La Salle County Court Records
La Salle County court records are filed at the courthouse in Cotulla, the county seat of this South Texas county between San Antonio and Laredo. With a population of around 7,000, La Salle County handles civil, criminal, and family court cases at its courthouse in Cotulla. Records are public under Texas law and can be accessed in person or through statewide online tools. Cases in La Salle 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 la-salle.tx.publicsearch.us gives free online access to case information. For certified copies or full document access, contact the District Clerk in Cotulla.
La Salle County Overview
La Salle County District Clerk
The La Salle County District Clerk handles district court filings in the 81st Judicial District. The office manages felony criminal cases, civil suits over $200,000, and family law matters. The courthouse is at 707 Courthouse Square, Cotulla, TX 78014. Phone: (830) 879-4432. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Cotulla sits along Interstate 35 in South Texas, roughly halfway between San Antonio and Laredo. The county is in the Eagle Ford Shale region, which has seen significant oil and gas activity in recent years. That activity has generated property and business record filings through the County Clerk. For district court records, start online with re:SearchTX at research.txcourts.gov.
The screenshot below shows the re:SearchTX portal at research.txcourts.gov, which covers La Salle County and other Texas courts statewide. re:SearchTX is a free tool for finding La Salle County court records online, covering e-filed cases from the 81st District.
| Office | La Salle County District Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 707 Courthouse Square, Cotulla, TX 78014 |
| Phone | (830) 879-4432 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Judicial District | 81st |
La Salle County Clerk
The La Salle County Clerk maintains misdemeanor records, probate files, deeds, mineral rights filings, and other public records. Given the oil and gas activity in the area, the County Clerk holds a significant number of lease and mineral rights documents. Property records can be searched for free online through TexasFile at texasfile.com. For certified copies, contact the County Clerk's office in Cotulla.
Searching La Salle County Court Records Online
re:SearchTX at research.txcourts.gov is the main online tool for La Salle 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 La Salle County
La Salle 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 estates. Restricted records include juvenile files, sealed cases, adoption records, and expunged records.
Fees for La Salle County Court Records
Plain copies cost $1 per page. Certified copies carry additional fees. Call (830) 879-4432 for rates. Online searches are free. Fee waivers are available under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 145.
County Clerk Records in La Salle County
The La Salle 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 La Salle 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 La Salle 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 Cotulla. 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.
La Salle County Court Records Online Portal
The La Salle County District Clerk operates a public records search portal at la-salle.tx.publicsearch.us. The portal shown below is the main online tool for finding court records in La Salle County without making a trip to the courthouse in 81st. 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 81st directly.
Use the portal above to run a name or cause number search before visiting 81st. 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 La Salle County District Clerk's office in 81st. 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 La Salle County
Lone Star Legal Aid serves South Texas including La Salle County at lonestarlegal.org. The State Bar referral service is at (800) 252-9690 or texasbar.com. TexasLawHelp at texaslawhelp.org provides free guides and forms.
Cities in La Salle County
La Salle County includes Cotulla, the county seat. No cities in La Salle County meet the population threshold for a separate city page. All court matters are handled at the Cotulla courthouse.
Nearby Counties
These counties border La Salle County in South Texas.