Kaufman County
Kaufman County was established in 1848 as part of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Area. It was named after David Kaufman, a US representative and diplomat. The county spans approximately 780.7 square miles, with a population of over 149,773 as of 2022. Kaufman County has experienced significant growth, largely due to its proximity to Dallas, while the City of Kaufman serves as the county seat.
The court system in Kaufman County consists of District Courts, a Constitutional County Court, County Courts of Law, Justice of the Peace Courts, and Municipal Courts. The Kaufman County District Courts exercise jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases, such as felonies, lesser-included offenses, certain misdemeanors, general civil claims, and family law cases. The District Courts may also handle contested probate matters, domestic violence, protective orders, and cases requesting injunctive relief. The Kaufman County Constitutional County Court oversees criminal cases including misdemeanors punishable by a fine of not more than $500 or incarceration, probate matters, and juvenile cases. County Courts at Law handle certain misdemeanors and civil claims where the dispute is valued between $500 and $100,000. They may also hear cases involving wills, trusts, mental health proceedings, guardianships, and domestic violence. In addition, they have appellate jurisdiction over cases heard by the Justice of the Peace and Municipal Courts. The Justice of the Peace Courts manages certain civil and criminal matters, including cases with fines, felony preliminary hearings, and some traffic misdemeanors. At the same time, Municipal Courts located in Talty, Crandall, and Kaufman primarily deal with city ordinance violations, traffic offenses, and certain misdemeanors.
The County Court Clerk maintains and manages all court records, including documents of criminal or civil case proceedings, such as copies of court filings, rulings, orders, and court dockets. These records are created from different court proceedings that occur in Kaufman County. All court records are considered public, although certain documents, such as sensitive family information, juvenile records, and mental health records, remain confidential. The following records are open for public viewing under the Texas Public Information Act:
- Civil Records
- Criminal Records
- Traffic Records
- Probate Records
To inspect and obtain court record copies, individuals can visit the actual courthouse where the case trial was heard or contact Kaufman County Clerks' Office at:
Kaufman County Justice Center (Main Courthouse)
1902 US Highway 175
Kaufman, TX 75142
Phone: (469) 376-4100
E-mail: countyclerkrequests@kaufmancounty.net
These records can also be accessed via written requests. Another way to access court records is by conducting a name-based or case number search on the Case Search section of the county's website or through the state's portal, called re:SearchTX.
