Send the Case to the Right McLennan County Clerk First
McLennan County has two separate public court-record systems. That distinction matters more than any search trick: the County Clerk handles county-level misdemeanor, civil, probate and guardianship cases, while the District Clerk maintains felony cases and district-court civil and family records.
Start with the case type, then search the correct index using the party name or cause number. This guide explains what each portal contains, how far the online indexes go, what a docket entry means, how to obtain the actual document, current copy and search fees, and where to go in Waco when an online result is incomplete.
CIVIL?
MISDEMEANOR?
District Clerk Criminal Division.
County Clerk Criminal Department.
District Clerk Civil Division.
County Clerk court index.
Online case-index searching is free.
County Clerk or District Clerk? Choose before you search
Use the County Clerk for
- Class A and Class B misdemeanor criminal cases
- Class C misdemeanors appealed from a lower court
- County Courts at Law civil cases
- Probate matters
- Guardianship matters
- Appeals handled by the County Courts at Law where applicable
Use the District Clerk for
- Felony criminal cases
- District-court civil lawsuits
- Divorce and other family-law cases
- Child-support and related district-court records
- District court judgments, pleadings and docket entries
- Older district-court records requiring clerk research
Choose the record you are actually trying to find
Search the District Clerk. Use a cause number when possible; otherwise search the party and compare DOB, filing date and court.
Felony search stepsSearch the County Clerk index for Class A and B misdemeanor court records.
Misdemeanor search stepsCounty Court at Law civil files are with the County Clerk; district-court civil files are with the District Clerk.
Choose the civil courtStart with the District Clerk Civil Division and its case index.
Find family recordsUse the County Clerk index, then contact Probate when a document or older file is needed.
Search probate recordsThese may belong to a Justice Court or municipal court rather than either main county index.
Check lower courtsHow to use the McLennan County District Clerk Case Index
How to use the McLennan County Clerk Court Index
How far back McLennan County court indexes go
Record type |
Clerk |
Online index coverage stated by portal |
If the case is older |
|---|---|---|---|
Felony criminal |
District Clerk |
Portal states criminal index information from 1984 to present, with limited earlier information. |
Call 254-757-5054 and provide the approximate year and party name. |
District civil / family |
District Clerk |
Portal states civil index information from 1984 to present, with limited earlier information. |
Call Civil Division at 254-757-5057. |
Misdemeanor criminal |
County Clerk |
1993 to present. |
Request a County Clerk criminal search. |
County Court civil |
County Clerk |
2001 to present. |
Contact County Clerk Civil at 254-757-5189. |
Probate |
County Clerk |
1961 to present. |
County records indicate probate records extend back much further; contact Probate for research. |
Guardianship |
County Clerk |
1990 to present. |
Contact the Probate/Guardianship section. |
What the court-search result tells you—and what it does not
Field |
What it helps identify |
Common mistake |
Best next step |
|---|---|---|---|
Cause / case number |
The specific court file. |
Confusing two cases involving the same party. |
Use it for every clerk or court call. |
Case type |
Whether the matter is criminal, civil, family, probate or another category. |
Searching the wrong clerk because the case sounds similar. |
Confirm the record custodian. |
Filed date |
When the court case was opened. |
Treating it as an arrest, incident or judgment date. |
Compare with docket activity. |
Party |
The named plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent or criminal defendant. |
Assuming a common name identifies the correct person. |
Use DOB or another identifier where available. |
Court |
The court assigned to the case. |
Calling the clerk when the question is about a hearing setting. |
Call the court administrator for scheduling questions. |
Docket entry |
A filing, setting, order, judgment or other recorded case event. |
Assuming every entry is a final judgment. |
Locate the actual order or disposition. |
Disposition / judgment |
How a count, claim or case was resolved. |
Using a generic “closed” status instead of reading the judgment. |
Order the judgment when proof is needed. |
Setting / hearing |
A scheduled court event. |
Assuming an old online date has not changed. |
Recheck the current docket or court administrator. |
Misdemeanor and felony searches use different clerks
The County Clerk processes Class A and Class B misdemeanors and Class C misdemeanors appealed from a lower court.
County Clerk Criminal:
254-757-5185
Court dates: County Court at Law Administrator
254-757-5030
Felony case records are maintained by the District Clerk. The 19th and 54th District Courts are the county’s principal felony district courts.
District Clerk Criminal:
254-757-5054
Important criminal-record routing numbers
Office for Appointed Criminal Attorney: 254-759-7540
Highway 6 Jail: 254-757-2555
County civil or district civil? Check the court level
The County Clerk maintains civil case files for McLennan County Courts at Law.
The county currently describes the general statutory County Court at Law civil range as matters exceeding $500 and not exceeding $325,000, subject to the governing jurisdiction rules and exclusions.
County Clerk Civil: 254-757-5189
District-level civil cases are maintained by the District Clerk and may be assigned among the county’s civil/family district courts.
District Clerk Civil: 254-757-5057
Start family and divorce records with the District Clerk
Divorce, parent-child and other district family cases are maintained through the District Clerk Civil Division. McLennan County’s 74th, 170th, 414th and 474th District Courts handle civil and family matters under their respective assignments.
Civil jurisdiction, including significant civil and family matters.
General jurisdiction handling civil and family matters.
General jurisdiction; civil and family cases are assigned through the district-court system.
Primarily civil and family law; also designated juvenile court.
Search wills, estates and guardianship cases through the County Clerk
McLennan County’s County Clerk maintains probate and guardianship case files. The public index currently lists probate from 1961 forward and guardianship from 1990 forward, while the county states that probate records themselves extend back much further.
Use the County Clerk Court Index first. For an older file or document request, contact Probate.
Phone: 254-757-5186
The County Clerk states that probate name searches are available for $5 per name. A date or starting point is required; without one, the county says the search is generally run from 1961 forward.
Evictions, small claims and tickets may be in a Justice Court
McLennan County Justice Courts handle matters such as small claims, debt claims, evictions, repair-and-remedy cases and other lower-court proceedings. Traffic and fine-only criminal cases may also be handled by a Justice Court or municipal court depending on the issuing agency and location.
Case or problem |
Likely starting point |
Useful local rule |
|---|---|---|
Eviction |
Justice of the Peace |
The county states that an eviction is filed in the JP precinct where the dwelling is located. |
Small claim |
Justice Court |
Use the appropriate precinct and court rather than the main civil index alone. |
Debt claim |
Justice Court |
Justice Court forms and current basic fees are published by the county. |
Traffic ticket |
Issuing court or agency |
The County Clerk specifically says it does not maintain ordinary ticket information. |
City of Waco municipal case |
Waco Municipal Court |
Do not expect a municipal Class C matter to appear as a County Clerk misdemeanor unless it reaches the county court through appeal. |
Use the docket for the current setting—not an old screenshot
McLennan County publishes criminal hearing and arraignment lists. The county warns that if a criminal case has not yet been filed by the Criminal District Attorney, it will not appear on the County Courts at Law criminal lists.
Court Administrator: 254-757-5030
Individual district-court pages publish or link to online docket information. Use the case index for the history and the assigned court’s current docket for the upcoming setting.
Search the index first, then pay only for the document you need
Office / request |
Published charge |
What to know before ordering |
|---|---|---|
County Clerk criminal name search |
$5 per name |
Include identifiers such as DOB when available. |
County Clerk criminal search letter |
$5 |
A certified copy or other certification can add a separate charge. |
County Clerk court copy |
$1 per page |
Call the correct department first to confirm total cost. |
County Clerk certified criminal copy |
Additional $5 per case |
Useful when an official certified record is required. |
County Clerk civil name search |
$5 per name |
Provide identifiers and a date range for a manual request. |
District Clerk criminal name search |
$5 |
Name and DOB searches may be requested by calling 254-757-5054. |
District Clerk criminal research letter |
$5 |
The county lists a certified criminal research letter at $10. |
District Clerk document copies |
$1 per page |
An additional $5 search charge may apply when the case number is unknown. |
District Clerk single-case filing export |
$20 |
The Case Index page lists this as an export of all filings for one case; unusually large requests may require a custom hourly rate. |
District Clerk mail request
McLennan County District Clerk
501 Washington Avenue, Suite 300 Courthouse Annex
Waco, TX 76701
District Clerk fax requests
The District Clerk currently accepts certain copy requests by fax with credit-card prepayment. The office publishes a $3 plus 1.77% credit-card usage charge in addition to applicable service and copy fees.
What to do when the case is missing from the online index
Where to enter, what to bring and which building to use
Suite 300
Waco, TX 76701
The office is on the third floor of the Courthouse Annex, immediately adjacent to the sky bridge.
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Room 201
Waco, TX 76701
Criminal, civil and probate court departments use Room 201, with separate departmental phone numbers.
County Clerk general office hours are Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
District Clerk entrance and security
Free and lower-cost help for understanding the next step
McLennan County’s Civil Court page lists Lone Star Legal Aid as a possible assistance resource.
Self-help explanations and forms for Texas civil, family and other legal issues.
Open TexasLawHelpResearch guides and self-help materials for people handling Texas legal questions.
Open State Law Library self-helpMcLennan County court-record contacts
Waco, TX 76701
Felony and district criminal records.
Waco, TX 76701
District civil and family records.
Waco, TX 76701
Waco, TX 76701
Waco, TX 76701
Waco, TX 76701
Waco, TX 76701
Court-date and court-administrator questions.
Waco, TX 76701
District Clerk and Courthouse Annex map
County Clerk Court Department map
Five checks that make a court-record search more reliable
McLennan County court record questions answered
How do I search McLennan County court records online?
Use the McLennan County District Clerk Case Index for felony criminal cases and district-court civil or family cases. Use the McLennan County Clerk Court Index for Class A and B misdemeanors, County Court at Law civil cases, probate and guardianship records. Both public indexes are linked from the county’s official website.
Which McLennan County clerk handles felony criminal cases?
Felony criminal cases are maintained by the McLennan County District Clerk. The Criminal Division is at 501 Washington Avenue, Suite 300, Waco, TX 76701, and its current telephone number is 254-757-5054.
Which clerk handles McLennan County misdemeanor cases?
The McLennan County Clerk maintains Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases and Class C misdemeanor cases appealed from a lower court. The County Clerk Criminal Department is at 215 N. 5th Street, Room 201, Waco, TX 76701, and its current phone number is 254-757-5185.
How far back do McLennan County online court records go?
The County Clerk’s online court index currently states that criminal index information is available from 1993 forward, civil from 2001 forward, probate from 1961 forward and guardianship from 1990 forward. The District Clerk portal states that criminal and civil index information is available from 1984 forward with limited earlier information. Older records may require assistance from the appropriate clerk.
Can I view actual McLennan County court documents online?
The public County Clerk and District Clerk search sites primarily provide index and docket information rather than certified court documents. Court documents may be viewed through the clerk’s office when public, and copies can be ordered from the office that maintains the case.
How much does a McLennan County criminal record search cost?
The County Clerk currently lists criminal searches at $5 per name and criminal search letters at $5. The District Clerk also lists a $5 criminal name search when only a name and date of birth are supplied. Fees for copies, certifications and additional research are separate.
How much do McLennan County court-record copies cost?
The District Clerk currently lists document copies at $1 per page, while a search fee may apply when the case number is unknown. The County Clerk also lists copies at $1 per page and an additional certification fee for certified criminal copies. Contact the appropriate clerk before sending payment because the exact cost depends on the request.
Where do I find McLennan County civil and family court records?
County Court at Law civil cases are maintained by the County Clerk. District-court civil and family cases are maintained by the District Clerk. If you do not know which level handled the case, start with the party name in both official indexes and compare the cause number, filing date, court and case type.
Are McLennan County eviction and small claims cases in the same court search?
Not necessarily. Evictions, small claims, debt claims and many lower-level civil matters are handled by McLennan County Justice Courts. An eviction must be filed in the Justice of the Peace precinct where the property is located. Use the appropriate Justice Court when the County Clerk or District Clerk index does not contain the case.
What should I do if an old McLennan County case does not appear online?
Do not assume the case does not exist. The online systems have date-coverage limits and some older records contain only limited converted information. Call the County Clerk for county-level misdemeanor, civil, probate or guardianship cases, or the District Clerk for felony, district civil and family cases. Provide the full party name, approximate year, case type and cause number if known.