Jefferson County Court Records Search | Criminal and Civil Cases

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Jefferson County, Texas · Beaumont & Port Arthur court records

Find the Right Jefferson County Case Without Searching the Wrong Clerk

Jefferson County court records are split between several offices. Felonies and District Court civil cases go through the District Clerk, while Class A and B misdemeanors, County Court at Law matters and probate records go through the County Clerk. Small claims, debt cases, evictions and some lower-level criminal matters may belong to a Justice Court instead.

If you already have a cause number, use it first. If you only know a name, start with Jefferson County’s Odyssey case portal, compare the court and filing date, then use the correct clerk for documents or certified copies. This guide explains that entire process without making you bounce between unexplained government links.

Open the official Odyssey Portal Search felony criminal index Search District Court civil index
Exact party name Cause number Approximate filing year Defendant DOB for criminal case Court number if known
PEARL STREET CASE SWITCHBOARD ROUTING FILE
COURT RECORD SEARCH
ROUTE A DISTRICT CLERK Felony · District civil · Family
ROUTE B COUNTY CLERK Misdemeanor · County civil · Probate
ROUTE C JUSTICE COURT Small claims · Debt · Evictions
Do not assume every Jefferson County case is in the same database. A search can fail simply because you are looking for a County Court misdemeanor in a District Court index, a felony in a County Clerk background search, or a Justice Court case in either of those systems.
Felony records

Jefferson County District Clerk.

Class A/B misdemeanor

Jefferson County Clerk.

District civil cases

District Clerk civil records.

Small claims & evictions

Correct Justice of the Peace precinct.

Source review

Official information checked August 20, 2026.

Start here

Choose the office by case type before you search

DISTRICT CLERK Felony criminal cases

The District Clerk’s Criminal Division maintains felony and grand-jury case records filed in Jefferson County District Courts.

Also use this office for District Court civil and family cases.
COUNTY CLERK Class A and B misdemeanors

The County Clerk maintains misdemeanor cases filed in Jefferson County Courts at Law.

The formal background search is not a statewide criminal-history check.
DISTRICT / COUNTY CIVIL Civil lawsuits

District-level civil cases belong to the District Clerk. County Court at Law civil matters are maintained by the County Clerk.

Use the assigned court and cause number to determine the right clerk.
JUSTICE COURT Small claims, debt and eviction

Jefferson County Justice Courts handle small claims, debt claims, evictions and other matters within Justice Court jurisdiction.

Use the correct precinct rather than the District Clerk.
The fastest sequence: search the case → identify the court → save the cause number → read the docket → identify the document you need → request the copy from the clerk that owns that case.

Go directly to your Jefferson County court-record task

You do not need to read every section. Start with the type of record you are trying to locate.

Primary online route

Search Jefferson County cases through the Odyssey Portal

Jefferson County currently provides an Enterprise Justice / Odyssey Online Portal and a separate official support page explaining registration, account access and access requests.
Open the official Jefferson County portal Use the county-linked Tyler Technologies portal rather than a commercial people-search website.
Open Jefferson County Odyssey Portal
Register or sign in if the portal asks Jefferson County publishes separate instructions for new registrations, current account access and people who already use another Tyler portal.
Use the exact cause number first A cause number is much safer than a broad name search and usually takes you directly to one case.
If you search a name, use the full legal name Search alternate spellings when necessary. Middle names or initials can help separate people who share common names.
Confirm the court and filing date A matching name alone is not enough. Make sure the court type and filing year fit the matter you are researching.
Open the docket or event history Read the chronological case activity rather than relying only on the case status.
Identify the exact document For example: indictment, information, petition, answer, order, judgment, dismissal or sentencing document.
Request a certified copy only when you need official proof For ordinary research, a docket entry or non-certified copy may be enough. Employment, licensing, immigration or another court may require certification.
Open Odyssey Portal Portal registration & access help
Portal labels can change. Jefferson County has recently updated its Tyler/Enterprise Justice system. If a button or search label looks different from an older screenshot, use the county’s current Portal Support FAQ instead of forcing old instructions.
Felony criminal records

Use the District Clerk for Jefferson County felony cases

The Jefferson County District Clerk is the official custodian of District Court proceedings. Its Criminal Division maintains felony and grand-jury case records, along with related warrants, commitments, subpoenas, appeal records, fines and court costs.

Use the Odyssey portal when
  • You have a current cause number.
  • You need the case status or event history.
  • You are comparing a defendant name with a filing.
  • You need to identify the assigned criminal court.
Use the Criminal Index when
  • You are researching an older felony.
  • You only know the defendant name.
  • You know an indictment or case number.
  • The portal search is not returning the expected result.
Search District Clerk criminal index Open current case portal
The public criminal index excludes secured cases. Jefferson County states that the District Clerk criminal index does not include records carrying security such as sealed or juvenile cases.

Current Jefferson County felony courts

District criminal courts and useful contact numbers
Court
Current presiding judge
Phone
What the court page can help with
Criminal District Court
John Stevens
409-835-8431
Current hearing, jail and trial dockets; local criminal orders.
252nd District Court
Raquel West
409-835-8597
Bond, jail, hearing and trial docket information.
If you came here from an arrest search: the arrest or jail record is not the final court outcome. Carry the defendant name and cause number into the District Clerk record and look for the filed charge, plea, dismissal, judgment and sentence.
County-level criminal cases

Search Class A and B misdemeanors through the County Clerk

Jefferson County’s County Clerk maintains criminal cases filed in the County Courts at Law, including Class A and Class B misdemeanor matters.

Online case lookup

Start with the county Odyssey Portal when you need a specific misdemeanor cause, docket history or court assignment.

Open the court portal

Formal criminal case search

The County Clerk also publishes a criminal case search form for a clerk-performed background search.

  • Published fee: $10, non-refundable.
  • Search period: January 1, 1982 to present.
  • Class A and B misdemeanors only.
  • Jefferson County only.
The County Clerk misdemeanor search has important limits. It does not include Justice of the Peace cases, police tickets or statewide records. It also does not show an arrest when the District Attorney never filed a corresponding County Clerk misdemeanor case.

County Courts at Law

County Court at Law No. 1

Gerald W. Eddins, Presiding

409-835-8470

Commonly associated with county-level civil matters.

County Court at Law No. 2

Terrence L. Holmes, Presiding

409-835-8429

Publishes current criminal arraignment, announcement, pretrial and jury dockets.

County Court at Law No. 3

Clint Woods, Presiding

409-835-8698

Publishes current criminal schedules, bond information and court forms.

Civil records

Search Jefferson County civil lawsuits by plaintiff, defendant or cause number

The District Clerk’s Civil Division maintains District Court cases involving matters such as tort claims, contracts, real-estate disputes, consumer cases and tax collections. Family and domestic-relations records are also maintained by the District Clerk, although some family records are confidential or restricted.

Know a cause number? Use it first.
No cause number? Search plaintiff or defendant.
Confirm filing year Avoid same-name cases.
Open case history Read orders and events.
Need proof? Order the correct copy.

District Clerk Civil Index

Jefferson County also maintains a separate District Clerk civil index. It can be used to locate cases by case number, plaintiff name or defendant name, with historical entries organised by filing year.

Open District Clerk Civil Index Search current Odyssey records
Older case tip: Jefferson County maintains records dating back well before modern electronic filing. An index entry may exist even when the document image is not online.

District civil courts

Jefferson County District Courts that publish civil or family information
Court
Current presiding judge
Phone
Typical record/search value
58th District Court
W. Kent Walston
409-835-8434
Civil case settings and court-specific information.
60th District Court
Justin Sanderson
409-835-8472
Current hearing and trial dockets.
136th District Court
Baylor Wortham
409-835-8481
Civil hearings, trial dockets and local information.
172nd District Court
Mitch Templeton
409-835-8485
Civil bench trials, weekly trial dockets and hearings.
279th District Court
Jeffery “Randy” Shelton
409-835-8655
Family and related District Court matters.
317th District Court
Gordon Friesz
409-835-8588
Family and related District Court matters.
Justice Court records

Do not send a small claim or eviction search to the District Clerk

Jefferson County Justice Courts hear civil matters such as small claims, debt claims, evictions and repair-and-remedy cases. The county’s Justice Court information states that the civil jurisdiction includes claims of $20,000 or less.

Small claim

Search or contact the Justice Court precinct in which the case was filed.

Debt claim

These cases are handled through Justice Court rather than a District Court civil index.

Eviction

Use the Justice Court where the property and case are located.

Jefferson County currently lists a $54 civil filing fee for Justice Court small claims, debt claims and eviction cases before applicable service fees. That filing fee is useful for someone starting a case, but it is not a fee for simply viewing an existing public record.

Common Jefferson County Justice Court locations

Use the precinct connected to the actual case
Justice Court
Address
Phone
Precinct 1, Place 1
1085 Pearl St., Room 105, Beaumont, TX 77701
409-835-8522
Precinct 1, Place 2
1085 Pearl St., Room 104, Beaumont, TX 77701
409-835-8457
Precinct 2
525 Lakeshore Drive, Port Arthur, TX 77640
409-983-8325
Precinct 4
19217 FM 365, Beaumont, TX 77705
409-434-5460
Precinct 6
1225 Pearl Street, Suite 118, Beaumont, TX 77701
409-839-2333
Precinct 7
7933 Viterbo Road, Beaumont, TX 77705
409-719-5900
Precinct 8
525 Lakeshore Drive, Port Arthur, TX 77640
409-983-8330
Ticket or city ordinance case? A Beaumont, Port Arthur, Groves, Port Neches or other municipal citation may belong to the city’s Municipal Court rather than the County Clerk or District Clerk.
Probate and guardianship

Use the County Clerk for Jefferson County probate records

Jefferson County’s County Clerk preserves probate and guardianship case records. The county has undertaken long-term archival work on probate material dating back to the 1800s, so an older estate can require a different search approach from a recent electronically filed case.

Search the probate index when possible Start with the decedent or guardian name and approximate date.
Save the probate case number Supplying the case number can avoid an additional clerk name-search fee.
Identify the document Examples include an application, order, will, inventory, Letters Testamentary or guardianship document.
State whether you need certification A plain research copy is different from a certified or exemplified court document.
County Clerk probate copy information currently published:
$1 per page
$5 certification fee
$5 exemplified/authentication fee when requested
Probate name-search letter: $10 per name
Open County Clerk online index Open Jefferson County Probate Court
Case-result decoder

Read the court record without mistaking one field for the outcome

What common Jefferson County court-record fields mean
Field
What it tells you
What to check next
Cause / case number
The unique court file identifier.
Use it instead of the party name whenever possible.
Style
The official case title, such as State of Texas v. Defendant or Plaintiff v. Defendant.
Confirm that the parties match the person or dispute you are researching.
Court
The specific District Court, County Court at Law or Justice Court assigned to the case.
Use that court’s page for current hearings and local procedures.
Filed date
When the case entered that court system.
Do not confuse it with the arrest date, incident date or judgment date.
Case type
The category assigned by the clerk.
Use it to separate criminal, civil, family, probate or Justice Court matters.
Docket event
A filing, hearing, order or other action recorded in chronological history.
Open the actual document when available instead of guessing from a short event label.
Disposition
How a criminal count or case was resolved.
Check every count separately.
Judgment
A court’s formal decision or final order.
Use a certified judgment when official proof is required.
Status
A system label such as active, pending, disposed or closed.
Read the docket because the status alone may not explain what happened.
“Closed” is not a criminal disposition. If you need to know whether a charge was dismissed, reduced, deferred, convicted or otherwise resolved, find the judgment, dismissal, plea or disposition entry itself.
Hearings and court dates

Verify the next hearing on the assigned court’s page

Jefferson County’s individual court pages publish current hearing, trial, bond, jail, arraignment and announcement dockets for many courts. These pages can be more useful than a static case-result page when your main question is: “When does this person need to be in court?”

Find the court number in the case record
Open that court’s official Jefferson County page
Check the current hearing or trial docket
Match the cause number, not only the party name
Confirm whether the setting is in person, jail, remote or by submission
Recheck shortly before attending because settings change
Criminal District Court dockets 252nd District Court County Court at Law No. 2 County Court at Law No. 3
A docket PDF is a schedule, not a complete case history. Use the Odyssey or clerk record to understand the underlying case.
Court documents and certified copies

Know the document before you pay for copies

The biggest money-saving step is simple: provide the cause or docket number. Both clerk systems publish additional search fees in situations where staff must locate a file without a case number.
Common Jefferson County court-record copy charges currently published
Service
District Clerk
County Clerk
Before ordering
Paper copy
$1 per page
$1 per page
Know the exact document and page range if possible.
Certificate / seal
$5
$5 per certificate
Only pay for certification when official proof is needed.
Record search without cause/docket number
$5
$5 on current civil fee schedule
Search the online index yourself first.
Electronic non-certified document
$1 up to 10 pages; $0.10 for additional pages on current schedule
Electronic-copy charges vary by record type
Ask whether electronic delivery is available.
County Clerk misdemeanor background search
Not this service
$10, non-refundable
Covers filed Class A/B misdemeanor cases only.
Fees can change. These are the current official amounts found during the August 20, 2026 review. Verify the live fee sheet before mailing a check, paying online or ordering a large file.

What should you actually order?

Criminal disposition proof

Ask for the judgment, dismissal, deferred-adjudication order or other document showing the final result.

Civil outcome

Ask for the final judgment, dismissal order, settlement-related order or other controlling final document.

Probate proof

Ask for the will, order, Letters Testamentary, guardianship letters or specific estate document actually required.

Copy-ready court-record request
I am requesting a copy of [document name] in Jefferson County cause number [cause number], styled [case name], filed in [court]. Please tell me the cost for an electronic non-certified copy and, separately, the cost for a certified copy. If the requested document is not available online, please advise whether it can be retrieved from archived, paper, microfilm or other records.
No record found

Fix a Jefferson County search that returns nothing

Wrong clerk

A felony will not be solved by a County Clerk misdemeanor background search. A Class A/B misdemeanor may not be in the District Clerk felony index.

Wrong spelling

Try a middle initial, maiden name, suffix, former name or alternate spelling.

Wrong filing year

An incident can occur in one year and the court case can be filed in another.

Municipal or JP case

A city ticket, Class C matter, eviction or small claim may belong outside the District and County Clerk systems you searched.

Older file not imaged

The index may exist while the actual filing remains in an archival medium or has not been made available as a public image.

Restricted record

Sealed, juvenile, confidential family or otherwise protected material may not appear publicly.

Best fallback: give the clerk the full party name, approximate filing year, case type and every number you already have. A cause number or indictment number is far more useful than saying only “I need everything on this person.”
Criminal background research

A Jefferson County court search is not automatically a statewide background check

County Clerk misdemeanor search

  • Class A and B misdemeanors only.
  • Filed in Jefferson County.
  • January 1, 1982 to present.
  • $10 published non-refundable fee.
  • Does not include JP cases or police tickets.

District Clerk felony search

Use the District Clerk portal and criminal index to identify felony cases filed in Jefferson County District Court.

A court-record lookup shows filed court cases; it is not the same thing as a fingerprint-based identity check.

Texas DPS search

Use Texas Department of Public Safety when the question is broader than one Jefferson County court system.

Open Texas DPS Criminal History Search
Sealed and confidential cases

Why some Jefferson County court records are not public

Public access does not mean every document in every case is unrestricted. Jefferson County’s own criminal and civil indexes state that records carrying security—such as sealed or juvenile cases—are excluded from the public index.

Sealed court cases
Juvenile matters
Certain adoption records
Confidential family information
Protected personal identifiers
Documents restricted by court order or statute
If you are a party to a restricted case, do not assume “nothing online” means the file does not exist. Contact the clerk and ask what identification, authorization or court order is required for access.

Transcript versus court record

The clerk’s file normally contains pleadings, motions, orders, judgments and docket entries. A verbatim hearing or trial transcript is a different product and usually must be requested from the official court reporter for the court that heard the proceeding.

Find the assigned court first. Jefferson County court pages identify their current court reporters and contact information.
If you need to file, not just search

Do not confuse record access with filing a new case

Searching a court file and submitting a new pleading are different workflows. Jefferson County’s District Clerk and County Clerk participate in Texas electronic filing for applicable civil, criminal, probate and family matters.

District Clerk filing

Jefferson County states that new in-person self-represented District Clerk cases must be filed no later than 4:00 p.m.

Attorneys generally use the Texas electronic filing system for matters subject to e-filing requirements.

County Clerk filing

Jefferson County County Clerk civil, probate and criminal divisions are integrated with eFileTexas under the county’s published e-filing standards.

District Clerk e-filing information Texas eFile system
Court clerks can explain filing procedures and fees, but they cannot choose legal claims, defenses or strategy for you.
Before driving to Beaumont

Know where the public courthouse entrance is

Jefferson County’s courthouse security page directs members of the public through the security entrance at 1001 Pearl Street. The courthouse complex also includes offices and courts at nearby Pearl Street addresses, so the address printed on your case document may not be the door where public screening occurs.
Expect security screening

Members of the public and carried items are subject to screening, including X-ray screening and a metal detector or other security device.

Do not bring weapons

County security instructions prohibit items such as guns and knives in the courthouse security area.

Leave extra time

Searching for the correct room after screening can take longer than simply arriving at the street address printed on a website.

Courthouse Security: 409-784-5867
Public security entrance listed by Jefferson County: 1001 Pearl Street, Beaumont, TX 77701
Parking tip: Jefferson County does not publish a single guaranteed visitor parking space for every court-record visit. Do not promise yourself a specific lot based on an old directory. Allow time to park in downtown Beaumont and pass through courthouse security.
Offices and phone numbers

Jefferson County court-record contacts

Jefferson County District Clerk
1085 Pearl Street, Room 203
Beaumont, TX 77701

Main: 409-835-8580

Email: districtclerk@jeffersoncountytx.gov

Fax: 409-835-8527

District Clerk Criminal Case Information

409-835-8538

Use for District Court felony record questions.

District Clerk Family Law

409-835-8654

Jefferson County Clerk
1085 Pearl Street
Beaumont, TX 77701

409-835-8475

Email: countyclerk@jeffersoncountytx.gov

Mail: P.O. Box 1151, Beaumont, TX 77704

County Clerk Port Arthur Office
525 Lakeshore Drive
Port Arthur, TX 77640

409-983-8340

County site lists Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. for the Sub-Courthouse offices.

Jefferson County Courthouse Information
1149 Pearl Street
Beaumont, TX 77701

409-835-8400

Map: District Clerk and central court complex

Map: Jefferson County Port Arthur Sub-Courthouse

Human shortcut

What to write down before leaving the court portal

A screenshot of the first search result is usually not enough. Save the details that will help the clerk locate the same file later.

Exact case or cause number
Full case style
Assigned court
Filed date
Case type
Party or defendant name exactly as displayed
Newest docket entry
Final judgment or criminal disposition
Document name you need copied
Date and time you checked the record
If a court date matters today: do not rely on a screenshot saved days ago. Reopen the live case and the assigned court’s docket page before travelling.
10 Jefferson County questions

Jefferson County court-record search FAQs

How do I search Jefferson County Texas court records online?

Start with Jefferson County’s official Enterprise Justice Odyssey Portal for current public case access. Register or sign in if requested. If you are looking for a district-level felony or civil case, you can also use the District Clerk’s criminal or civil indexes. Search with the exact cause number whenever possible; otherwise compare party names, filing dates and the assigned court before relying on a result.

Which Jefferson County office has felony criminal court records?

The Jefferson County District Clerk maintains felony and grand-jury case records filed in the District Courts. The main District Clerk office is at 1085 Pearl Street, Room 203, Beaumont, Texas 77701, and the main phone number is 409-835-8580.

Where do I search Jefferson County Class A and B misdemeanor cases?

Jefferson County Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases are maintained by the County Clerk for the County Courts at Law. The County Clerk also offers a formal misdemeanor criminal case search covering cases filed with that office from January 1, 1982 to the present. The published search fee is $10 and the search does not include Justice of the Peace cases, city tickets or cases that were never filed by the District Attorney.

How do I search Jefferson County civil court cases?

For civil cases filed in a District Court, use the Jefferson County Odyssey Portal or the District Clerk’s Civil Index, which can be searched by case number and by plaintiff or defendant. County Court at Law civil matters are maintained by the County Clerk, while small claims, debt claims, evictions and similar lower-dollar matters may be filed in a Jefferson County Justice Court.

How much does a Jefferson County certified court record cost?

Current Jefferson County District Clerk and County Clerk fee schedules generally list paper copies at $1 per page and a $5 certificate or seal fee for certified documents. A records search fee may apply when the cause or docket number is not supplied. Fees depend on the clerk and record type, so confirm the current amount before ordering.

Can I search old Jefferson County felony cases online?

Yes. The District Clerk publishes a separate historical criminal index for District Court felony cases. The index can be searched by indictment or case number and defendant name, and year-by-year records extend back decades. When an older image or document is not available online, contact the District Clerk because older files also exist in paper, microfilm, microfiche and archived imaging systems.

Why can I see a Jefferson County case but not the documents?

A public index can show that a case exists even when every filing is not publicly viewable online. Older documents may not yet be imaged, and sealed, juvenile, confidential or otherwise restricted material will not be publicly displayed. For an available public document that is missing online, request it from the clerk that maintains the case.

How do I find the next Jefferson County court date?

First identify the assigned court from the case record. Then check that court’s official Jefferson County webpage because many District Courts and County Courts at Law publish current hearing, jail, arraignment, announcement or trial dockets. Recheck shortly before attending because court settings can be reset or cancelled.

Does a Jefferson County criminal background search include every arrest?

No. The County Clerk’s formal criminal case search covers Class A and Class B misdemeanors filed with that office from January 1, 1982 to the present. It is not statewide, does not include Justice Court cases or police tickets, and does not include an arrest that the District Attorney never filed as a County Clerk case. Use the District Clerk for felony cases and Texas DPS when a broader Texas criminal-history search is required.

Where do I go in person for Jefferson County court records?

The Jefferson County District Clerk is at 1085 Pearl Street, Room 203, Beaumont, Texas 77701. The Jefferson County Clerk is also based at 1085 Pearl Street in Beaumont and has a Port Arthur office at the Sub-Courthouse, 525 Lakeshore Drive. The county’s courthouse security page directs members of the public through the security entrance at 1001 Pearl Street for the courthouse complex, so allow extra time for screening.

Official sources reviewed

Primary Jefferson County resources used for this guide

District Court records
County-level records
Other court resources
Accuracy and legal-use notice

Texas-arrest.org is an independent informational website. It is not Jefferson County, the District Clerk, County Clerk, a Justice Court, the Sheriff, Texas DPS or a law firm.

Court assignments, judges, portal features, copy fees, filing fees, office hours and public-access rules can change. Verify time-sensitive information through the live Jefferson County source before travelling, paying a fee, filing a document or relying on a court setting.

A criminal court filing is an allegation unless and until resolved through the judicial process. A case search should not be used to assume guilt or to identify a person solely from a matching name.

Last official-source review: August 20, 2026. Research focused on Jefferson County District Clerk, Jefferson County Clerk, Enterprise Justice/Odyssey, District and County Court pages, Justice Courts, Probate Court, courthouse security and current published clerk fee information.

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