Young County Court Records Lookup

Young County Courts, TX *

Young County is a large North Central Texas county that was established in 1856, with Graham designated as the county seat. Its economy revolves around ranching, oil and gas, and agriculture, with its courts serving a mostly rural population. Young County courts process everything from felony criminal matters to family law issues, traffic tickets, property disputes, and probate.

Landlords, employers, attorneys, and all residents use the courts for verifying past case information, researching property issues, and planning court appearances. Understanding how Young County courts are structured can aid in locating specific files and ensuring they are processed in the appropriate place.

Overview of the Young County Court System

Young County's courts are part of the state of Texas court system and are run according to the Texas Office of Court Administration rules and regulations. Most of Young County's court activity occurs in the Young County Courthouse located in Graham. This includes the 90th Judicial District Court, the Constitutional County Court, and the Commissioners Court.

The District Clerk's Office and the County Clerk's Office are two independently elected offices located within the same courthouse, with two independently run records rooms serving the courts for which each clerk's office is responsible. In addition to the courthouse, two Justice of the Peace precincts are scattered throughout the county, and the Graham Municipal Court handles municipal court cases for the city limits of Graham.

Types of Courts in Young County, Texas

The Young County court system is structured at different levels, and each level serves a different purpose and has a different jurisdiction. Knowing the appropriate level the case belongs to will reduce misplaced cases, delays, and expenses.

District Court

The 90th District Court serves the citizens of both Young and Stephens counties and is held in the Young County Courthouse at Graham. This court has one judge.

Jurisdiction includes:

• Felony criminal cases
• Divorce and family law disputes
• Disputes over title to real property
• Contested elections
• Major civil litigation cases

Since the 90th District Court is shared between Young and Stephens counties, the judge travels between the two counties. It is a good idea to check the court schedule with the District Clerk's Office prior to going, especially if it is time-sensitive.

Primary Location: Young County Courthouse

Constitutional County Court

County Judges conduct the proceedings in the Constitutional County Court and chair the Commissioners Court, which governs and manages the county. In Texas, it is the law that each county has a Constitutional County Court.

Jurisdiction includes:

• Class A and B criminal misdemeanors
• Probate matters, including wills, estates, and guardianships
• Civil cases within statutory dollar limits
• Appeals from Justice of the Peace and Municipal Courts

This court handles all filings through the Office of the County Clerk, including all probate records and misdemeanor criminal actions.

Primary Location: Young County Courthouse

Commissioners Court

The Commissioners Court is the governing authority of Young County and consists of a County Judge and four elected Commissioners.

Primary location: Young County Courthouse

Jurisdiction includes:

• Budget and tax rate adoption
• County contracts and policy making
• Road and bridge maintenance oversight
• Precinct boundary setting for commissioners and Justice of the Peace courts

It does not act as a judicial body but as the county's legislative and administrative body, and it is the only body empowered to execute contracts for the county.

Primary Location: Young County Courthouse

Justice of the Peace Courts

The county of Young has two Justice of the Peace Courts: Precinct 1 in Graham and Precinct 3 in Olney. Both courts represent Young County residents within their specific precincts. In general, Justices of the Peace have the same type of court cases as Municipal Courts, but only those violations or infractions that occur outside of city limits.

Jurisdiction includes:

• Small claims cases up to $20,000
• Landlord-tenant disputes and evictions
• Class C misdemeanors (fine only, no jail time)
• Citations issued by the Sheriff's Office or the Texas Department of Public Safety

Any citations written by the Graham Police Department within city limits would be dealt with at the Graham Municipal Court, not Justice of the Peace courts.

Municipal Courts

Young County has three municipal courts, one in each of the county's incorporated cities. Those courts, the Graham Municipal Court, the Olney Municipal Court, and the Newcastle Municipal Court, hear criminal offenses committed within the city limits of their city.

Jurisdiction includes:

• City ordinance violations
• Class C misdemeanor citations issued by city law enforcement
• Traffic and parking violations
• Code enforcement violations

Traffic tickets issued by City Police Officers are sent to the relevant Municipal Court, not the JP precincts. Graham Municipal Court is in full-day session Monday through Thursday, and half a day on Fridays. Litigants can pay citations online using the Graham Municipal Court payment portal. Olney Municipal Court and Newcastle Municipal Courts are in session every day of the week.

How to Access Young County Court Records

The majority of court records in Young County are available for public review under Texas Law. Some records that are not available include juvenile records and records that the judge has sealed. Open records may be accessed by these means:

The majority of court records in Young County are available for public review under Texas Law. Some records that are not available include juvenile records and records that the judge has sealed. Open records may be accessed by these means:

Online Search

The most effective method of obtaining a court record is re:SearchTX. This is a web-based search engine where residents can look up court dockets, calendars, and some case files within the Young County courts system. A court record may be searched for by document type and statewide jurisdiction. Knowing the case number, the parties' names, and the filing date will assist in locating the court record. People who are having trouble locating a court case can always ask the court clerk for help.

Alternative Online Options

County-specific government state websites can be difficult to search or use if the filer's county is unknown, the information on a case is incomplete, or if people need to search records in multiple counties. Searches that cover many search areas will pull together public records to run searches for court cases, divorces, arrests, probate records, and other public records, such as commercial searches with CourtCaseFinder. These types of searches would benefit researchers, employers, landlords, attorneys, and others who may want to research a person's entire court history.

In-person Requests

Certified records, as well as old records, can be obtained at the District Clerk's Office for felony, civil, and family law files, or at the County Clerk's Office for misdemeanor and probate files. Assistance will be available at each office in locating the physical file, old files, and the certified record. Litigants will need the case number, names of the parties, and a general filing date to assist the clerk in locating the record. Depending on how much of the court file is needed, there may be a small charge for copies at the clerk's office.

Archived Records

Archived court records are those records that have been adjudicated, where the decision in the court case has been given, and the case is closed. If the court record is newer than January 1, 2016, it should be available online via re:SearchTX. Un-digitized, older court records that are not yet entered into the court's computer system may be ordered either in hard copy or on microfiche. This is normally the case for documents from the 19th- and early 20th-century appellate, criminal, probate, and civil court records, which one may order from either the District Clerk or the County Clerk. Other archived options: the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) and the Young County Historical Commission.

For Attorneys and Legal Professionals

Young County requires all attorney civil and criminal filings to be made via eFile Texas. Case dockets and filings can be found by searching through re:SearchTX, and a certified record may be obtained by contacting the District Clerk or the County Clerk directly. Young County local court rules are located on the county website and should be reviewed by any filer. These rules can supersede state defaults, and therefore, it is crucial that they are checked prior to filing any action.

Out-of-county attorneys will want to check the hearing dates in the 90th District Court for Stephens County, as the two courts are rotated, and consult the District Clerk prior to any appearance. Attorneys may also want to check the local and standing orders for courts in Young County by consulting the Texas Judicial Branch, which oversees the court system in Texas.

How to File a Case in Young County

Filing a court case in Young County is somewhat of a technical matter. The filing of the wrong documents or in the wrong court may create an additional delay or result in the dismissal of the case. Below is the typical procedure for civil filings in Young County.

Step 1: Choose the Correct Court

Felony criminal and significant civil suits, as well as domestic relations cases, are filed in the District Clerk's Office for the 90th District Court. Misdemeanor criminal cases, probate, and civil suits up to certain limits are filed in the County Clerk's Office. Small claims and eviction suits are filed in the Justice of the Peace court of the precinct in which the event or property occurs. Traffic tickets and city ordinance violations within the city of Graham are handled by the Graham Municipal Court. Because government agencies rather than people file cases in municipal court, residents will never file court cases there.

Step 2: Complete Required Forms

District and County Court forms can be found on the Texas Judicial Branch website and Texas Law Help. Justice of the Peace and municipal court forms are generally available from the Clerk's office for that court, or can be found on the Young County website. Incorrect and/or missing forms are one of the most common reasons filings are rejected. People who have questions about forms or filing procedures can contact the court clerk for help. Court clerks are vital for understanding how forms or court systems work when citizens have questions.

Step 3: File the Case

After all forms have been completed, they need to be filed with the correct clerk's office. District court filings are filed with the District Clerk's office and are to be filed by eFile Texas. County court documents are to be filed in person with the County Clerk's office or online via eFile Texas. Justice of the Peace Court cases are to be filed in person with their respective clerk's office. The case number generated after filing will be needed to reference the case later. Again, people who have questions about where to file a case should contact the court clerks for help.

Step 4: Pay Filing Fees

The individual filing fees for court cases will depend on the type of case that someone is filing. The filing fee will be the lowest fee for filing a small claims case, and the highest fee amounts would be when people file in District Court. However, if the individual can not afford to pay the filing fee for their case, they can file a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs, and the judge will make their ruling.

Step 5: Serve the Other Party

Once the case has been filed, the other party in the litigation must be served with court papers. Texas law prohibits a party from personally serving the other party with court documents. All papers must be served by the Sheriff's office, constable, or by a certified private process server, or by certified mail return receipt requested. Proof of service should be filed with the clerk's office if using certified mail. People who use a third-party server or a government agency will have their paperwork filed for them by the third party. No hearing will be scheduled until proof of service has been filed.

Step 6: Monitor the Case

After a case is filed, ensure to record the case number and refer back to it when tracking the case at later stages. People who don't keep up with court filings risk missing out on an important hearing or status meeting. Citizens can check the status of a case using re:SearchTX if the case is in district or county court, or they can contact the District Clerk's Office or County Clerk's Office in order to avoid missing any court dates.

Young County Courthouse Directory

The majority of the court system proceedings in Young County occur in the courthouse in Graham. The Justice of the Peace precincts and Graham Municipal Court are located in separate offices. Verify office hours before visiting.

Legal Help and Self-Help Resources

There are a variety of local, state, and non-profit resources to assist Young County residents with procedures, answer process questions, and/or provide assistance.

Free Legal Assistance

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas provides free civil legal services to low-income residents in Young County as one of the 114 counties it serves. Their clients can include veterans, victims of crime, individuals with disabilities, or those with medical and mental health conditions. The types of civil legal matters Legal Aid handles include family, housing, public benefits, and consumer law.

Veterans and their families can call the Texas Veterans Legal Assistance Project for free civil legal services on the following matters: military benefits, disability benefits, family law issues, or planning their estate. Those in need of free legal forms and clear instructions on how to file them on their own can use the website, Texas Law Help, but they do not provide legal advice.

Local Legal Support

Texas Law Help provides information about common legal issues such as eviction, family law, and small claims, and provides free information, downloadable forms, and user-friendly resources that can help users navigate the courts without a lawyer. The State Bar of Texas Lawyer Referral and Information Service can assist persons who are not eligible for free legal services by providing an attorney licensed to practice in the state for a consultation fee.

Texas Court Help, which is a website run by the Texas Office of Court Administration and the Texas Access to Justice Commission, has help for people who are representing themselves in court in civil cases. A simple case may be manageable without legal assistance, but for complicated cases involving serious charges such as felony offenses or custody/probate matters, an attorney's assistance is strongly advised.

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