City, county and state records answer different criminal-record questions
A criminal-record search in El Paso can lead to several different government systems. City of El Paso Municipal Court handles city citations, warrants and municipal-level cases; El Paso County’s District Clerk maintains felony criminal case files; the County Clerk maintains adult misdemeanor records; El Paso Police and the County Sheriff’s Office hold their own law-enforcement records; and Texas DPS operates the statewide public criminal-history system. The fastest search begins by identifying which agency created the record.
Do not search every El Paso criminal record in the same place
The term “criminal record” can describe a city citation, county misdemeanor, felony prosecution, arrest report, jail booking, statewide criminal-history entry or federal case. These records have different custodians.
Municipal Court
Use for City of El Paso municipal cases, citations, warrants and court-docket information.
District Clerk
Custodian of filed pleadings in felony criminal matters, including adult felony, murder, capital murder and related criminal filings.
County Clerk
Criminal Division preserves and manages adult misdemeanor records for county-level criminal courts.
El Paso Police
Use for qualifying EPPD incident, arrest and police records created by the City Police Department.
Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff-created arrest records, county background/clearance letters, warrants and detention-related records.
Texas DPS
Public statewide conviction and deferred-adjudication criminal-history information.
Search City of El Paso Municipal Court cases, citations and warrants
The City of El Paso operates an official Municipal Court Public Access Portal.
The portal provides online access to municipal court records and the court calendar. It supports searches using a person’s name, citation number or case number.
Open Municipal Court Portal Municipal Court informationHow to search the El Paso Municipal Court portal
Open the Public Access Portal
The portal’s landing page asks users to log into public access before using the available searches.
For a name search, open Case Searches → By Party
The City says the party-name screen supports last name, first name and date of birth. Add the date of birth when known to reduce incorrect matches.
For a citation, use Citation Search
Enter the citation number exactly as shown on the ticket or notice. A citation number is more precise than a common-name search.
For a known case, use Criminal Case Search
The City’s instructions say to enter the case number without dashes. Follow the example format shown inside the portal.
Review case status and court dates
Use the court information to determine whether the case is open, scheduled, resolved or associated with an outstanding municipal warrant.
Two Municipal Court limitations can explain a missing result
El Paso’s own public portal identifies two important limitations that are easy to miss.
Allow roughly 7–10 business days
The court warns that recently issued tickets may not have been entered into the municipal database yet. If the citation is new, check again or call the court.
Pre-2006 records are not in the portal
The public portal states that records before January 1, 2006 were purged from the online system under the court’s record-retention policy.
For an El Paso felony, use the County District Clerk
The El Paso County District Clerk Criminal Division is the custodian of documents and filed pleadings in felony criminal matters.
The County specifically identifies case types including:
- adult felony cases
- murder cases
- capital murder cases
- nondisclosure matters
- pre-indictment pleadings
- criminal appeals and post-conviction writ records
El Paso County District Clerk
County Courthouse500 E. San Antonio
Suite 103
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone:
915-273-3534
Email:
districtclerk@epcountytx.gov
Adult misdemeanor records are maintained by the County Clerk
El Paso County’s County Clerk Criminal Division is responsible for the preservation, creation and management of adult misdemeanor records.
The County Clerk serves as clerk for the County Courts at Law and County Criminal Courts at Law.
County Clerk Criminal DivisionEl Paso County Clerk — Criminal Division
County Courthouse500 E. San Antonio
Suite 105
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone:
915-273-3532
Copy/background request email:
clkcrimmail@epcounty.com
Main office hours currently published by the County Clerk are Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Search El Paso County criminal cases online
El Paso County provides an official Records Search landing page that links to criminal cases, civil cases, jail records, bond records and warrant searches.
El Paso County Records SearchThe county criminal search supports records maintained by both the County Clerk and District Clerk. Depending on the search interface, users can search by identifying information such as:
- case or cause number
- defendant name
- citation information
- attorney
- bar number
- case status or date range where supported
How to get copies, certified dispositions or a local background letter
An online case result is useful for research, but a formal purpose may require a clerk-issued document or background-search letter.
Adult misdemeanor records
The County Clerk accepts electronic copy and background-check-letter requests using its criminal request form and the Criminal Division email.
| County Clerk service | Current listed fee | Useful when |
|---|---|---|
| Search when docket number is not provided | $5 | You need the clerk to identify the misdemeanor case. |
| Certification of a document | $5 | You need a clerk-certified copy. |
| Background search letter | $6 | You need a county-level misdemeanor background letter. |
| Copy of an instrument | $1 per page | You need an ordinary document copy. |
These amounts come from the County Clerk’s current misdemeanor criminal request form. Always check the live request form before payment because statutory fees and convenience charges can change.
Felony records
The District Clerk accepts requests for files, copies, background letters and other qualifying criminal records. Current county instructions direct requests to: districtclerk@epcountytx.gov.
Search current El Paso County jail records
El Paso County’s official Records Search includes a Jail Records search for current jailings.
Search El Paso County Jail RecordsThe county uses CAPTCHA protection for the jail-search system. That means automated search tools can fail even when a record exists.
If the jail search is unavailable
El Paso County specifically recommends contacting the District Clerk or County Clerk when its online record-search system cannot be used or more complete case information is required.
- District Clerk: 915-273-3534
- County Clerk: 915-273-3532
Jail bond records are a separate county search
El Paso County also provides an official Jail Bond Records option from the same Records Search page.
Use bond records when the question is about:
- bond information
- jail release conditions shown by the county system
- current jail/custody case linkage
- identifying the related criminal case
El Paso has city and county warrant systems — choose the correct one
A City of El Paso Municipal Court warrant and an El Paso County criminal warrant are not necessarily searched through the same system.
Municipal Court
For City of El Paso citation-related warrants, use the Municipal Court portal or contact the court.
Municipal Court PortalEl Paso County
The County Records Search page includes an official Warrant Search for warrants maintained through the county system.
County Warrant SearchRequest an El Paso Police Department record from the City
The El Paso Police Department (EPPD) provides access to its Open Records Request process through the official Police Department website.
El Paso Police DepartmentEPPD’s main published telephone number is 915-212-4000.
Police records can include different categories of information depending on the event and applicable Texas disclosure law. Portions may be withheld or redacted when state law protects investigative, victim, juvenile or other confidential information.
How to make a City of El Paso public-information request
The City directs public-information requests through its official Public Information Center / Open Records Request process. The City Clerk states that any member of the public can request an open record maintained by the City.
City Open Records informationThe City advises requesters to be specific. Useful details can include:
- incident or report number
- specific date or date range
- location of incident
- name of person involved
- specific report/document requested
- department believed to hold the record
City of El Paso City Hall
300 N. CampbellEl Paso, TX 79901
Main phone:
915-212-0000 or 3-1-1
General City hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
El Paso County Sheriff’s records and local background checks
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Crime Records Section stores and processes Sheriff-created criminal complaint reports, local criminal background checks, open-record requests, accident/incident reports and qualifying expunction orders.
El Paso County Sheriff’s Crime Records
3850 Justice StreetEl Paso, TX 79938
Phone:
915-273-3807
Current published hours:
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Sheriff background check / clearance letter
The Sheriff’s Office currently lists a local background/clearance-letter service. Requests can be made in person or by mail.
The current county guidance lists a $13 fee. Only the person being checked can directly authorize the background check; a second-party requester needs notarized authorization.
For Sheriff open-record and inter-agency requests, the County currently publishes: DG-SO-Records@epcountytx.gov.
Sheriff Background / Clearance InformationUse Texas DPS when you need statewide public criminal history
A City of El Paso or El Paso County search only covers records maintained by those local systems. Texas DPS operates the statewide public criminal-history search.
The DPS public search principally provides qualifying Texas conviction and deferred-adjudication criminal-history information maintained in the state’s Computerized Criminal History system.
Texas DPS Public Criminal History SearchCurrent DPS online search cost
DPS currently lists search credits at $1 each, with additional transaction charges for credit-card purchases.
Use TDCJ for Texas prison and correctional records
If the question is whether someone is currently or previously within the Texas state correctional system, use the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Offender Search.
Searches can use a name, SID number or TDCJ number. The current system also supports wildcard searching with an asterisk.
Search TDCJ OffendersIf an El Paso criminal case was appealed, search the appellate courts too
The El Paso County District Clerk’s Appeals Division handles criminal felony direct appeals and post-conviction writ records sent to appellate courts.
El Paso is served by the Eighth Court of Appeals, and Texas criminal cases can ultimately reach the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
Texas Appellate Case SearchFederal El Paso criminal cases are separate from city and county records
Federal prosecutions involving El Paso County are handled through the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, El Paso Division.
The Western District states that federal civil and criminal actions arising in El Paso and Hudspeth counties belong to its El Paso Division.
U.S. District Court — El Paso Division
525 Magoffin AvenueSuite 105
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone:
915-534-6725
Current court hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Mountain Time
Federal electronic case records are searched through PACER.
Search Federal Court RecordsExpunction and nondisclosure can affect what appears publicly
Texas has several forms of criminal-record relief, and they do not all produce the same result.
Qualifying records may be ordered removed or destroyed
El Paso County’s District Clerk provides expunction forms and maintains criminal expunction matters. Eligibility depends on Texas law and the underlying case history.
Public disclosure may be restricted
A qualifying nondisclosure order can restrict disclosure of certain criminal-history information to the general public while authorized entities may retain statutory access.
The District Clerk currently provides both an Expunction Form and an Order of Nondisclosure Overview through its official resources.
District Clerk Forms & ResourcesJuvenile records should not be searched like ordinary adult criminal cases
Juvenile criminal-justice records are subject to additional confidentiality and access rules. The City of El Paso Municipal Court portal specifically states that citations issued to defendants who were 16 or younger at the time of citation are not displayed publicly through its portal.
What to do if an El Paso criminal record appears incorrect
The correction path depends on where the error appears.
| Problem | Start with | Useful supporting document |
|---|---|---|
| Municipal case error | El Paso Municipal Court | Citation/case number and court paperwork. |
| Felony case error | District Clerk | Certified disposition or filed order. |
| Misdemeanor case error | County Clerk Criminal Division | Certified misdemeanor disposition. |
| EPPD report error | El Paso Police / City records | Incident/report number and supporting information. |
| Sheriff record error | El Paso County Sheriff Crime Records | Sheriff case/arrest identifiers. |
| Texas DPS criminal-history error | DPS Error Resolution | Certified court documentation and fingerprint personal review where required. |
Useful El Paso court and records locations
El Paso Municipal Court
810 E. OverlandEl Paso, TX 79901
Phone: 915-212-0215
Main-office hours currently listed: Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
El Paso Municipal Court location
Use this map for the main Municipal Court office at 810 E. Overland. The El Paso County Courthouse at 500 E. San Antonio is nearby but serves different county-level records.
El Paso criminal-record search tips that avoid common mistakes
Ask “city or county?” first
A municipal citation belongs in City Court; a felony belongs with the County District Clerk.
Use DOB in Municipal Court
The City’s portal supports date of birth in party searches, which helps separate people with similar names.
New citation? Give it time
El Paso says tickets can take approximately 7–10 business days to appear in the municipal system.
Pre-2006 city record?
Do not keep refreshing the portal. The City states pre-2006 records were purged from that system.
Felony vs misdemeanor matters
District Clerk handles felony records; County Clerk handles adult misdemeanor records.
County search slow?
El Paso County warns its case and jail searches can slow during high traffic. Call the clerk if necessary.
Ask for a certified disposition
Use it when accuracy matters or when correcting a DPS criminal-history record.
Police agency matters
EPPD and the Sheriff’s Office maintain different law-enforcement records. Request from the agency that created it.
Statewide search? Leave the local portal
Use Texas DPS when the goal is statewide qualifying public criminal-history information.
Common questions about El Paso criminal and public records
1. Can I search City of El Paso criminal cases online?
Yes. The City operates an official Municipal Court Public Access Portal for municipal cases, citations, warrants and court-calendar information. It is separate from El Paso County felony and misdemeanor court systems.
2. Can I search the El Paso Municipal Court by name?
Yes. The City’s instructions say to open Searches, choose Case Searches and then By Party. The portal supports last name, first name and date of birth.
3. Why is my new El Paso citation not showing online?
The Municipal Court states that tickets issued within roughly 7–10 business days may not yet be entered into its database. Check again or contact the court at 915-212-0215.
4. Can I find a City of El Paso case from before 2006 online?
The Municipal Court Public Access Portal states that records before January 1, 2006 were purged from that system under its record-retention policy.
5. Where do I search El Paso felony criminal cases?
Felony criminal case files are maintained by the El Paso County District Clerk Criminal Division. The County also provides a public criminal case-search route through its Records Search system.
6. Where do I search El Paso misdemeanor records?
Adult misdemeanor records are maintained by the El Paso County Clerk Criminal Division. The office also provides copies and local background-search letters.
7. How do I find someone in the El Paso County jail?
Use the official El Paso County Jail Records search. The County states that the system searches current jailings and uses CAPTCHA protection. If the system is unavailable, contact the appropriate clerk.
8. How do I request an El Paso Police report?
Use the El Paso Police Department’s Open Records Request route through the City’s official website. Be specific about the incident date, report number, location and type of document requested.
9. Does an El Paso County Sheriff’s background check cover all of Texas?
No. The County states that the Sheriff’s local background check is based on arrest records generated by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. Use Texas DPS for broader statewide public criminal-history research.
10. Where do I search a federal criminal case from El Paso?
El Paso County federal cases fall within the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, El Paso Division. Electronic federal court records are available through PACER.
Official sources for continuing an El Paso records search
- City of El Paso — Municipal Courts
- El Paso Municipal Court — Public Access Portal
- El Paso Police Department
- City of El Paso — Open Records / City Clerk
- El Paso County — Records Search
- El Paso County District Clerk — Criminal Cases
- El Paso County District Clerk
- El Paso County Clerk — Criminal Division
- El Paso County — Jail Records
- El Paso County Sheriff’s Office — Background Checks / Clearance Letters
- El Paso County Sheriff’s Office — Crime Records
- Texas DPS — Public Criminal History Search
- TDCJ — Offender Search
- Texas Appellate Case Search
- U.S. District Court — Western District of Texas Jurisdiction
- PACER — Federal Court Records