Navarro County, Texas court records are maintained by the District Clerk and County Clerk and are accessible through official online portals, court offices, and state resources. NavarroCourt.us is a convenient resource for starting a search for publicly available court case information in the county. Additionally, records can be obtained through the District Clerk's office, County Clerk's office, and other government sources in the state of Texas.
Navarro Court System Overview
Navarro County is part of the 13th Judicial District of Texas. The District Court handles serious criminal cases and civil claims that exceed the jurisdictional limits of lower courts. The County Court has general jurisdiction over probate and estate matters, as outlined in Chapter 26 of the Texas Government Code. Justice of the Peace Courts serve various areas of the county and handle minor civil claims and traffic violations. Appeals from Navarro County courts are filed with the Tenth Court of Appeals in Waco.
Courts Serving Navarro
Residents of Navarro County have access to several levels of the court system, from local Justice of the Peace Courts to the Federal District Court.
13th District Court
County Court at Law
Justice of the Peace Courts
Federal Court — Northern District of Texas
Navarro County is part of the Northern District of Texas. Federal civil and criminal cases, as well as bankruptcy cases, are heard in this court's division.
Municipal Court — City of Corsicana
The Corsicana Municipal Court handles violations of city ordinances and minor offenses within the city limits.
What Types of Cases Navarro Courts Hear
Navarro County courts hear a wide range of cases. Below are the main categories:
- Felonies — District Court
- Misdemeanors — County Court at Law
- Minor offenses and traffic fines — Justice of the Peace Courts
- Civil claims of various jurisdictional levels
- Small claims
- Family law: divorce, custody, child support
- Probate, guardianship, conservatorship
- Juvenile and child protection cases
- Adoption
District Court Cases in Navarro
The 13th District Court in Corsicana handles all serious criminal cases after they are transferred from lower courts. Civil claims with demands exceeding $200,000 also fall under the District Court's jurisdiction. The District Court judge presides over jury trials in criminal and civil cases, hears appeals from the County Court at Law, and post-conviction cases. Cases reach the District Court through a grand jury indictment or transfer from a lower court. The District Clerk registers all documents, maintains the schedule of hearings, and keeps case materials.
Magistrate Court Cases in Navarro
In Texas, functions that in some states are performed by a magistrate court are divided between the County Court at Law and Justice of the Peace Courts. Navarro County's County Court at Law handles misdemeanors (Class A and B), civil cases with claims from $200 to $200,000, and appeals from Justice of the Peace Courts. Justice of the Peace Courts have jurisdiction over minor civil claims up to $20,000, including small claims up to $20,000, traffic violations, and minor criminal offenses (Class C misdemeanors). DUI cases (DWI in Texas), if they are misdemeanors, start in the County Court at Law. The Justice of the Peace also performs magistrate functions — setting bail and conducting preliminary hearings.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Navarro
Family Law
Divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, and protective order cases are handled by the District Court. Petitions are filed through the District Clerk. If a case involves only the establishment of paternity without other claims, it can also be initiated through the District Court.
Probate and Guardianship
Under Texas statutory law, Navarro County's County Court has general jurisdiction over probate matters. Estate, guardianship, conservatorship, and trust management cases are filed through the County Clerk's office, which keeps the records of probate court proceedings.
Juvenile Matters
Cases under the Juvenile Justice Code and child protection (CPS) cases are heard by the District Court. Juvenile case records are confidential under Texas law and are not publicly accessible.
How Cases Move Through the Navarro Court System
- Filing a Claim / Initiating a Case. A criminal case begins with a complaint or grand jury indictment. A civil case starts with the filing of a petition with the appropriate court clerk.
- Assignment of a Judge. The case is assigned based on jurisdiction — District Court, County Court at Law, or Justice of the Peace Court.
- Initial Hearings. In criminal cases — arraignment (announcement of charges and setting of bail). In civil cases — a planning conference.
- Pre-trial Phase. Parties exchange evidence (discovery), file motions. In criminal cases, plea negotiations may occur.
- Trial or Resolution. The case concludes with a jury verdict, plea agreement, settlement, or default judgment.
- Post-Decision. Sentencing, filing an appeal with the Tenth Court of Appeals, or enforcement of the decision.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Navarro
The administrative judge of the 13th Judicial District coordinates the work of the courts. Current information about judges and contact details can be found through the Office of Court Administration's judge directory. The schedule of hearings is available on the county court dockets page.
Public access to court records is governed by the Texas Public Information Act. Most court documents are public, except for juvenile cases, sealed records, and certain family cases. Requests for open records can be submitted through the Open Records Request form on the county's website. The Texas Attorney General's Office provides guidance on open access to government information.
Hearings are usually held in person at the courthouse. To confirm the possibility of remote participation, contact the relevant court office directly at (903) 654-3040 (District Clerk) or (903) 654-3000 (general court line).
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Navarro
- Court Docket and Case Register — view the Navarro County Court Docket page to search for scheduled hearings.
- District Clerk's Office — maintains criminal and civil case records for the District Court. Contact the District Clerk at (903) 654-3040 or by mail: PO Box 1439, Corsicana, TX 75151.
- County Clerk's Office — Sherry Dowd, County Clerk, maintains records of real estate, marriages, probate, and Commissioner's Court minutes. Email for inquiries: ccor@navarrocounty.org.
- Forms and Open Records Requests — available on the public use forms page.
- County Jail Inmate List — inmate register on the Navarro County Sheriff's Office website.
- TDCJ Inmate Search — if a person is sentenced to state-level incarceration, use the Texas Department of Criminal Justice inmate search.
- Sex Offender Registry — information is available through the county homepage (link "Registered Sex Offenders In Texas") and on the DPS Texas website.
- Vital Records — birth, death, and marriage certificates can be ordered through the local Vital Records office at the County Clerk or online at Texas.gov. Marriage and divorce verifications are also available through DSHS Texas.
- Online Fine Payments — the county website has a link for online payment of traffic fines by last name and date of birth.