Brazos County Courts

Brazos County's population of about 249,624 people is approximately 0.8% of the entire Texas population of over 31.29 million. Bryan serves as its county seat. Brazos County courts record an average of 24,019 case filings annually, including about 6,221 civil matters, 15,002 criminal cases, 1,827 family law proceedings, and 529 probate case filings.

Brazos County's trial court system, which handles a wide range of case types, comprises the following courts:

• Brazos County District Court has general criminal and civil jurisdiction and handles divorce, land title disputes, and election cases, among others.
• Brazos County Constitutional County Court handles misdemeanors, probate matters, and civil claims between $500 and $5,000.
• Brazos County Courts at Law adjudicatecriminal misdemeanors, civil claims less than $250,000, probate cases, family law suits, and lower courts' appeals.
• Brazos County Justice of the Peace Courts oversee preliminary hearings, traffic misdemeanors, mortgage foreclosures, and small claims.
• Brazos County's Municipal Courts hear municipal ordinance violations case and felony initial hearings.

The majority of trial courts in Brazos County are situated within the county seat, while the rest (consisting of two Justice Courts and one Municipal Court) are located in College Station.

How To Access Brazos County Court Records

Per Rule 12 of the Texas Rules of Judicial Administration and the Open Courts Provision of the Texas Constitution, Brazos County court records are subject to public disclosure, unless barred by court order or statute. Some records, such as juvenile and adoption records, are deemed confidential and exempt from public disclosure. Also, court records containing sensitive information or relating to minors generally have those sections redacted or are entirely restricted from public inspection and/or duplication.

Individuals looking to search court records in Brazos County may have to provide a valid photo ID and a case number.

Online

Interested persons may access Brazos County court records online through the Judicial Records Search portal. This portal, which facilitates requesters' access to various digitized case information, allows court records search by case number, name, or date. The District Clerk serves as the official custodian of court records and facilitates public inspection and copying of these records. Individuals may also use re:SearchTX, the state's centralised case search system, to retrieve court case information from any county in the state, including Brazos County.

Also, CourtCaseFinder offers case lookup services and provides instant access to court records in every U.S. county, including Brazos County.

Additionally, persons seeking to access federal case information from federal trials conducted in Brazos County may do so through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) case search tool. Requesters, who are required to first register for free, may, however, incur certain fees to retrieve various case information.

In-Person

To access Brazos County court records in person, record seekers may visit the Brazos County District Clerk's Office during business hours. They may also locate court records using the public computer terminals at the County Courthouse for free. Additionally, individuals may obtain other types of court records by visiting the clerks of the relevant courts.

The District Clerk also charges certain fees for searching, copying, and certifying court records. Typically, regular record copies (including electronic copies) cost $1 per copy, assisted searches cost $5, and certified court records cost $6 ($1 per copy plus a $5 certification fee).

Old and Archived Court Records

In Brazos County, interested persons may access old court records by searching the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC)'s digital and physical databases. This institution houses various historic court records, including records older than 50 years and other case files that may not be located through the District Clerk's case search portal. Probate and estate files, court minute books, and court dockets from pre-1900 court trials are typical court records that may be retrieved through this option. Anyone interested in searching old Brazos County court records may contact the TSLAC at:

Texas State Library and Archives Commission

How To File a Case in Brazos County

An individual may file a case in Brazos County through any of the following ways, depending on the case type and the particular court involved:

• Electronically through eFileTexas, the State's electronic filing system
• In person at the District Clerk's Office
• By mail

Per Rule 3a of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, electronic case filing is mandatory in Brazos County. Non-attorney parties, particularly self-litigants, are, however, exempt from this rule and may opt to file their cases by mail or in person at the relevant trial courthouses.

Before filing a case, a filer should find out, through inquiries to the District Clerk's Office, the court where their case will be heard. They may also be required to pay specific fees to file their case. However, e-filers typically make these payments indirectly through their pre-selected certified Electronic Filing Service Providers (EFSP). In general, typical case filing fees range from $80 for various motions (unrelated to parent-child relationships) to $350 for a new civil suit.

Any person who cannot afford the case filing fees may apply for a fee waiver by filing a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs. To be eligible, they may have to prove they are financially unable to provide for their household and be on government benefits. If the reviewing judge grants their request, the applicable filing fees and other related court costs will be waived.

The following are the basic steps involved in filing a case in Brazos County:

• Determine the court where the case will be heard
• Select an Electronic Filing Service Provider
• Prepare and assemble the required documents, using the required electronic format
• Upload the documents with the selected EFSP
• Pay the required filing fees as indicated by the EFSP to complete the filing process
• Serve the opposing party with a copy of the filed documents

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.

Sometimes, litigants may face financial hardships that make it difficult for them to afford legal representation in Brazos County. They also lack access to vital legal education and non-financial assistance, since court staff are prevented from providing these types of support. However, through various legal help and aid societies, such as county courthouses and local legal aid societies, they may increase their chances of accessing justice.

The following legal help and self-help resources are available to Brazos County residents:

• Family Eldercare provides support and assistance, including court-appointed guardianships, to the elderly and aged persons with disabilities who may also lack any family support
• Lone Star Legal Aid provides a broad range of civil legal services to indigent Texans
• Access Justice Houston is a non-profit organisation that provides legal services at reduced rates to low-income Texans
• Texas Law Help offers reliable legal education at no cost to eligible Texans
• Texas Young Lawyers Association offers free legal education to the public and support for practicing lawyers
• Houston Lawyer Referral Service provides eligible Texans with verified referrals to experienced attorneys
• Brazos Valley Dispute Resolution Center

Additional state-based legal help services and resources include:

• Disability Rights Texas seeks to empower Texans with different types of disabilities with free legal education and support
• Texas Legal Services Center is a non-profit that offers state-wide access to legal advocacy, education, advice, and representation
• State Bar of Texas

Types of Courts in Brazos County, Texas

Brazos County's trial court structure comprises several types of courts, including district courts, a constitutional county court, county courts at law, Justice of the Peace Courts, and municipal courts. The county is also served by some federal courts. Details of each court's jurisdiction and its case types, along with its contact information, are provided as follows:

Brazos County District Courts

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - These courts hear cases outside other courts' jurisdictions, including felony cases, civil claims for amounts above $500, divorces, land title cases, and election matters. It also has concurrent jurisdiction over misdemeanor cases with the County Courts at Law
• Address and Contact Information - The different locations of Brazos County District Courts include:

Brazos County 85th District Court

Brazos County 272nd District Court

Brazos County 361st District Court

Brazos County 472nd District Court

Brazos County Constitutional County Court

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - Cases relating to Class A and B misdemeanors, minor civil suits, and probate cases are heard in this court
• Address and Contact Information -

Brazos County Courts at Law

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - Misdemeanors, civil claims for amounts in controversy up to $200,000, family law cases, probate and guardianship suits, eminent domain proceedings, and appeals originating from the Justice and Municipal Courts fall within this court's jurisdiction
• Address and Contact Information -

County Court at Law No. 1

County Court at Law No. 2

Brazos County Justice of the Peace Courts

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - This court oversees Class C criminal misdemeanors, minor civil cases for amounts less than $20,000, forcible entry and detainer, and small claims
• Address and Contact Information -

Brazos County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1

Brazos County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2

Brazos County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3

Brazos County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4

Brazos County Municipal Courts

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - These courts have exclusive authority to hear cases relating to city ordinance violations, Class C misdemeanor criminal cases, and exercise limited jurisdiction over cases relating to owners of dangerous dogs
• Address and Contact Information -

Bryan Municipal Court

College Station Municipal Court

United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - criminal and civil cases that violate federal laws, interstate disputes, and other cases relating to the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes, and treaties are heard in this court
• Address and Contact Information -

United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - This court handles all bankruptcy cases in Brazos County
• Address and Contact Information -

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Brazos County Courts