Van Zandt County
Van Zandt County, a part of the Tyler Metropolitan Area, was established in 1848. It is located in eastern Texas, with a population of 60,053 residents. The county spans about 842.6 square miles and is named after Isaac Van Zandt, a diplomat and Republic of Texas congressman. Its county seat is Canton.
Van Zandt County's court system comprises the District, Constitutional, County, Justice of the Peace, and Municipal Courts. Van Zandt District Courts handle criminal cases such as felonies, contested elections, and disputes involving land titles. They also manage domestic relations cases, probate matters, and juvenile delinquency cases. The Constitutional Court has exclusive jurisdiction over most misdemeanors punishable by a maximum fine of $500 or a year jail sentence. It also handles civil claims not exceeding $10,000 and administrative duties for county government. The County Courts handle misdemeanor cases, civil cases involving financial claims not exceeding $100,000, and matters such as workers' compensation disputes, trusts, and protective orders for cases like sexual assault. Van Zandt Justice Courts handle cases involving certain misdemeanors without potential penalty for a jail sentence, civil disputes within financial limits, and landlord-tenant disputes. They also oversee traffic-related offenses, foreclosures of mortgages, and enforcement of liens on personal property. The Municipal Courts, including Wills Point, primarily deal with traffic violations, city ordinance violations, and other lesser offenses that occur within their municipalities.
Van Zandt County court records are the official documentation of case details such as court filings, judgments, docket entries, orders, testimonies, and evidence generated from legal proceedings within the county. These records ensure transparency, provide legal precedents, and support appeals. They are publicly accessible under the Texas Public Information Act, except for confidential records such as juvenile, adoption, sensitive personal safety information, and sealed or expunged records. The following are types of public court records in Van Zandt County:
- Criminal Records
- Civil Records
- Traffic Records
- Probate Records
- Land Records
- Family Law Records
Van Zandt County's District Clerk maintains records from the District Courts, while the Van Zandt County Clerk oversees records from the County Courts. Requesters can access these records by contacting the clerk's offices through email, phone, or by visiting the Van Zandt County courthouse at:
121 E Dallas St
Canton, TX 75103
Phone: (903) 567-6503
Email: info@vanzandttx.org
Additionally, interested individuals can conduct name-based searches for Van Zandt County public court records using the re:SearchTX portal.
