Harris County Family Court Records

Understanding Harris County Family Court Records

Family Court in Harris County, Texas, handles a wide variety of criminal cases. These range from divorce proceedings and separations, to child custody disputes and adoptions. While many of these documents are considered public records, not all records are open to the public. Some, like those involving minors or sensitive information, are kept confidential.

We will explore the types of family court records available in Harris County, how to obtain them, and which ones are not publicly accessible. The first step in obtaining any type of information from the courts is to determine what records you are looking for and knowing some basic information about the parties involved.

Various Types of Family Court Records

Family court records cover a wide spectrum of non-criminal cases. These records provide a detailed account of the respective proceedings and decisions and outcomes made by the courts. Since these are not criminal types of cases, there are no convictions, rather decisions made by a judge or magistrate.

Common types of public family court records include divorce decrees, child custody agreements, adoption records, and other domestic family issues. Some of these records are publicly available, while others are only accessible by the parties directly involved in the court proceeding.

Here are some of the most commonly available types of family records:

1). Divorce decrees

2). Child custody agreements

3). Certain adoption records

4). Alimony and Financial settlements

5). Court judgments and orders

How to Obtain Copies of Harris County Family Court Records

The availability of family court case records can vary depending on the specifics of the case, and Texas privacy laws regarding them. For example, if you want to obtain copies of a divorce record, you can request these from the District Clerk’s office. You can also request these vital records, including divorces, birth and death records, from the Texas Vital Statistics Office.

To access any publicly available records, you may need to provide specific information of the parties involved. This could include the case number, names of the parties involved, or sometimes the names of the attorneys representing the case. There is also a fee that is required to obtain copies of these records and an additional fee for any certified copies.