Kinney County Court Records
Kinney County court records are kept at the courthouse in Brackettville, the county seat of this Southwest Texas county near Del Rio. With a population of around 3,500, Kinney County handles a small volume of civil, criminal, and family court cases. Records are public under Texas law and can be accessed at the courthouse or through the state's online search tools. The 63rd Judicial District Court serves the area, handling felony charges, civil suits, and family law matters. Most records can be searched online through the county portal at kinney.tx.publicsearch.us or through the statewide re:SearchTX system. Certified copies and documents not available online require a direct request to the clerk's office.
Kinney County Overview
Kinney County District Clerk
The Kinney County District Clerk handles district court cases in the 63rd Judicial District. The office manages felony criminal cases, civil suits over $200,000, and family law matters. The courthouse is at 501 Ann Street, Brackettville, TX 78832. Phone: (830) 563-2521. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The 63rd is a multi-county district, so call ahead to confirm court session dates. Brackettville is a small border-area town in Southwest Texas, not far from Del Rio and the Rio Grande. Kinney County sees activity related to border enforcement and ranching, which can influence the types of court cases filed. Public access rules under Texas Supreme Court Rule 12 apply to all records here. For online searches, use re:SearchTX at research.txcourts.gov.
The screenshot below shows the re:SearchTX portal at research.txcourts.gov, the statewide tool for finding Kinney County court records online.
re:SearchTX indexes e-filed cases from Kinney County and courts across Texas at no cost.
| Office | Kinney County District Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 501 Ann Street, Brackettville, TX 78832 |
| Phone | (830) 563-2521 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Judicial District | 63rd |
Kinney County Clerk
The Kinney County Clerk handles misdemeanor cases, probate records, deeds, and other public filings. Property records are searchable through TexasFile at texasfile.com. For certified copies or probate matters, contact the County Clerk's office at the Brackettville courthouse.
Searching Kinney County Court Records Online
re:SearchTX at research.txcourts.gov provides free access to e-filed Kinney County court records. The Texas Judicial Branch at txcourts.gov has local rules and forms for the 63rd District. eFileTexas at efiletexas.gov is the e-filing system for attorneys in Texas courts.
Types of Court Records in Kinney County
Kinney County records include district court cases (felony criminal, civil over $200,000, family law), county court cases (misdemeanors, probate), and Justice of the Peace cases. Criminal records include charging documents and sentencing orders. Civil records include petitions and judgments. Family files cover divorce and custody. Probate records cover wills and estate matters. Restricted records include juvenile files, sealed cases, adoption records, and expunged records.
Fees for Kinney County Court Records
Plain copies cost $1 per page. Certified copies carry additional fees. Call (830) 563-2521 for current rates. Online searches through re:SearchTX are free. Fee waivers are available under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 145.
County Clerk Records in Kinney County
The Kinney County County Clerk handles a separate set of records from the District Clerk. While the District Clerk focuses on district court cases, the County Clerk is responsible for misdemeanor criminal cases, probate filings, and all official public instruments. These include deeds, mortgages, liens, and other recorded documents that affect property or legal status in the county. Probate records in Kinney County cover estate administration, guardianship proceedings, and mental health cases. When someone passes away with a will, or when a court needs to appoint a guardian, those cases go through the County Clerk. Probate filings are public unless sealed by the court, and you can usually find them through the same online portal used for other county clerk records.
Misdemeanor criminal cases in Kinney County are handled at the county court level. These are less serious criminal charges than felonies but still produce a court record. County court at law records include Class A and B misdemeanor cases. If you are looking for a minor criminal case that did not go to district court, check with the County Clerk in Brackettville. The County Clerk also records official instruments like deeds and liens. These are not court cases but are still public records that can affect property ownership. You can search these records through TexasFile, which indexes county clerk recordings from across Texas. Keep in mind these differ from court case records in how they are filed and where they appear in search results.
Kinney County Court Records Online Portal
The Kinney County District Clerk operates a public records search portal at kinney.tx.publicsearch.us. The portal shown below is the main online tool for finding court records in Kinney County without making a trip to the courthouse in 63rd. You can search by party name or cause number and get back case type, filing date, party names, and docket history at no cost. The system covers all records maintained by the District Clerk, including felony criminal cases, civil suits, and family law filings. For records that predate the online system or that require actual document images, you will need to contact the clerk's office in 63rd directly.
Use the portal above to run a name or cause number search before visiting 63rd. If the case you need does not appear in the local portal, try the statewide re:SearchTX system, which covers all 254 Texas counties and is maintained by the Texas Judicial Branch. For certified copies, plain copies, or documents not available online, contact the Kinney County District Clerk's office in 63rd. Bring a photo ID and the cause number if you have it. Mail requests are also accepted if you include a check or money order for the estimated copy fee along with the case details.
Legal Help in Kinney County
The State Bar of Texas at (800) 252-9690 or texasbar.com can help you find an attorney. Lone Star Legal Aid covers South Texas at lonestarlegal.org. TexasLawHelp at texaslawhelp.org has free guides and court forms.
Cities in Kinney County
Kinney County's main community is Brackettville. No cities in Kinney County meet the population threshold for a separate city page. All court matters are handled at the Brackettville courthouse.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Kinney County in Southwest Texas.