Note The library cannot tell you what the law means for your situation.
This page has information on various types of court records commonly included in felony criminal case files.
Each court has their own record of the case, and each record will contain slightly different court records. Courts can typically only provide records from their court, but certain documents from the district court case may be included in case files at higher courts.
Copies of records can usually be purchased from the court clerk's office where the document was filed. We suggest reaching out directly to the court clerk's office for more information on what records they can provide.
Our library's Inmate Copy Service can also provide copies of certain court records. We have access to records from the following courts:
For more information on the Texas court system, see our library's About the Texas Courts guide.
For information on where to request court records, see our library's Court Records guide.
The clerk's record is a bound volume that consists of most of the written documents filed during a case. Prior to 1997, the clerk's record was referred to as the "transcript."
The clerk's record is originally filed at the district clerk's office in the district court (also sometimes referred to as the trial court). It can also be found in the direct appeal record and the petition for discretionary review files, if either are filed.
The clerk's record typically includes:
Some case records may include supplemental clerk's records that contain things that were left out of the initial record.
The reporter’s record is the official transcript of everything said during a court proceeding. The court reporter prepares it from their notes or audio recordings.
The court reporter does not automatically create the reporter's record for every case. It is generally only created when one party chooses to appeal the case.
This record is sometimes referred to as the "transcript" by prisoners. Prior to 1997, it was referred to as the "statement of facts."
The reporter's record is filed at the district clerk's office in the district court. It can also be found in the direct appeal files and petition for discretionary review files, if either are filed.
The reporter's record is a record of what is said during a trial. This record can also include pre-trial and post-trial court hearings.
This record is usually a multi-volume set and begins with an index.
A criminal direct appeal allows a person convicted of a crime to challenge the conviction or sentence in a higher court. This process focuses only on issues raised during the trial.
When a party appeals a non-death penalty case from the district court, they may appeal the verdict to one of the courts of appeals. This is often referred to as the "direct appeal."
To help the court of appeal accurately assess the claims raised in a direct appeal, the district court sends the case records to the appellate court. After the court of appeal receives the record, it assigns a new cause number and files the documents with their court.
Once the appeal has been filed, both parties will be asked to file briefs.
The appellate record will typically include a copy of:
A petition for discretionary review (PDR) is a request by a party to a criminal case to have their "direct appeal" decision reviewed by the Court of Criminal Appeals.
This is final opportunity for a convicted person to appeal their criminal case. A party may only file one PDR per conviction. These petitions are specific to non-death penalty cases.
Appellants are not appointed an attorney to represent them past the direct appeal stage and may need to file their PDR on their own.
Once the court of appeals has issued their opinion and the conviction becomes "final," the appellant may choose to file a PDR with the Court of Criminal Appeals.
PDRs will typically include:
An application for writ of habeas corpus is a way of attacking a conviction by saying an inmate is incarcerated illegally. There are several different types of habeas corpus proceedings provided by Chapter 11 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.
A majority of the applications received by the Court of Criminal Appeals are for final felony convictions (not death penalty). They are commonly referred to by inmates as "11.07s" because the corresponding law is in Article 11.07 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.
Applications for writs of habeas corpus are filed with the district clerk of the originating court. The district clerk must then send the records to the Court of Criminal Appeals.
The Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure require the district clerk to compile:
Most writ records will also include a copy of the indictment, the judgment, and a docket sheet, although these documents are not required. Other court documents may also be filed in the record depending on the grounds being raised in the application and the record.
A petition for writ of mandamus asks a higher court to order a lower court to comply with an order. It is often used to correct a prior action or failure to act.
These records typically contain only a few documents:
Cases from appellate courts have consistent cause numbers. A cause number can help you determine which court has your records. See TAMES search for information on how to access records held by appellate and higher courts.
| Cause number | Example | Texas court | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| ##-##-#####-CR | 03-18-00001-CR | Texas Court of Appeals (COA) | This is a criminal case. The first set of digits refers to the COA court number. The second set of digits refers to the year the case was filed. |
| ##-##-#####-CV | 14-23-00215-CV | Texas COA | This is a civil case. The first set of digits refers to the COA court number. The second set of digits refers to the year the case was filed. |
| AP-##,### | AP-14,459 | Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (CCA) | |
| PD-####-## | PD-0001-24 | Texas CCA | This is a petition for discretionary review (PDR). The last two digits refer to the year the petition was filed. |
| WR-##,###-## | WR-77,888-01 | Texas CCA | This is a writ file. It may be a writ of habeas corpus or a writ of mandamus. The last two digits refer to the application number submitted by a specific applicant. |
| ##-#### | 22-0001 | Texas Supreme Court |
The first two digits refer to the year the case was filed. Cases before 1994 follow a different numbering system. |
If your case has a different cause number, it is likely from a trial court, such as a district court or a county court.
Lower courts have their own numbering systems, with significant variations from county to county and from court to court. Some courts use numbers that look like appellate case numbers. Examples of what trial court case numbers may look like include:
It can be difficult to say where the case is from without having additional information. You may want to contact the courts in the county where you think the case was filed.
The Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) is a federal court records database. There is a fee to search and to view the documents, but some records can be viewed for free. See the PACER Fee Schedule for information about fees.
There are several ways to access PACER for free. It is available for free at public terminals in federal courthouses. Academic researchers may submit an application for a fee exemption. Other researchers may also request an exemption by directly contacting a federal court. More information is on the U.S. Courts website.
CourtListener is a free database that mostly provides legal opinions from federal and state courts. The RECAP Archive provides access to the free documents found in PACER, except you won't have to pay a fee to search them.
Some paid documents from PACER may be available as well, but only if another user has uploaded them to the RECAP Archive.
The U.S. Federal Courts website has information about other ways to access some court records, including paper records, historical records, and bankruptcy records.
The U.S. Supreme Court's page on Locating Court Documents explains where to find U.S. Supreme Court case files. It includes opinions, briefs, dockets, and more.
You can access various court records through legal databases like Lexis, Westlaw, and Fastcase. State Law Library patrons can use Fastcase remotely to find final opinions for select Texas and federal appellate cases. Lexis and Westlaw are available at the library in person.
Other court records such as petitions and briefs are only available through the add-on services. The library does not subscribe to the add-ons, but other law libraries might have access.
Note The library cannot tell you what the law means for your situation.
