Hill County
Hill County has a land area of about 959 square miles in north central Texas and a population of 36,138 residents. Established in 1853 from parts of Navarro County, it was named after George Washington Hill, a Secretary of War for the Republic of Texas. The City of Hillsboro serves as both the county seat and its largest city.
Hill County has five trial courts: the District, Constitutional, County, Justice, and Municipal Courts. The Hill County District Court, also Texas' 66th District Court, has exclusive jurisdiction over land title disputes, contested elections, and felony trials. It also resolves divorces, guardianships, will disputes, juvenile delinquencies, and other family law cases. The County Court at Law in Hill County hears all misdemeanors and civil actions involving up to $100,000 in financial settlements. They also decide legal proceedings related to workers' compensations, protective orders, and trusts. Aggrieved litigants can visit the County Court to appeal judgments from the Justice and Municipal Courts. Meanwhile, Hill County's Justice of the Peace Courts handles civil lawsuits for up to $20,000 and minor misdemeanor offenses involving only fines. Landlord-tenant cases and small claims are resolved at the Constitutional County Court. The Municipal Courts in major cities like Hillsboro, Hubbard, and Itasca handle traffic crimes and other ordinance violations in their cities.
Hill County court records include documents, videos, books, and other materials compiled during court proceedings. They contain case details like hearing dates, names of parties involved, evidence, transcripts, court orders, and appeals. According to the Texas Public Information Act (PIA), court records in Hill County should be publicly accessible to promote transparent and fair legal processes. Examples of public court records include the following:
- Criminal court records
- Civil records
- Land records
- Traffic records
- Probate records
- Family law records
However, case files related to adoptions, juveniles, and sealed cases are confidential under the Texas PIA. Only record owners, their legal guardians, and other individuals approved by the court can access confidential court records. In Hill County, the District Clerk keeps court records filed in the District Courts, while the County Clerk is in charge of case files created in the County Courts. Record searchers can get court documents by emailing, calling, or visiting the relevant court records custodian.
Alternatively, requesters can view Hill County public court records online through the Texas re:SearchTX portal.
