Find the Right El Paso Court File Before You Order Anything
El Paso County does not make you start with a courthouse counter. Its public case system lets you search criminal cases as well as civil, family and probate matters online. If you know the cause number, use it first. If you only know a person or business name, the portal includes party searching plus tools for uncertain spelling.
The important part is knowing which clerk owns the case. Felony and many district-level civil or family files belong with the District Clerk, while adult misdemeanors and certain county-court civil or probate matters are handled by the County Clerk. This guide shows you how to search both without bouncing between the wrong offices.
County Clerk misdemeanors and District Clerk felony cases.
Open and closed civil suits plus family, probate and guardianship.
Use the exact cause or case number whenever available.
Wildcard and Soundex can rescue an uncertain name search.
Local procedures reviewed August 12, 2026.
Which El Paso County court search should you use?
Use for felony prosecutions, district criminal causes, warrants tied to district cases, post-conviction files and related appeals.
Search felony casesUse for adult misdemeanor records handled by County Courts at Law and County Criminal Courts at Law.
Search misdemeanor casesCommon files include lawsuits, divorce, paternity, child-support enforcement, name changes and other district matters.
Search civil and family casesUse for probate, guardianship and certain civil matters assigned to County Courts at Law or statutory probate courts.
Search probate and county civilHow to search El Paso County court records online
Open El Paso County Records Search
Use El Paso’s built-in tools when the spelling is uncertain
Three ways to rescue a failed search
Odyssey Public Access includes search tools that are especially useful for common spelling variations and incomplete case numbers.
Soundex Wildcard * Case number Party Attorney- Soundex: returns names that sound similar to the spelling entered.
- Wildcard: place an asterisk where the remaining letters or digits are unknown.
- Exact case: use the full cause number whenever you have it.
- Do not use Soundex and wildcard searching at the same time.
- Enter at least one character before a wildcard in a first or last name.
- For a case or cross-reference number, enter at least four characters other than dashes before using the wildcard.
- If a complete cause number fails, remove only the uncertain ending and add *.
What the court-search fields mean before you call the clerk
Field |
What it tells you |
What to check next |
|---|---|---|
Case / cause number |
The court system’s identifier for that particular case. |
Use it for copies, payments, court calls and document requests. |
Case style |
The named parties in the matter, such as State v. Defendant or Plaintiff v. Defendant. |
Confirm you have the correct person or business. |
Case type |
Criminal, civil, family, probate or another category. |
Route the request to the correct clerk division. |
Court |
The court currently assigned to the cause. |
Use the court directory for coordinator and hearing questions. |
Filed date |
When the case was filed with the clerk. |
Do not confuse it with an arrest, incident or contract date. |
Party |
Plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent or another case participant. |
Compare spelling and role before relying on the result. |
Attorney |
Counsel associated with the case record. |
Do not assume an older attorney entry reflects current representation. |
Docket / events |
Chronological filings, hearings, orders and other court activity. |
Open the latest entries before relying on an older setting. |
Disposition / judgment |
The court’s outcome for a criminal count or civil claim when recorded. |
Order the actual judgment or dismissal if formal proof is needed. |
Red W icon |
Odyssey help states that this icon indicates an active warrant on an individual’s case record. |
Verify current warrant status before acting on it. |
Search El Paso County District Clerk criminal cases
The District Clerk Criminal Division manages felony criminal case files, assists the district courts with new criminal suits and pleadings, coordinates with the Jail Magistrate and maintains criminal case files.
500 E. San Antonio, Suite 103
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone: 915-273-3534
Fax: 915-273-3859
Use the County Clerk for misdemeanor copies and background letters
The County Clerk Criminal Division preserves and manages adult misdemeanor records for the County Courts at Law and County Criminal Courts at Law.
The county Criminal Cases search combines records maintained by the County Clerk and District Clerk.
Save the exact case number before requesting copies.
The County Clerk publishes a misdemeanor request form for copies and background-check letters.
Email completed criminal requests to ClkCrimmail@epcountytx.gov.
Request |
Published amount |
How to avoid extra cost |
|---|---|---|
Record copy |
$1 per page |
Request only the document you actually need. |
Certification |
$5 per document |
Do not certify routine reference copies unless formal proof is required. |
Search without case number |
$5 search fee |
Find the docket or case number online first. |
Background search letter |
$6 |
Confirm whether the requesting agency actually needs a clerk background letter. |
Additional name / surname |
$5 additional per name |
Know the exact name variants that must be searched. |
500 E. San Antonio, Suite 105
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone: 915-273-3532
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Search lawsuits, divorce and family court records
El Paso County’s civil public search includes open and closed civil cases. The District Clerk Civil-Family Division handles district-level family matters including divorces, annulments, child-support enforcement, temporary restraining orders, paternity matters and name changes.
Search by case
Best when you already have the cause number from a citation, pleading, decree or attorney correspondence.
Search by party
Useful when you know the person or business but not the cause number. Check all plausible matches before choosing one.
Search by attorney
Helpful for finding a civil, family or probate case when the lawyer is known and the party name is uncertain.
Search the court calendar
The Odyssey help also describes calendar searching by attorney, case, judicial officer or party/defendant name.
500 E. San Antonio, Suite 501
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone: 915-546-8185
Fax: 915-546-8186
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Know when the County Clerk Probate-Civil Division owns the file
Certain civil matters handled by County Courts at Law and statutory probate courts are maintained by the County Clerk rather than the District Clerk. The Probate-Civil Division also maintains probate and guardianship records.
County Courthouse
500 E. San Antonio, Suite 105
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone: 915-546-2116
Why an El Paso County case may not appear
If the county search is empty, check these court systems next
Type of case |
Where to look |
Clue you are in the wrong system |
|---|---|---|
Class C, small claims, eviction, debt or repair-and-remedy |
El Paso County Justice of the Peace |
Your paperwork names a JP precinct rather than a county or district court. |
City traffic, parking or City of El Paso Class C misdemeanor |
El Paso Municipal Court |
The citation came from El Paso Police and lists Municipal Court. |
Felony |
District Clerk |
The case is assigned to a district criminal court. |
Adult misdemeanor |
County Clerk |
The case is in a County Court at Law or County Criminal Court at Law. |
Probate or guardianship |
County Clerk Probate-Civil |
The record concerns an estate, will, guardianship or statutory probate matter. |
Appeal from county or district court |
District Clerk Appeals Division / Eighth Court of Appeals |
The trial court has already entered an appeal notice or appellate cause. |
County JP courts handle their own case types and provide a separate Case Search route.
Open El Paso County Justice CourtsThe City’s Municipal Court is a court of record for City Class C misdemeanors and civil parking matters.
Open El Paso Municipal CourtRequest the exact document instead of paying for an entire case file
Before sending a copy request, open the online docket and identify the exact document title or event you need. This reduces search work and can prevent unnecessary page charges.
Common requests include charging instruments, plea documents, judgments and dismissals.
Ask for the judgment, order, petition, answer or other document required for your specific purpose.
Divorce decrees and other family orders should be requested from the clerk maintaining that case.
Do not rely on an old hearing date from a screenshot
Court dates can be reset. Reopen the current docket shortly before relying on a hearing date, then use the court directory if the latest docket entry is unclear.
Odyssey calendar search can use
Attorney Case Judicial officer Party / defendantSearch the current calendar and then compare the result with the most recent docket entry.
- two dates conflict;
- the newest docket says reset without a replacement date;
- the hearing appears remote but no instructions are visible;
- you need to confirm courtroom location or check-in requirements.
Searching a case is different from filing into it
El Paso County uses the statewide eFileTexas system for electronic court filings. Attorneys are required to electronically file in district and county civil, family, probate and criminal matters covered by the statewide mandate. Non-attorneys are encouraged to use e-filing and can use self-help filing tools.
Use an approved electronic filing service provider to submit pleadings and receive file-stamped documents.
Open official eFileTexasUse the statewide self-help filing service when you need guided filing rather than only a public case search.
Open eFileTexas Self HelpAn empty online file does not always mean there is no case
The District Clerk specifically limits access to adoption files and decrees to a small group of people involved in the case.
Records covered by a sealing, expunction or confidentiality order may not appear like an ordinary public case.
Documents can contain information subject to privacy rules, redaction or restricted electronic access.
Where to get forms and research help without asking a clerk for legal advice
The District Clerk’s civil FAQ states that the Clerk’s Office does not provide legal forms for self-represented litigants. The county directs people to the Hon. Robert J. Galvan Law Library and statewide self-help resources.
Suite 1202
El Paso, TX 79901
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Plain-language information about civil cases, appearing in court, finding forms and deciding whether to represent yourself.
Open Texas Court HelpProvides legal-information guides and forms for many common Texas civil and family-law problems.
Open TexasLawHelpWhere to go when the online record is not enough
El Paso, TX 79901
Felony, district civil, family and related records.
El Paso, TX 79901
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
El Paso, TX 79901
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Probate, guardianship and certain county civil matters.
El Paso, TX 79901
El Paso, TX 79901
Parking at the downtown courthouse
Map to the El Paso County Courthouse
Six El Paso court-record shortcuts worth remembering
Finding the cause number can prevent a paid clerk search and makes your request more precise.
Felony records belong with the District Clerk even though the public criminal search combines multiple court records.
A City of El Paso citation may never appear in the county criminal search.
One asterisk can be more useful than running several full-name searches with uncertain spelling.
The District Clerk states that archived disposed civil files may need 24 hours for retrieval.
If the final outcome is all you need, identify the judgment, dismissal or decree rather than ordering the entire file.
El Paso County court records search FAQs
How do I search El Paso County court records online?
Start with the El Paso County Records Search page and choose Criminal Cases or Civil Cases. The county’s Odyssey Public Access system covers criminal records as well as civil, family and probate case records. Search by case number when possible; otherwise use a party name, attorney or available search filters.
Can I search El Paso County court records by name?
Yes. The Odyssey public-access system supports party searches. If the spelling is uncertain, the official help system also provides Soundex for similar-sounding names and a wildcard using an asterisk for incomplete names. Do not use Soundex and the wildcard option at the same time.
Where do I search El Paso County felony cases?
Felony criminal case records are maintained through the El Paso County District Clerk. Start with the county’s criminal case search and verify the cause number, defendant, court, charge, settings and disposition. The District Clerk’s main office is at 500 East San Antonio, Suite 103, El Paso, Texas 79901.
Where do I search El Paso County misdemeanor cases?
Adult misdemeanor records handled by the County Courts at Law and County Criminal Courts at Law are maintained by the El Paso County Clerk Criminal Division. The public criminal search combines County Clerk and District Clerk records, but copy and background-letter requests for misdemeanor cases should be directed to the County Clerk Criminal Division.
How do I search El Paso County civil, family or probate cases?
Use the Civil Cases link on the official El Paso County Records Search page. Odyssey Public Access allows civil, family and probate searches by case, party or attorney. District-level civil and family records are handled by the District Clerk, while certain county-court civil, probate and guardianship matters are maintained by the County Clerk Probate-Civil Division.
What does the red W mean in the El Paso County case search?
The official Odyssey Public Access help page states that a red W icon beside a case number indicates an active warrant for an individual on that case record. Because warrant status can change, verify current information through the court or appropriate law-enforcement office before relying on the icon.
How much are El Paso County misdemeanor court record copies?
The County Clerk misdemeanor request form currently lists copies at $1 per page, certification at $5 per document, a $5 search fee when the docket or case number is not provided, and a $6 background search letter. Confirm fees before ordering because schedules can change.
Why can I not find an El Paso County court case online?
The case may be filed in a different court system, the name may be spelled differently, the case may be too recent to appear, the record may be restricted, or an older file may not be fully available online. Try Soundex or a wildcard, search the correct criminal or civil area, and contact the County Clerk or District Clerk when necessary.
Are El Paso municipal and Justice of the Peace cases in the same county court search?
Not every local case belongs in the main County or District Clerk search. Justice of the Peace courts handle their own Class C, small-claims, eviction and related matters. City of El Paso Class C misdemeanor, traffic and parking cases are handled by El Paso Municipal Court and should be searched through the municipal court portal.
How do I get a certified El Paso County court record?
Identify whether the case belongs to the District Clerk or County Clerk, save the exact cause number and request the specific document rather than the entire file. Common requests include judgments, dismissals, charging instruments, plea documents and divorce decrees. Certification and copy fees depend on the clerk and document type, so verify the current fee before payment.