Court records in Lubbock County, Texas, are maintained by the District Clerk and County Clerk and are accessible through online tools, official court portals, and directly at the office. LubbockCourt.us can help find publicly available information about county court cases. Additionally, you can use the online court records access portal, the District Clerk's office, or the County Clerk's office to obtain certified copies and view case materials.
Lubbock Court System Overview
Lubbock County is part of the 72nd, 99th, 137th, and 140th judicial districts of Texas. District Courts handle serious criminal and civil cases, while County Courts at Law serve lower jurisdiction cases — misdemeanors, minor civil claims, and appeals from Justice of the Peace courts. Justice of the Peace courts act as courts of first instance for minor cases, traffic violations, and evictions. All these courts are located in the Lubbock County Courthouse and adjacent buildings.
Detailed information about the structure and divisions of the courts can be found on the Lubbock County Courts portal.
Courts Serving Lubbock
Residents of the county are served by several judicial instances of various levels of jurisdiction.
State District Courts
County Courts at Law
Justice of the Peace Courts
Several Justice of the Peace precincts operate in the county. Contact information for each precinct is available on the official Lubbock County website.
Lubbock Municipal Court
U.S. District Court
Federal Bankruptcy Court
Bankruptcy cases are handled by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas (Lubbock division). Federal cases are accessible through the PACER system.
What Types of Cases Lubbock Courts Hear
The county courts hear a wide range of cases. Here are the main categories:
- Felonies — District Courts
- Misdemeanors — County Courts at Law
- Traffic violations — Justice of the Peace, Municipal Court
- Civil claims for significant amounts — District Courts
- Minor civil claims and small claims — Justice of the Peace
- Family law: divorce, custody, child support — District Courts
- Probate, guardianship — County Courts at Law
- Juvenile cases — specialized court
- Child protection, adoption — District Courts
District Court Cases in Lubbock
The four state district courts — 72nd, 99th, 137th, and 140th — handle serious criminal cases after being transferred from lower instances, civil claims over $200,000 (or with no monetary limit), as well as family cases: divorce, termination of parental rights, adoption. Cases are distributed among judges according to an internal schedule. Criminal cases reach the District Court after an indictment by a grand jury. The District Clerk maintains all court materials, accepts petitions, and issues certified copies of decisions.
Magistrate Court Cases in Lubbock
County Courts at Law in Lubbock handle misdemeanors with penalties up to one year of imprisonment, civil claims from $200 to $250,000, and appeals from Justice of the Peace courts. Justice of the Peace courts have jurisdiction over civil claims up to $20,000, small claims up to $20,000, evictions (forcible detainer), and traffic violations. Preliminary hearings in criminal cases — setting bail and initial review — are also conducted here. DUI (DWI in Texas) cases start at the County Court at Law level if it's a misdemeanor, or are transferred to District Court if there are aggravating circumstances.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Lubbock
Family Law
Divorce, child custody, child support, protective orders, and paternity cases are handled by District Courts. Forms for filing a divorce petition are available on the Texas State Law Library website. State-level divorce verification can be ordered through Texas DSHS or the vital records ordering portal.
Probate and Guardianship
Probate, wills, guardianship, and trust management cases are handled by the County Court at Law designated for probate. Document filing is done through the County Clerk's office.
Juvenile Cases
The Juvenile Court in Lubbock handles juvenile delinquency cases and Child Protective Services cases. Juvenile case records are confidential under Section 3 of the Texas Family Code.
How Cases Move Through the Lubbock Court System
- Case Initiation: criminal — through a complaint or indictment; civil — through filing a petition with the appropriate clerk.
- Judge Assignment: cases are distributed among judges according to a set rotation schedule.
- Initial Hearings: in criminal cases — arraignment (charge announcement and bail setting); in civil cases — scheduling conference.
- Pretrial Phase: filing motions, exchanging evidence (discovery), plea negotiations, or dispute settlement.
- Trial or Resolution: a jury or judge delivers a verdict; parties may reach a settlement or the defendant may plead guilty.
- Post-Decision: sentencing, filing an appeal, or enforcing the court's decision.
Court dockets are published on the Court Dockets page.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Lubbock
Court administration is carried out by the administrative judge of the judicial district in conjunction with the court administrator. Local rules of procedure, filing fee schedules, and forms are available for download in the County Document Center.
According to Rule 12 of the Texas Rules of Judicial Administration, most court records are open to public access, except for juvenile cases, sealed records, and certain family cases. Viewing unsealed civil, family, and criminal records is available through the online court records portal, which features materials from the District Clerk, County Clerk, and Justice of the Peace. Attendance at hearings is generally open to the public; some courts allow remote participation — check with the specific court's office.
Legal reference assistance is provided by the Lubbock County Law Library, located in the courthouse. General information about the state court system is available on the Texas Judicial Branch website.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Lubbock
- Search Court Records Online: The online access portal allows viewing unsealed civil, family, and criminal cases from the District Clerk, County Clerk, and Justice of the Peace offices.
- Search Recorded Documents: The County Clerk's online document search provides access to official records, including real estate transactions and tax liens.
- Court Dockets: Court Dockets — current schedules for district and other courts.
- Forms and Self-Help: Texas Court Help offers step-by-step instructions and forms for self-representation. Additional resources are available on the Texas State Law Library website.
- Request Records from the Clerk: The Clerk Records page explains how to obtain copies — contact the District Clerk or County Clerk in person or in writing.
- Inmate Roster: The Active Jail Roster from the Sheriff's office allows searching for individuals currently held in the Lubbock County Detention Center.
- Criminal History Check: The Texas Department of Public Safety conducts state-level checks. Local checks can be ordered from the Sheriff's office records department.
- Crime Reports: The City of Lubbock Crime Reports is an interactive tool for viewing police reports and incidents.
- Vital Records: Birth and death certificates are issued by the Lubbock Vital Statistics department.
- Texas Sex Offender Registry: Available on the DPS website at https://publicsite.dps.texas.gov/SexOffenderRegistry.