Wise County
Wise County, located in northwestern Texas, was named after Virginia's 33rd Governor, Henry Alexander Wise, in 1856. The county's land area is approximately 904 square miles, while its population is over 68,000. Its county seat and largest city is Decatur.
The Wise County judicial system includes the District, County, Justice, and Municipal Courts. The District Court functions within the 271st Judicial District of Texas, and it rules on all legal matters involving land title disputes, contested elections, and felony trials. District Court judges also resolve divorces, will disputes, guardianships, juvenile delinquencies, and other domestic relations cases. The two County Courts at Law in Wise County hear all misdemeanors and general civil lawsuits involving up to $100,000 in financial settlements. They also decide legal matters related to workers' compensations, protective orders, and trusts. Residents can visit the County Courts to appeal judgments from the Justice and Municipal Courts. Meanwhile, Wise County Justice of the Peace Courts handles minor misdemeanor offenses involving only fines. They also resolve landlord-tenant cases and civil lawsuits for $20,000. The Municipal Courts in major cities like Decatur, Alvord, and Aurora handle traffic offenses and other ordinance violations in their cities.
Wise County public court records include documents, videos, and other materials gathered from local court cases. They list case details like names, hearing dates, evidence, court orders, transcripts, and appeals. According to the Texas Public Information Act (PIA), court records in Wise County should be open to the public to ensure accountability and transparency. Examples of public court records include the following:
- Criminal records
- Civil records
- Traffic records
- Probate records
- Land records
- Family law records
However, court records related to juveniles, adoptions, and sealed cases are confidential under the Texas PIA. These records are available only to record owners, their legal guardians, and attorneys. Record searchers can request court documents by emailing, calling, or visiting the relevant court records custodian. In Wise 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.
Requesters can access Wise 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.
