Johnson County
Established in 1854, Johnson County was named for Colonel Middleton Tate Johnson, an American politician and Texas Ranger. As of 2022, more than 182,000 residents lived in Johnson County, with a land area of about 725 square miles. The county seat is Cleburne, while its largest city is Burleson.
The trial courts of Johnson County include the District Courts, County Courts, Justice Courts, and Municipal Courts. Johnson County has three District Courts, each having exclusive authority over contested elections, land title disputes, and felony-related cases. District Court judges in Johnson County can also resolve probate, juvenile delinquencies, and domestic relations cases. The County Courts hear all misdemeanors and general civil lawsuits involving up to $100,000 in financial settlements. They also resolve legal matters related to workers' compensations, trusts, sexual assault protective orders, and divorces. Residents can visit the County Courts at Law to appeal judgments from the Justice and Municipal Courts. Meanwhile, Johnson County Justice of the Peace Courts handles minor misdemeanor offenses involving only fines. They also resolve civil claims for $20,000 or less and landlord-tenant disputes. The Municipal Courts are tasked with handling traffic offenses and other ordinance violations in their cities.
Johnson County public court records are official documents generated during in-court proceedings. These records contain information on case filings, litigants' names, hearing dates, evidence, court orders, transcripts, and appeal information. According to the Texas Public Information Act, court records in Johnson County should be publicly accessible to promote accountability and transparency in the county's judicial system. Examples of public court records include the following:
- Criminal records
- Civil records
- Traffic records
- Probate records
- Land records
- Family law records
However, the state law prohibits public access to juvenile, adoption, sealed, and other confidential court records. In Johnson 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 request court documents by sending emails, calling, or visiting the county's courthouse at:
Guinn Justice Center
204 South Buffalo Avenue
Cleburne, Texas 76033
Requesters can access Johnson County public court records online if they have the case numbers or party names. They can also sign up for the re:SearchTX portal to perform name-based searches.
