Yes, divorce records are public in Texas. Court filings in a divorce case are presumed open, and anyone can request the file from the district clerk in the county where the case was heard without explaining why or showing a connection to either spouse. The limits sit around the edges: certain personal identifiers have to be redacted before a document is filed, and parties can ask the court to shield or seal particularly sensitive material.
The openness comes from two sources working together. The Texas Public Information Act entitles every person “at all times to complete information about the affairs of government” and lists court records as public information.1Justia Law. Texas Government Code Chapter 552 – Public Information Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 76a adds that court records “are presumed to be open to the general public.”2South Texas College of Law. Texas Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 76a – Sealing Court Records
What Shows Up in a Texas Divorce File
A typical case file contains the original petition for divorce, any amended petitions, the respondent’s answer, temporary orders, the final decree, and the supporting documents filed along the way. Both spouses’ names, the case number, filing dates, and the date the divorce was granted are all visible.
The decree itself spells out how property and debts were divided, custody and visitation, child support, and any spousal maintenance. If the case was contested, you may also find sworn inventories of assets and debts, financial disclosures, and discovery documents in the file. The more the parties fought, the more detail ends up on the public record.
Decree or Certificate: Know Which One You Need
These two documents get confused constantly, and they are not interchangeable.
A divorce decree is the court order that ends the marriage. It is the long document with the actual terms, and you need a copy to enforce property division, custody, or support through the courts.3USAGov. How to Get a Copy of a Divorce Decree or Certificate
A divorce certificate is a vital record that simply confirms a divorce happened. It lists both spouses’ names and the date and location of the divorce, and nothing else. If you only need to prove you are no longer married, say for remarrying or changing your name, the certificate is usually enough.3USAGov. How to Get a Copy of a Divorce Decree or Certificate
How to Pull a Texas Divorce Record
District Clerk’s Office
The district clerk in the county where the divorce was filed is the primary source for the decree and the full case file. You can request copies in person, by mail, or through the clerk’s online portal if the county offers one. Full names of both spouses and an approximate filing date will speed up the search; a case number makes it nearly instant.
Copy fees vary by county but generally run about $1.00 per page, with an additional $5.00 for certification. Harris County charges $1.00 per page for paper copies plus $5.00 for certification and seal.4Harris County District Clerk. Purchase Copies Brazos County charges the same.5Brazos County, TX. Documents and Filing Fees
Texas Vital Statistics
The Texas Department of State Health Services keeps indexes of Texas divorces going back to 1968 and will issue a divorce verification letter confirming that a divorce was recorded with the state. The letter is not a legal substitute for the decree.6Texas Department of State Health Services. Marriage and Divorce Records You can order it online through Texas.gov, by mail, or in person at the DSHS Austin office or a local vital records office. If you need the actual terms of the divorce, you still have to go through the district clerk.
Online Court Records
The re:SearchTX portal, run by the Texas court system, provides case information from all 254 Texas counties. It offers a 14-day free trial and then requires a subscription.7re:SearchTX. re:SearchTX – Texas Court Records Many county clerks also run their own free docket search tools. What you can actually see varies: some let you view and download documents, others only show basic case information.
What Must Be Kept Out of the File
Texas does not have a magic filter that scrubs personal data from divorce filings. Under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21c, the person filing a document is prohibited from including sensitive data unless a statute specifically requires it. The responsibility sits with the filer, not the clerk.8Texas Courts. Texas Rules of Civil Procedure – Rule 21c Privacy Protection for Filed Documents
Rule 21c defines sensitive data to include:
- Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers, and tax identification numbers
- Bank account, credit card, and other financial account numbers
- Birth dates, home addresses, and the name of any person who was a minor when the case was filed
Redaction is done by replacing digits with the letter “X” or by removing the data and marking the spot as redacted. The filer must keep an unredacted copy for the length of the case and any appeal filed within six months of judgment.8Texas Courts. Texas Rules of Civil Procedure – Rule 21c Privacy Protection for Filed Documents
If you are filing your own divorce paperwork, take this seriously. A document filed without proper redaction puts your Social Security number, account numbers, and home address into a file strangers can request.
Asking the Court to Protect More
Parties can ask the court to shield information beyond the Rule 21c list. The usual tool is a protective order under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 192.6. Either party can file a motion asking the court to limit disclosure, restrict how discovery materials are used, or order that certain results be sealed. The court can issue whatever order serves the interest of justice.9South Texas College of Law. Texas Rules of Civil Procedure 192.6 – Protective Orders This is common when a divorce involves detailed business valuations, trade secrets, or medical records.
Full sealing of a divorce case is a different question, and here Texas law has a wrinkle most summaries miss. Rule 76a, which governs sealed court records, explicitly excludes “documents filed in an action originally arising under the Family Code” from its definition of court records.2South Texas College of Law. Texas Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 76a – Sealing Court Records Divorces arise under the Family Code, so the strict 76a procedure, with its public notice, 14-day waiting period, and open hearing where any member of the public can intervene, does not directly apply. Family law judges have broader discretion, though they still need a compelling reason. Domestic violence, child safety, and highly sensitive financial information that could cause real harm are the circumstances where sealing has the best chance. Even then, judges more often seal specific exhibits than an entire case file. Raise it early with your attorney if you think it applies.
Your Divorce on People-Search Sites
Even a properly redacted court file does not keep your divorce off the open internet. Data brokers and people-search sites routinely scrape public court indexes and republish basic details. A search of your name may turn up the fact that you were divorced, when, and in which county.
Removal is possible but tedious. Most of these sites bury an opt-out procedure in their privacy policy or terms of service. You submit a request, verify your identity, and wait. Removing yourself from one site does nothing about the dozens of others, and some re-scrape public records on a schedule, so your information can reappear. Check back periodically.
If a consumer reporting agency puts inaccurate divorce information into a background check or credit report, the Fair Credit Reporting Act requires the company that furnished the data to investigate a dispute you file.10Federal Trade Commission. Fair Credit Reporting Act That protection applies to reporting agencies, not to every website that happens to list public records. For ordinary people-search sites, the site’s own opt-out process is usually your only lever.