Knox County Court Records
Knox County court records are maintained at the courthouse in Benjamin, the county seat of this small West Texas county. With around 3,700 residents, Knox County handles a modest number of civil, criminal, and family court cases each year. Records are public under Texas law and can be accessed at the courthouse or through statewide online tools. Cases in Knox County go through the district court for felony charges, civil lawsuits, and family matters, and through the county court for misdemeanor cases and probate. The county portal at knox.tx.publicsearch.us gives free online access to case information. For certified copies or full document access, contact the District Clerk in Benjamin.
Knox County Overview
Knox County District Clerk
The Knox County District Clerk handles district court filings in the 50th Judicial District. The office covers felony criminal cases, civil suits over $200,000, and family law matters. The courthouse is in Benjamin, TX 79505. Phone: (940) 459-2191. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The 50th is a multi-county district, so call ahead to confirm court session dates in Benjamin. Knox County is a rural West Texas county with Benjamin as its small county seat. The county sees a limited number of court cases each year, but the same Texas public records rules apply here as anywhere else in the state. Most civil, criminal, and family records are open under Texas Supreme Court Rule 12. For online searches, start with re:SearchTX at research.txcourts.gov.
The screenshot below shows the re:SearchTX portal at research.txcourts.gov, the statewide tool for finding Knox County and other Texas court records. re:SearchTX covers e-filed cases from Knox County and hundreds of other Texas courts at no cost.
| Office | Knox County District Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | Knox County Courthouse, Benjamin, TX 79505 |
| Phone | (940) 459-2191 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Judicial District | 50th |
Knox County Clerk
The Knox County Clerk maintains misdemeanor cases, probate records, deeds, and other official public filings. Property records for Knox County can be searched online through TexasFile at texasfile.com. For certified copies or probate records, contact the County Clerk's office in Benjamin.
Searching Knox County Court Records Online
re:SearchTX at research.txcourts.gov is the best online tool for Knox County court records. Search by party name or case number at no cost. The Texas Judicial Branch at txcourts.gov has local rules and forms. eFileTexas at efiletexas.gov handles electronic filing for attorneys in Texas courts.
Types of Court Records in Knox County
Knox County records cover 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 include wills and estate matters. Restricted records include juvenile files, sealed cases, adoption records, and expunged records.
Fees for Knox County Court Records
Plain copies cost $1 per page. Certified copies carry additional fees. Call (940) 459-2191 for current rates. Online searches are free. Fee waivers are available under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 145.
County Clerk Records in Knox County
The Knox 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 Knox 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 Knox 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 Benjamin. 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.
Knox County Court Records Online Portal
The Knox County District Clerk operates a public records search portal at knox.tx.publicsearch.us. The portal shown below is the main online tool for finding court records in Knox County without making a trip to the courthouse in 50th. 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 50th directly.
Use the portal above to run a name or cause number search before visiting 50th. 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 Knox County District Clerk's office in 50th. 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 Knox County
The State Bar of Texas at (800) 252-9690 or texasbar.com can help you find an attorney in West Texas. TexasLawHelp at texaslawhelp.org has free guides and court forms. The Texas State Law Library at sll.texas.gov offers online legal research tools.
Cities in Knox County
Knox County includes Benjamin and Munday. Neither community meets the population threshold for a separate city page. All court matters are handled at the Benjamin courthouse.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Knox County in West Texas.