Fannin County Public Records Lookup
Fannin County public records are kept by the County Clerk and District Clerk in Bonham, the county seat in Northeast Texas near the Oklahoma border. These offices hold property deeds, court case filings, marriage licenses, and other official county documents. The County Clerk handles property recordings and vital records, while the District Clerk manages civil and criminal court files. Records are available in person at the Bonham courthouse, by mail request, or through statewide online databases. This guide covers how to search and request Fannin County public records.
Fannin County Overview
Fannin County Clerk Records
The Fannin County Clerk in Bonham is the official keeper of the county's public records. This office maintains property instruments including deeds, deeds of trust, liens, releases, easements, and plat maps. They also file marriage licenses, assumed name certificates, and commissioners court minutes. Bonham is the county seat for Fannin County in northeast Texas, located near the Oklahoma border north of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The county has seen growing residential interest as people move outward from the DFW area.
Copies of documents cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies require an additional $5.00 certification fee. For mail requests, write to the County Clerk in Bonham, describe the record type, include party names and approximate dates, and enclose a check or money order for estimated fees. The office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours.
Vital records filed locally in Fannin County can be obtained from the County Clerk. The statewide archive for vital records is Texas DSHS Vital Statistics. State birth certificates cost $23 and death certificates cost $21.
Court Records in Fannin County
Fannin County is served by the 336th Judicial District. The District Clerk in Bonham keeps all district court filings for the county, including civil cases, felony criminal matters, family law cases, divorces, and probate. If you need to find a court case connected to Fannin County, start with the District Clerk's office in Bonham.
You can search Fannin County court records online through re:SearchTX, the free public portal operated by the Texas Office of Court Administration. Search by party name or case number. Attorneys and parties file documents electronically through eFileTexas.gov, which is required in all Texas courts.
The Texas Office of Court Administration oversees court operations across all Texas counties and manages the re:SearchTX public records portal used for Fannin County case searches.
Public Information Act Rights
The Texas Public Information Act gives you the right to request records from any Fannin County government office. Requests must be in writing. Agencies have 10 business days to respond. The Texas Attorney General's Open Government Division handles disputes and is a free resource for the public.
Standard PIA copy fees are $0.10 per page. Legal exemptions apply to some records, including active investigations and certain personal information. Denials must be explained in writing with the applicable legal citation. You can challenge any denial by requesting an Attorney General opinion at no cost.
Note: Fannin County's growth means county offices may have higher volumes of records requests. Using online tools first for basic searches can save time.
Criminal Records and Property Searches
The Texas DPS Crime Records Service provides statewide criminal history searches. A name-based check costs $5.00 and covers arrests and convictions from all Texas law enforcement agencies, including the Fannin County Sheriff and Bonham Police Department. Incident reports from these agencies are subject to the Public Information Act.
For federal cases involving Fannin County, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas covers this jurisdiction. Search those records through PACER for a small per-page fee. The Fannin County Appraisal District maintains current property valuation and ownership data, which is a useful companion to the County Clerk's deed records.
Cities in Fannin County
Bonham is the county seat and the largest city in Fannin County. Other communities include Denison (which straddles the Grayson County line), Honey Grove, and Leonard. No cities in Fannin County meet the 100,000 population threshold for a dedicated city records page.
Nearby Counties
Fannin County is in northeast Texas near the Oklahoma border, surrounded by several counties in the Red River region.