How to Get Court Records
Find the cause number through the combined clerk page, LGS, or re:SearchTX. Then choose the exact item. Concho documents several channels: inspect available digital records online, visit 152 N. Roberts, call 325-732-4322, email amber.hall@conchocounty.gov, or mail P.O. Box 98, Paint Rock, TX 76866. Fax 325-732-2040 is published, but fax acceptance for copy requests is not confirmed. Ask whether a public terminal exists and whether email delivery is available.
- Identify the court, cause number, case style, and exact document.
- Choose online inspection, counter service, phone, email, or mail.
- State the filing date and whether a plain or certified copy is needed.
- Confirm the fee, payment method, delivery route, and access requirement.
- Check the returned pages and certification against the request.
Concho Records Have Three Layers
A docket or index is a dated list of events, settings, and outcomes. A filed document is the petition, motion, order, judgment, exhibit, or notice behind an entry. A certified copy is a clerk-attested version used when official proof is required. LGS guest results can show index information and previews, but that does not turn a screen image into a certified Concho County court record.
- Index
- A locator with basic record information.
- Case document
- The filed item connected to an event.
- Certified copy
- A copy bearing the clerk's certification or seal.
Ask the receiving office what form it needs before ordering. That avoids buying certification when a plain copy will do, or supplying an unverified image when certification is required.
Types of Court Records
Amber Hall's District Clerk function keeps 119th District Court felony, civil, family, juvenile, and child-protection records. Her County Clerk function handles constitutional County Court misdemeanor, probate, and other county files. The countywide JP keeps justice, traffic, eviction, and small-claims matters. Eden Municipal Court keeps its ordinance and Class C cases.
- Docket sheets and chronological event indexes
- Pleadings, charges, motions, notices, and service papers
- Orders, judgments, and disposition records
- Appeal papers and clerk-record materials
- Reporter transcripts requested from the reporter
Concho Records Update Nightly
The county says records already in digital form are available online and updated at midnight. That does not mean every paper file, docket event, or sealed image appears in LGS. Guest Login supplies free index access and image previews, while registered access is needed to purchase full images.
If a filing was made today, check after the nightly update and call the clerk. Older records may remain on paper or microfilm. Give an approximate filing date and exact document name so staff can distinguish a digitization gap from a restricted record.
Note: A nightly update can explain delay, but only the custodian can confirm whether a record was filed.
What a Court Record Contains
A Concho County court file normally begins with its cause number, court, filing date, style, type, and status. Party roles and counsel can follow. The dated history may show service, filings, hearings, pleas, orders, judgments, disposition, and appeal steps. Financial information appears only when the system and access rules expose it.
| Case number | The identifier used to locate and request the file. |
|---|---|
| Pleadings | Petitions, answers, motions, and charging papers when public. |
| Orders and judgments | The judge's signed rulings and final action. |
| Docket sheet | The chronological list of filings, settings, and results. |
| Exhibits | Filed evidence or attachments when access permits. |
Write a Specific Concho Request
No county-specific court-copy request form was located. Include the requester's contact details, court, cause number, exact style, document title, date or range, plain or certified choice, copy count, and preferred delivery method. Ask about payment before mailing funds.
For mail return, ask whether a self-addressed stamped envelope is required. If a record is restricted, identify the order or authority that permits access. The sources do not state a processing time, identification rule, or certified-copy turnaround, so none should be assumed.
The court designation prevents a request from reaching the wrong custodian. Write “119th District Court” for a district felony, civil, family, juvenile, or child-protection file. Use “Concho County Court” for a constitutional county-court misdemeanor or probate record. A justice traffic, eviction, or small-claims record belongs with the countywide JP. An Eden ordinance or Class C record belongs with Eden Municipal Court. If the cause number changed after transfer, give both the old and new numbers and ask the combined clerk to cross-reference them.
Describe the item itself with equal care. A request for “the whole case” may include many pages and does not tell staff whether the requester needs the docket sheet, a signed judgment, one order, or all pleadings. Name the filing date when possible. For a proceeding transcript, identify the hearing or trial date and direct the inquiry to the court reporter. The official research did not locate a transcript rate or delivery schedule, so request a current quote through the district court phone line.
Certified Copies and Fees
Texas statutes supply the verified amounts below. Confirm how they apply to the requested format with the Concho office. A clerk-attested copy has a certification or seal; an online preview does not.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| District certified paper copy | $5 certification plus $1 per page |
| District search without cause number | $5 |
| District noncertified paper copy | $1 per page |
| JP certified court paper | $2 first page; $0.25 each additional page |
| JP transcript after judgment | $10 |
Concho Copy Fees Differ
Government Code Chapter 51 governs district copy and search charges. Local Government Code Chapter 118 supplies JP amounts. LGS adds a $0.30 transaction fee to an image purchase, but its FAQ does not state the Concho image price.
The clerk page's $25 first-page and $4 additional-page figures concern recording instruments, not court-copy requests. It also lists $0.25 per indexed name over five. Tell the clerk whether the task is copying a court file or recording a new instrument.
Electronic district copies have their own statutory treatment. The research identifies $1 per electronic document up to ten pages and $0.10 for each page over ten, subject to confirmation for the format requested. A JP abstract of judgment carries a separate $5 statutory amount. These figures describe distinct services, so they should not be combined into one estimate without knowing the court, record, page count, and certification choice.
Public Access and Sealed Records
Texas Rule of Judicial Administration 12 applies to judicial records outside its exclusions, while adjudicative case files are controlled by other rules and statutes. Government Code section 552.0035 makes clear that judiciary information does not automatically follow ordinary Public Information Act handling. Juvenile material is limited by Family Code Chapter 58. Sealed civil files, adoption matters, some child-protection records, protected addresses, and personal identifiers may be withheld or redacted.
Key rules: Texas judiciary access policy separates Rule 12 records from adjudicative case records. A public index can remain visible while its image is restricted.
Verify Concho County Copies
Check the returned cause number, style, court, document title, filing date, and page count. A certified copy should carry the clerk's certification or seal. For a 119th District Court proceeding transcript, contact court reporter Lori Dobbins through 325-659-6570 instead of assuming the clerk created it.
If an LGS image and clerk copy differ, ask about later filings or redactions and use the record maintained by the custodian. A current setting can also change after a document was filed, so hearing details should be confirmed with the court coordinator.