Find Madison County Criminal Court Records

Madison County criminal court records are held at the courthouse in Madisonville, Texas. The District Clerk manages all felony criminal case files and the County Clerk handles Class A and B misdemeanor records. You can search Madison County cases through the statewide re:SearchTX portal, visit the courthouse in person, or contact the clerk's office by phone or mail to request copies of specific documents.

Madison County District Clerk

The Madison County District Clerk is the official keeper of felony criminal records for the county. The clerk's office opens a case file for each grand jury indictment, assigns a cause number, and follows the case from arraignment through sentencing and any appeals. The office also handles petitions for expunction and non-disclosure filed by defendants seeking to clear their records.

Madison County is part of the 12th Judicial District. The county is located in East Central Texas along the Interstate 45 corridor between Dallas and Houston, which influences the types of criminal cases that arise here. Cases come from the city of Madisonville and from the rural stretches of the county, including the communities of Midway and North Zulch. Call the District Clerk's office at (936) 348-2634 with any questions about specific records before mailing a request.

How to Search Madison County Criminal Records

The re:SearchTX portal is the primary free tool for searching Madison County criminal cases online. It is maintained by the Texas Office of Court Administration and covers district court felony cases and county court misdemeanor cases statewide. Search by defendant name, cause number, or attorney. Results include the charge, court, key hearing dates, and the current case status. Filed documents are accessible for many recent cases through the portal.

The screenshot below shows the re:SearchTX interface used to search Texas criminal court cases including those in Madison County.

Use the re:SearchTX tool at research.txcourts.gov to locate the cause number before contacting the District Clerk. For older records or cases not yet indexed online, call the office at (936) 348-2634. Mail requests need the defendant's full name, cause number if known, approximate filing year, description of records needed, and payment by check or money order.

For a broader statewide criminal history, the Texas DPS Criminal History portal pulls arrest and conviction data from all Texas counties. Self-searches are free. Third-party searches carry a small fee.

Misdemeanor Records in Madison County

Class A and B misdemeanor cases in Madison County are heard in the County Court and records are managed by the Madison County Clerk. These include charges like first-offense DWI, assault causing bodily injury, possession of small amounts of marijuana, and theft at lower dollar values. The County Clerk's office shares the Madisonville courthouse with the District Clerk.

Re:SearchTX covers county court misdemeanor cases as well as district court felony cases. Filter by court type in the portal to narrow your search. For copies of misdemeanor documents, contact the Madison County Clerk rather than the District Clerk. Both offices are in the same building but manage separate case files.

Class C misdemeanors, including traffic violations and minor municipal infractions, go through Madison County's Justice of the Peace courts and the Madisonville municipal court. Those records are not part of the County Clerk's files and must be requested from the individual court.

Arrest Records and Criminal History Sources

Arrests in Madison County are made by the Madison County Sheriff's Office for the unincorporated county and by the Madisonville Police Department inside the city. All arrestees are booked through the county jail. Booking records including name, charge, and bond status are typically available through the jail or the sheriff's office. The Interstate 45 corridor through Madison County means the sheriff's office handles a fair number of highway-related criminal matters.

The Texas DPS Criminal History portal is the most complete source for a criminal history covering Madison County and all other Texas jurisdictions. It combines arrest data and court disposition records submitted by agencies statewide. Self-searches are free on the DPS site. Third-party searches require a fee. The FAST fingerprint program is used for certified background check reports.

The Texas Sex Offender Registry covers registered sex offenders in Madison County. The TDCJ offender search shows individuals who have served or are serving time in Texas state prison following a conviction in Madison or any other Texas county.

What You Will Find in a Criminal Case File

Madison County criminal case files contain the documents generated at each stage of the proceeding. Standard items found in a Texas criminal case file include:

• Grand jury indictment or criminal information
• Arrest warrant and probable cause affidavit
• Bond documents and conditions of pretrial release
• Pretrial motions and responses from both parties
• Court orders and rulings from the assigned judge
• Plea agreement if the case resolved by plea
• Final judgment and sentence
• Community supervision terms where probation was ordered
• Restitution orders if financial harm to a victim was established
• Appellate filings if the case was appealed

Records expunged under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55 are removed from the public record following a court order. Juvenile files are sealed by law and are not accessible through public searches.

Fees and How to Get Madison County Records

Copies from the Madison County District Clerk cost $1 per page. Certified copies carry an added fee. For large requests, call (936) 348-2634 to get a page count estimate before sending payment. In-person visits during business hours are often the quickest option for small requests when you do not have the cause number in advance.

Mail requests should go to the Madison County District Clerk at 101 W. Main Street, Madisonville, TX 77864. Include the defendant's full name, cause number if known, approximate filing year, and the specific documents you need. Enclose a check or money order. For misdemeanor records, mail to the Madison County Clerk at the same courthouse address.

TexasLawHelp.org provides free guides on expunctions and non-disclosures in Texas. Lone Star Legal Aid may assist qualifying residents in East Central Texas. Use the State Bar of Texas referral service to find a licensed attorney if you need private legal help with a Madison County criminal record matter.

Cities in Madison County

Madison County includes Madisonville (county seat), Midway, North Zulch, and several small rural communities. None of these cities exceed the population threshold for a dedicated city page. All criminal court records for addresses throughout Madison County are filed at the courthouse in Madisonville.

Nearby Counties

Madison County is located in East Central Texas along the I-45 corridor. Find criminal court records in surrounding areas at: Walker County, Leon County, Houston County, Trinity County, Grimes County, and Brazos County.