Bell County Courts

With a population of over 399,000 residents, Bell County accounts for approximately 1.18% of Texas's total population of around 31.29 million individuals. Bell County District Courts process around 10,800 new case filings annually, including 2,400 criminal cases, 3,100 civil cases, and 5,200 family cases. The District Courts also record approximately 11,200 case dispositions, including about 3,000 civil matters, 6,000 family matters, and 2,100 criminal matters. Additionally, the County Courts process approximately 10,000 new filings, with 8,100 criminal and 1,500 civil case dispositions.

Bell County's trial court system comprises several courts dedicated to adjudicating cases filed within the county. These cases generally include criminal matters, civil suits, family law cases, and probate issues that fall under the jurisdiction of different courts in the county, including:

• District Courts: These courts, located in Bell County's seat, Belton, hear felony criminal cases, civil actions (such as divorces), and other cases outside the jurisdiction of other trial courts.
• County Courts: Bell County Courts handle small claims, misdemeanor criminal cases, probate cases, juvenile cases, and some civil matters.
• Justice Courts: These courts operate in the county's precincts and generally handle minor criminal and civil matters within their respective precincts. Matters they oversee include eviction cases, misdemeanors, and small claims cases of $20,000 or less.
• Municipal Courts: Several cities and towns in Bell County house these courts, which handle municipal ordinance violations, traffic tickets, and misdemeanors punishable by fines.

How To Access Bell County Court Records

Bell County court records are publicly available to anyone interested in inspecting them per the Texas Public Information Act, excluding sealed or confidential records. Texas laws typically prohibit access to confidential or restricted court records involving juvenile cases, family law matters involving minors, adoptions, and sealed or expunged court records.

To access non-confidential court records in Bell County, individuals may be required by custodians to provide case numbers and a valid government-issued photo ID. Interested persons may look up court records in the county in the following ways:

Online

Interested individuals may visit the Bell County Odyssey Portal and search for court records generated by the county's trial courts online by case number, party name, or court location.

Interested persons may also access publicly available Bell County court records online through CourtCaseFinder. This website offers a lookup tool that enables members of the public to search for electronic court records sourced from all county courts in the United States.

Additionally, records of federal case proceedings in Bell County may be accessed using the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) case locator. Users must create an account and may incur some fees to obtain electronic files through the PACER system.

In-Person

Anyone may access or obtain copies of Bell County Court records by visiting the courthouse where the records are physically maintained. The Court Clerks typically serve as custodians of these records and are responsible for maintaining and providing public access to them. To request specific records, individuals may complete the request forms provided by the Clerks with the relevant case details. These forms may be submitted in person at the Clerk's Office, where a search for the requested file or document is initiated.

Some courthouses in the county offer public computers for visitors to find court records. Paper copies of these records cost $1 per page, with an additional $5 fee for certification. Likewise, the first 10 pages of electronic copies cost $1, while each additional page is $0.10.

Old and Archived Court Records

Generally, court records older than 50 years in Bell County may not be available online or at the Court Clerks' offices. However, interested persons may obtain these historic court records from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. To obtain such records, contact the State Archives at:

Historic court records provided by the Commission typically include files generated before the 1900s, such as dockets, case transcripts, and probate documents.

How to File a Case in Bell County

To file a case in Bell County, TX, interested parties must determine the appropriate court and procedure for filing the case. They may contact the Court Clerk to verify that the court has jurisdiction over the matter they intend to file and inquire about the filing process.

Generally, Bell County court rules mandate the electronic filing of all types of civil and criminal cases, including family law and probate cases, through the eFileTexas portal. However, litigants may file certain cases, such as juvenile matters, in person with the Clerk of the court of jurisdiction. The Clerk may also receive case filings by mail.

The filing fees for cases in Bell County may vary depending on the court or the type of case. Litigants can expect to pay up to $350 for filing new civil cases at the courthouses, but other costs may apply, as detailed in the Clerk's filing fees schedule. For plaintiffs unable to afford such fees, the courts offer fee waivers based on their ability to pay.

To waive applicable case filing fees, a litigant may complete the Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs or an Appeal Bond form and submit it to the Clerk's Office alongside other necessary documents. The clerk reviews the request and may contest it before a judge if the applicant is unqualified for the waiver. If the Clerk does not file a contest, the filing fees are waived.

Individuals may consider following these steps to file a court case in Bell County:

• Identify the case type and the court with appropriate jurisdiction.
• Prepare the necessary documents and obtain court-approved forms available on the county court's website or at the appropriate Clerk's Office. Plaintiffs are required to file petitions or complaints that describe the allegations against another party and the damages or actions they seek from the court. Depending on the specific case, they may prepare other documents such as affidavits, motions, or exhibits.
• Pay the required filing fees or apply for fee waivers.
• File the case by submitting the petition/complaint with other necessary documents to the appropriate Clerk's Office or electronically via the eFileTexas portal. Local court rules generally dictate the filing method for each case type.

Legal Help and Self-Help Resources

Across the United States, county court systems play a crucial role in delivering access to justice. Legal help and self-help resources are foundational to this access, particularly for self-represented litigants navigating civil, family, probate, or small claims matters. These resources vary by jurisdiction but commonly include self-help centers, online portals, legal aid organizations, and court-affiliated assistance programs.

While litigants generally hire attorneys to represent them in court proceedings, some individuals may be unable to afford them and have to self-represent or rely on free legal assistance. Bell County court officials cannot represent litigants or offer them legal advice, but they can provide self-help resources and local pro bono panels or programs. Interested individuals may consider one or more of the following legal help or self-help resources:

• Statewide Help Resources for Self-Represented Litigants
• Texas Law Help
• Texas Legal
• eFile Texas Selfhelp
• Texas Court Help
• National Center for State Courts Self-represented Litigants resources
• Texas Justice Court Training Center (TJCTC)
• Local Affordable/ Free Legal Representation
• Bell County Legal Aid Office (Divorce Attorneys)
• Non-profit Legal Aid Organizations
• Lone Star Legal Aid
• Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
• Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
• State and County Pro-bono Panels
• State Bar of Texas Referral Directory for Low-Income Texans
• Bell County Bar Association
• Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans

Types of Courts in Bell County, Texas

Bell County is served by several courts with varying jurisdictions, such as the County, Municipal, and Federal courts. The following is a list of courts operating in the county with their jurisdictions and contact details:

Bell County District Courts

Jurisdiction/Cases Heard: They exercise original jurisdiction in criminal felony cases.They also handle divorces, land disputes, civil cases involving monetary claims of $200 or more, as well as any matters where jurisdiction is not assigned to the lower courts.

Bell County has six District Courts located at:

27th Judicial District Court

146th Judicial District Court

169th Judicial District Court

264th Judicial District Court

426th Judicial District Court

478th Judicial District Court

Bell County Courts

County Court at Law 1

County Court at Law 2

County Court at Law 3

Bell County Justice of the Peace Courts

Jurisdiction/Cases Heard: These courts have limited jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters. They generally hear civil cases involving disputes of up to $20,000, including small claims, debt claims, and landlord-tenant cases. They also resolve traffic offenses and minor crimes punishable by fines and perform magistrate duties such as setting bonds and issuing warrants.

Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1

Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2

Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3, Place 1

Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3, Place 2

Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4, Place 1

Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4, Place 2

Bell County Municipal Courts

Jurisdiction/Cases Heard: Municipal courts in Bell County handle violations of city ordinances and Class C misdemeanors within city limits. They may handle cases involving fire safety violations, zoning issues, public health, and minor violations. Municipal Judges also issue warrants and preside over civil cases involving dangerous dogs.

Municipal Courts operating in Bell County include:

Belton Municipal Court

Temple Municipal Court

Killeen Municipal Court

Harker Heights Municipal Court

Nolanville Municipal Court

Salado Municipal Court

Morgan's Point Resort Municipal Court

Little River-Academy Municipal Court

Troy Municipal Court

Bartlett Municipal Court

Holland Municipal Court

Federal Courts in Bell County

The following are the federal courts in the county:

United States District Court - Western District of Texas

Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - Civil and criminal legal disputes involving federal laws, the U.S. Constitution, and federal agencies.

Address and contact information:

United States Bankruptcy Court - Western District of Texas

Jurisdiction/Cases Heard: This court handles bankruptcy cases filed by residents and businesses.

Address and Contact Information:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Bell County Courts