Note The library cannot tell you what the law means for your situation.
Each court in the Texas court system has a specific jurisdiction. Our court system is made up of:
At the highest level, the Texas Supreme Court hears civil cases and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals hears criminal cases.
For information on rules that govern court proceedings and procedures, see the Texas Court Rules page.
Texas uses a common-law system. In a common-law system, decisions from high courts are binding on lower courts. This concept is known as setting a precedent.
Case law is derived from past decisions made by the courts. This type of law is constantly evolving because the courts are always hearing new cases and interpreting the law.
Researching case law involves reading court opinions. Our Case Law Research guide can help you become familiar with how to read a court opinion.
To locate case law, you will need to use tools like online case law databases or print case law reporters. These sources compile and categorize case law research to help make it accessible by topic or by keyword searching. You can also use footnotes or other annotations in secondary sources like a legal encyclopedia or a legal practice guide to locate case law on a topic.
Case law research is primarily focused on cases that have reached the courts of appeal. This is because appellate cases set precedent. Appellate cases are printed in case reporters like Texas Cases whereas trial court opinions are not.
To access court records other than appellate case opinions, your options will vary. You will likely need to contact the court clerk's office for an individual court if you want copies of court records.
Visit our Court Records guide to learn more about access to court records.
Note The library cannot tell you what the law means for your situation.