Search Hays County Criminal Cases, Jail Records & Public Records
Hays County criminal information is divided between the District Clerk, County Clerk, Hays County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety. Felony cases are generally handled through the District Courts and District Clerk; Class A and B misdemeanor cases are handled through the Hays County Courts at Law and County Clerk; jail and booking information is maintained by the Sheriff; and statewide Texas criminal-history information comes from DPS.
Which Hays County criminal record should you search?
Felony court cases
District Courts generally handle felony criminal matters. Use the District Clerk for records, searches and certified copies from those courts.
Class A & B misdemeanors
Hays County Courts at Law have jurisdiction over Class A and Class B misdemeanor criminal cases.
Jail & booking records
Use Hays County’s jail-record search for local custody, booking and bond information.
Incident / arrest reports
Request reports created by Hays County Sheriff’s Office through its GovQA records process.
State criminal history
Use DPS for statewide public conviction and deferred-adjudication information.
Federal criminal cases
Federal prosecutions are separate and should be searched through PACER.
How to search Hays County criminal cases online
Hays County operates an official Courts Records Inquiry system using Odyssey Public Access.
The portal currently offers separate search areas for:
- criminal case records
- civil, family and probate case records
- court calendars
- jail records
- jail bond records
Open the official Hays County records portal
Choose Criminal Case Records from the location selector.
Search by name or case information
Use the case number when available. For name searches, compare additional identifiers before assuming a record belongs to a particular person.
Open the case summary
Review parties, cause number, case type, filing date, case summary and available disposition information.
Check court calendar separately if needed
Hays County’s portal has a dedicated court-calendar search, which is more useful for upcoming settings.
Request a certified record when proof matters
Online summaries are useful for research, but official copies should come from the appropriate clerk.
Hays County felony criminal records
Texas District Courts generally have original jurisdiction over felony criminal cases. In Hays County, District Court criminal records are maintained by the Hays County District Clerk.
Hays County Government Center
712 S. Stagecoach Trail, Suite 2211
San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone: 512-393-7660
The District Clerk offers free online name searching for publicly available civil and criminal case information. The search can include:
- parties
- cause number
- case type
- filing date
- case summary
- bond company when applicable
- disposition date when available
Hays County misdemeanor criminal records
The Hays County Courts at Law have jurisdiction over Class A and Class B misdemeanor criminal cases. Court records for these cases are supported through the Hays County Clerk’s Courts Division.
Hays County Government Center
712 S. Stagecoach Trail, Suite 2008
San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone:
512-393-7330
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Hays County’s jail guidance specifically tells users to contact the District Clerk for felony court dates and the County Clerk for misdemeanor court dates.
How to read a Hays County criminal case correctly
| Case item | Meaning | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Charge | The criminal allegation filed in court. | A charge is not a conviction. |
| Cause number | The Hays County court case identifier. | Save it for clerk requests and certified copies. |
| Case status | Whether the case is open, closed or otherwise categorized. | Review individual charge dispositions too. |
| Disposition | How a charge was resolved. | Look for conviction, dismissal, acquittal, deferred adjudication or another result. |
| Bond | Release conditions or bond information. | Bond does not determine guilt. |
| Court setting | Scheduled criminal hearing. | Check the court calendar close to the date because settings can change. |
Hays County criminal record copies and certified copies
The District Clerk publishes specific copy fees for documents filed in District Court cases.
| Service | Current fee |
|---|---|
| Clerk-conducted record search | $5 per name for a search covering the past 10 years |
| Electronic document copy | $1 for first 10 pages, then $0.10 per page |
| Certified copy | $1 per page |
| Embossed seal / certification | $5 |
Payment is required in advance. The District Clerk accepts online copy requests after providing a quote and can email search results or mail a search certificate.
Copies or certified copies are generally mailed within two working days after payment confirmation.
District Clerk search & copy instructionsHays County jail and booking records
Hays County’s public records portal includes dedicated Jail Records and Jail Bond Records searches.
Corrections Bureau
1307 Uhland Road
San Marcos, TX 78666
Main:
512-393-7800
Jail Records:
512-393-7832
Bond Information:
512-393-7807 or
512-393-7690
Once a person no longer appears on the Hays County inmate search roster, the Sheriff’s jail guidance says that person has been released from custody.
How to check Hays County warrant information
The Sheriff’s Office directs users to the Hays County Public Records Search to check existing charges.
For a newly issued charge, the Sheriff’s Warrants Unit does not release warrant information over ordinary telephone or email inquiries. Hays County advises having a bail bondsman or attorney contact the Sheriff’s Office on official letterhead.
How to request Hays County Sheriff’s incident or police reports
The Hays County Sheriff’s Office uses its GovQA system for copies of police, incident and crash reports.
If you need a law-enforcement record rather than the court case:
Identify the report
Use the incident number, date, location, involved person or other specific information.
Submit through GovQA
Hays County specifically directs incident-report requests through its online request system.
Check the court record separately
A Sheriff’s incident report describes a law-enforcement event; it does not establish what happened after prosecutors and courts reviewed the case.
Hays County Sheriff
810 S. Stagecoach Trail
San Marcos, TX 78666
Main:
512-393-7800
Non-emergency dispatch:
512-393-7896
Hays County Public Information Act requests
Hays County provides a countywide public-information portal for requests under Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code.
Hays County explains that the Public Information Act does not require government offices to:
- create a new record
- perform legal research
- answer general questions
- compile information that does not already exist
Requests should identify existing records as specifically as possible. The county states that it responds to public-information requests within 10 business days, subject to applicable law and exceptions.
Texas DPS statewide criminal-history search
Hays County searches only cover Hays County records. For broader Texas criminal-history information, use the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Records Division.
DPS says public criminal-history information can include Texas conviction and deferred-adjudication records that are legally available to the public.
| DPS option | Current cost / rule |
|---|---|
| Online public name search | $1 search credit per search/record opened, plus card transaction fees when purchasing credits |
| Mail public criminal-history request | $10 per search using current DPS Form CR-42 |
| Fingerprint-based Texas record check | DPS lists a state criminal-history processing fee plus fingerprinting service charges |
How to review your own Texas criminal history
Texas DPS provides a personal-review process for people who want a fingerprint-based copy of their own Texas criminal-history information.
Follow the DPS personal-review procedure
Use the current DPS Crime Records instructions rather than an ordinary public name search.
Submit fingerprints
Fingerprint identification helps ensure the returned criminal history actually belongs to you.
Compare Hays County dispositions
If an arrest entry lacks a final result, obtain the official disposition from the appropriate Hays County clerk.
Use DPS error-resolution procedures if needed
DPS directs people disputing a name-based result to obtain a fingerprint-based personal review.
Expunging a Hays County criminal record
Texas expunction is the legal process that can result in qualifying arrest and court records being removed and destroyed. Eligibility is governed by Texas law and depends on the facts and disposition of the case.
Hays County maintains a dedicated expunction resource page and says the petition should identify all agencies that possess or published information about the arrest or charge.
Texas Law Help notes that expunction generally is not available simply because someone wants an old conviction removed. Eligibility depends on the precise case outcome and statutory requirements.
Hays County expunction informationHays County orders of nondisclosure
If a record does not qualify for expunction, a Texas Order of Nondisclosure may sometimes restrict public disclosure of eligible criminal-history information.
Texas Courts publishes official nondisclosure forms for several statutory categories, including Sections 411.072 through 411.0736 of the Texas Government Code.
Hays County currently lists the filing fee for a petition for nondisclosure at $330.
Texas nondisclosure formsFederal criminal cases involving Hays County
Federal prosecutions are not maintained in the Hays County Odyssey system. Federal criminal cases should be searched through the federal judiciary’s PACER system.
Hays County criminal-record offices and map
Felony court records
712 S. Stagecoach Trail, Suite 2211
San Marcos, TX 78666
512-393-7660
Misdemeanor court records
712 S. Stagecoach Trail, Suite 2008
San Marcos, TX 78666
512-393-7330
Criminal court administration
712 S. Stagecoach Trail, Suite 3240
San Marcos, TX 78666
512-393-7700
Hays County criminal-record search tips
Know felony vs. misdemeanor
It determines whether the District Clerk or County Clerk is usually the better office to contact.
Use the Odyssey portal first
The county’s public portal combines criminal cases, calendars, jail and bond searches in one place.
Save the cause number
It makes certified-copy and court-date research much faster.
Jail ≠ final outcome
Move from booking information to the court case to determine what actually happened.
Check city police too
Buda, Kyle, San Marcos and Uhland have their own police departments, so some incident records are not Sheriff’s Office records.
Use DPS for statewide history
A Hays County search will not reveal every Texas criminal case filed elsewhere.
Fingerprints beat name matching
DPS expressly warns that name-based searches can return records belonging to someone else.
Expunction and nondisclosure are different
Expunction can remove qualifying records; nondisclosure generally restricts public access instead.
Federal means PACER
Federal prosecutions are not Hays County state-court cases.
Hays County criminal records: frequently asked questions
1. Where can I search Hays County criminal cases online?
Use the official Hays County Courts Records Inquiry at public.hayscountytx.gov and choose Criminal Case Records.
2. Are Hays County criminal case name searches free?
Publicly available online criminal case name searches are free. A clerk-conducted District Court record search covering the past 10 years currently costs $5 per name.
3. Which office handles felony criminal records?
Felony criminal cases are generally handled in District Court, and the Hays County District Clerk maintains those District Court records.
4. Which office handles misdemeanor criminal records?
Hays County Courts at Law have jurisdiction over Class A and B misdemeanor cases, with court-record support through the Hays County Clerk.
5. How do I search Hays County jail records?
The Hays County Courts Records Inquiry includes separate Jail Records and Jail Bond Records searches.
6. How do I get an incident or police report from the Hays County Sheriff?
Use the Hays County Sheriff’s GovQA public-records system to request qualifying incident, police and crash reports.
7. How much does a Hays County District Clerk certified copy cost?
The District Clerk currently lists certified copies at $1 per page plus $5 for the embossed seal.
8. Where can I search statewide Texas criminal history?
Use the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Records Division. DPS provides public name-based searches and separate fingerprint-supported criminal-history services.
9. Can a Hays County criminal record be expunged or sealed?
Some records may qualify for Texas expunction or an order of nondisclosure depending on the arrest, disposition, offense and other statutory requirements. Hays County provides local expunction instructions, while Texas Courts publishes official nondisclosure forms.
10. Does the Hays County search include federal criminal cases?
No. Federal criminal cases are maintained separately by the federal judiciary and should be searched through PACER.
Official sources used for this Hays County guide
- Hays County Courts Records Inquiry
- Hays County District Clerk
- District Clerk — Records Search & Copy Requests
- Hays County Clerk
- Hays County Courts at Law
- Hays County Sheriff’s Office
- Hays County Corrections Bureau
- Hays County — Expunctions
- Hays County District Clerk — Court Costs & Fees
- Texas DPS — Criminal History Search
- Texas DPS — Crime Records FAQs
- Texas Judicial Branch — Orders of Nondisclosure
- PACER — Federal Court Records