Potter County
Established in 1887, Potter County is located in the Texas Panhandle, with Amarillo designated as its county seat. As of 2022, the county's population stood at 118,000, and it spans a total area of 922 square miles. The primary ethnic groups within the county are White (non-Hispanic) and Hispanic.
Structurally, the Potter County court system is divided into three levels, namely the state-level court, county-level courts, and local-level courts. The 47th, 108th, 181st, 251st, and 320th District Courts are state-level courts that preside over divorce matters, title to land disputes, felony, and civil actions above $200 in Potter County.
The County Court at Law 1 and County Court at Law 2 are statutorily authorized to handle civil, criminal, and appellate cases within the county. These courts address specific legal matters such as class A and B misdemeanors, civil cases between $200 and $200,000, probate matters, and juvenile cases. Additionally, they review cases initially heard in the Municipal and Justice Courts.
At the local level, the Potter County Justice Courts and Amarillo Municipal Court have limited jurisdiction over certain types of cases. The Justice Courts specialize in criminal misdemeanors punishable by fine only, small claims cases, evictions, truancy matters, and civil cases in which the amount in dispute does not exceed $10,000. Similarly, the Amarillo Municipal Court oversees criminal misdemeanor cases and truancy matters but is primarily focused on enforcing municipal ordinance violations within the city.
Potter County public court records are documents such as court orders, filings, transcripts, docket sheets, and pleadings received about court proceedings in the county. These records are mostly accessible to the public except for those sealed by court rules or state law. For instance, records maintained in juvenile, adoption, and mental health proceedings are not available for public inspection. Cases filed in the County Courts are in the custody of the County Clerk, while those filed in the District Court are maintained by the District Clerk.
You can access publicly available court records generated in both District and County Courts on the Potter County Tyler Odyssey Portal. Moreover, if you need to acquire copies through the mail, you may send a written request to the District Clerk's Office at Potter County, P.O. Box 9570, Amarillo, Texas 79105. Be sure to include the following requirements in your submission:
- Case number
- List of documents needed
- Cashier's check or money order for $30 for the cost of copies and postage
- $5 search fee
It is worth noting that if the cost of copies and postage is less than your payment, Potter County will refund the unused amount. If the cost is more, you will be contacted to pay the remaining balance before completing the service. Lastly, court dockets in Porter County are also available online.
