El Paso County
El Paso County is the sixth most populous county in Texas. The name “El Paso†is short for El Paso del Norte, a Spanish word for ''The Pass of the North". It is one of the two Texas counties using the Mountain Time Zone, the other being Northwestern Culberson County. El Paso county was created in 1850 and organized in 1871. It cuts across 1,015 square miles and has a total population of 865,657 inhabitants.
There are various trial courts in El Paso County which play important roles in the process of administering justice. These are the Criminal Court, Constitutional County Court, District Courts, Justice Courts, Municipal Courts, County Courts at law, and Statutory Probate Courts.
Justice of Peace (JP) Courts are divided into 7 precincts and have original jurisdiction over criminal matters involving fines not more than $500. They also issue search and arrest warrants.
There are two Statutory Probate Courts in El Paso and their functions include the administration of wills, hearing lawsuits pertaining to deceased persons' estate, and assisting incapacitated people by appointing guardians. They also offer mediation services pre-trial intervention.
The Constitutional County Court El Paso County hears Class A and B misdemeanor including probate matters. The District Courts handle civil discrimination, damages, workers compensation, contracts, civil, and criminal matters.
The County Courts at Law handle both criminal and civil cases involving DWI, bond forfeitures, burglaries, evictions, damages and family law cases. Cases involving DWI, burglaries, and domestic violence are handled by the criminal court.
The Municipal Courts are vested with authority of hearing Class C misdemeanors and traffic offenses such as parking and speeding violations. Traffic offenses are usually punishable by a $200 fine. These courts also issue arrest and search warrants and handle ordinance violation cases.
Court records containing legal proceedings, case dockets, and case summaries are available to the public. The County Clerk creates, preserves, and manages court records relating to civil, criminal, and probate matters. Therefore, you have remote access to these records on the County Clerk's website. You can find the following non-confidential court records in El Paso County:
- Civil (opened and closed)
- Criminal
- Foreclosures
- Family
- Probate
To access court records in El Paso County, you may visit the Office of the District Clerk in person or search on the District Court Clerk's website. Here, you will be able to search case records and summaries by case number, name of parties involved, attorney, and docket entry. Another way is to visit the El Paso County Case Records Search page to electronically view court records. Futhermore, you can visit the courthouse at 500 E. San Antonio El Paso, TX 79901 or call at 915 546-2000.
