles felony criminal matters in Clay County and may also cover other nearby counties on a shared schedule. If you need to file an expunction petition for a Clay County criminal case, that filing goes through the District Clerk here.

How to Search Clay County Criminal Records

The re:SearchTX portal gives free access to Clay County district court criminal cases. No account is needed. You can search by name or cause number and view case status, charges filed, hearing events, and available documents. This is the fastest way to look up a Clay County felony case without going to the courthouse.

Search results show party names, case status, charges, and court dates for Clay County criminal cases filed in the district court.

For a statewide criminal history report, the DPS Criminal History Search costs $3 per name and covers all Texas courts, not just Clay County. This is worth using when the person you are researching may have had cases filed in multiple counties. The FAST fingerprint program ties results to a specific person's identity rather than just a name match.

In-person searches can be done at the Clay County Courthouse at 100 N. Bridge Street in Henrietta. Bring the name and any cause number you have. Clerk staff can look up the record at the counter and make copies on request. Mail requests are also accepted.

Clay County Misdemeanor Records

Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases in Clay County are handled in the county court and stored by the County Clerk. These include offenses like assault causing bodily injury, DWI, criminal mischief, and theft under certain dollar amounts. The County Clerk is also located in the courthouse in Henrietta.

To get a misdemeanor case file, contact the Clay County Clerk directly. Staff can search by name or cause number. Class C misdemeanors are handled separately in justice of the peace courts and are not part of the County Clerk's system. Those records must be requested from the specific JP court where the case was heard.

Note: Class C misdemeanor records are held by individual justice of the peace courts and are not part of the District or County Clerk records system.

Clay County Arrest Records

The Clay County Sheriff's Office creates a booking record each time someone is arrested and brought to the county jail. This record shows the date of the arrest, the charges listed at booking, and basic identifying details. An arrest record is not a conviction record. The case may later be dismissed, reduced, or resolved at trial. Regardless of what happened in court, the arrest record remains on file with the Sheriff's Office.

For current jail inmates or recent booking information, contact the Clay County Sheriff's Office in Henrietta. For people who were convicted and are serving state prison time, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice offender search is the right resource. The Texas sex offender registry maintained by the Department of Public Safety can be searched by name or ZIP code for registered offenders in Clay County.

What Clay County Criminal Records Contain

A Clay County felony criminal case file includes different documents depending on how the case was resolved. Cases that ended quickly through a plea will be shorter than those that went to jury trial. Most files include the following types of documents:

• Grand jury indictment or charging information
• Arrest warrant and probable cause affidavit
• Bond setting and conditions of release
• Motions filed by the defense or prosecution
• Plea agreement or jury verdict record
• Final judgment and sentence
• Probation or community supervision terms if applicable

Most documents in a Clay County criminal case file are open to the public under Texas Government Code Chapter 552. Some records are sealed by court order and not available to the public. Juvenile records are confidential. Records expunged under Chapter 55 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure will not appear in any public search. Agencies that held those records are required to destroy or return them per the court's expunction order.

Fees and Record Access in Clay County

Standard copies of criminal court records from the Clay County District Clerk cost $1 per page. Certified copies carry an additional $5 certification fee per document. You can get copies in person at the courthouse or by submitting a written mail request with payment included. Send a check or money order payable to the District Clerk.

Free online searches are available through re:SearchTX. No registration is required. Full document copies may need a direct request to the clerk's office. The DPS name search costs $3 for a statewide criminal history. Standard court forms can be found at the Texas Courts website. Call the District Clerk at (940) 538-4661 to confirm current fees before mailing. Legal self-help resources are at TexasLawHelp.org. The Texas Bar Find-A-Lawyer tool helps you locate a licensed attorney in North Texas if you need legal help with a Clay County matter.

Cities in Clay County

Henrietta is the county seat of Clay County and where the courthouse is located. All criminal cases filed in Clay County are processed through the district and county courts in Henrietta.

Other communities in Clay County include Electra and Bellevue. Electra is the second-largest community in the county. Neither city has its own criminal courts. All Clay County criminal cases go through the courts in Henrietta.

Nearby Counties

Clay County is in North Texas near the Oklahoma border. If you need to check neighboring counties, records may have been filed in Wichita County, Archer County, Jack County, Montague County, or Cooke County.