Hamilton County Criminal Court Records
Hamilton County criminal court records are filed and maintained at the courthouse in Hamilton, Texas. The District Clerk manages all felony criminal case records while the County Clerk handles Class A and B misdemeanor files. You can search Hamilton County criminal cases using the free statewide re:SearchTX portal, visit the Hamilton courthouse in person, or send a written records request by mail to the clerk's office.
Hamilton County Overview
Hamilton County District Clerk
The Hamilton County District Clerk holds all felony criminal court records for the county. This office files grand jury indictments, manages the criminal docket for the 220th Judicial District Court, and stores all judgments and sentencing orders. All felony cases charged in Hamilton County are on record at the courthouse at 102 N. Rice Street in Hamilton.
Staff can search for case files by defendant name or cause number. In-person requests are handled at the clerk's counter during normal business hours. Written mail requests are also processed. For expunction matters, petitions under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55 are filed with this office. A court-granted expunction removes a record from public access and requires all agencies to destroy their copies per the court's order.
| Office | Hamilton County District Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 102 N. Rice Street Hamilton, TX 76531 |
| Phone | (254) 386-8151 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
How to Search Hamilton County Criminal Records
The re:SearchTX portal is the best place to start for Hamilton County criminal case lookups online. This free system from the Texas Office of Court Administration covers district court records statewide. Search by name, cause number, or attorney. You can see case status, charges, and hearing dates without visiting the Hamilton courthouse.
For a statewide criminal history, the DPS Criminal History Search costs $3 per name and pulls records from all 254 Texas counties. This is helpful when a person may have cases in multiple locations. The FAST fingerprint program gives the most accurate and verified result when identity confirmation is required.
The re:SearchTX portal, shown above, is the official statewide court records system operated by the Texas judiciary and provides free public access to criminal case data including Hamilton County records.
Hamilton County Misdemeanor Records
Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases in Hamilton County are heard in the County Court and stored by the County Clerk. These include charges like DWI, low-level assault, and theft below the felony threshold. The County Clerk is in the same courthouse building in Hamilton as the District Clerk at 102 N. Rice Street.
Contact the Hamilton County Clerk to find a misdemeanor record. Staff can search by name or cause number. Class C misdemeanor cases are a different category. Those are handled at the justice of the peace level and the records stay with the individual JP court. Class C records are not part of the County Clerk's records system.
| Office | Hamilton County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 102 N. Rice Street Hamilton, TX 76531 |
| Phone | (254) 386-8116 |
Note: Class C misdemeanor records are held by justice of the peace courts and are not stored with the Hamilton County Clerk or District Clerk.
Hamilton County Arrest Records
The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records for the county. When someone is booked into the county jail, the sheriff creates a booking record with the person's name, charges at booking, and date of arrest. That arrest record is separate from any court case file. It shows what was alleged at the time of arrest, not the outcome of the case in court. An arrest does not mean the person was found guilty.
To find a current Hamilton County jail inmate, contact the Sheriff's Office by phone. For Texas state prison records, the TDCJ offender search covers current and recently released inmates from across the state. The DPS sex offender registry is a public database listing registered offenders by county and address. Both are free to use online.
What Hamilton County Criminal Records Contain
A criminal case file in Hamilton County can range from a few pages to hundreds of documents depending on how the case went. Every file starts with the charging instrument. Felony cases in Hamilton County start with a grand jury indictment. Misdemeanor cases start with an information filed by the county attorney. The file grows as the case progresses through the court.
You will typically find these items in a Hamilton County criminal case file:
- Indictment or information charging the offense
- Arrest warrant and probable cause affidavit
- Bond order and conditions of release
- Plea agreement or jury trial documentation
- Judgment and sentence of the court
- Community supervision conditions if probation was ordered
Criminal court records are public under Texas Government Code Chapter 552. Sealed records include juvenile cases and certain mental health evaluations. If a record was expunged under Chapter 55, it will not appear in any public search and agencies must destroy their copies. The Texas Attorney General open records page can help if an agency denies your records request.
Fees and Access in Hamilton County
Copies of criminal court records in Hamilton County cost $1 per page. Certified copies carry an extra $5 certification fee. You can request records at the Hamilton courthouse in person or by mailing a written request with payment to the District Clerk. Mail the request to 102 N. Rice Street, Hamilton, TX 76531.
The re:SearchTX portal is free for basic case data. The DPS name-based search costs $3 per person. All available Texas criminal records search options are listed on the DPS Crime Records Service page.
Note: Call the Hamilton County District Clerk at (254) 386-8151 to confirm the current copy fee schedule before sending a mail request.
Legal Resources in Hamilton County
Lone Star Legal Aid provides free civil legal services to qualifying low-income Texans in Central Texas including Hamilton County. They may assist with expunction petitions and related criminal record matters. The Texas Bar Find-A-Lawyer tool lets you search for licensed attorneys by location and practice area.
Free self-help guides on expunction, criminal records, and Texas court procedures are at TexasLawHelp.org. The guides are in plain language and free to use. The Texas Public Information Act also gives you the right to request records from the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office and other county agencies.
Cities in Hamilton County
Hamilton is the county seat of Hamilton County and the location of all district and county courts. All criminal cases from across the county are handled through the Hamilton courthouse.
Other communities in Hamilton County include Evant and Hico. None of these have separate criminal court systems. All criminal matters go through the Hamilton County courts in Hamilton.
Nearby Counties
Hamilton County is in Central Texas. If you need to determine which county filed a case, check where the offense occurred. Bordering counties with their own court records include Coryell County, Bosque County, Comanche County, Mills County, and Lampasas County.