Find Public Records in Franklin County

Franklin County public records are maintained at the county courthouse in Mount Vernon, Texas. The County Clerk and District Clerk offices hold property documents, court case files, marriage licenses, and vital records for residents throughout the county. Franklin County sits in Northeast Texas between Tyler and Texarkana. Many court records are searchable online through the statewide re:SearchTX system. This guide covers the offices, what records each holds, online access options, and standard fees for copies and requests.

Franklin County Clerk Office

The Franklin County Clerk maintains official property records and county court filings in Mount Vernon. Records on file include deeds, deeds of trust, liens, mortgage documents, releases, plat maps, and easements. The clerk also handles marriage licenses, assumed name certificates, and probate filings.

You can contact the Franklin County Clerk at the county courthouse in Mount Vernon to request copies or search for records. Plain copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies are $1.00 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee. Name searches run $5.00 per name when staff assistance is required. Birth and death certificates for events in Franklin County are also filed with the County Clerk. Birth certificates cost $23.00 and death certificates cost $21.00 for the first copy.

The County Clerk records all documents that affect real property in Franklin County. If you need to confirm title, check for liens, or look up a deed, this is the office to contact. Searches can be done by party name, document type, or date range.

Franklin County District Clerk

The Franklin County District Clerk holds all district court records including civil cases, felony criminal matters, family law filings, juvenile records, and formal probate cases. Franklin County is served by the 8th Judicial District. The District Clerk office is located at the county courthouse in Mount Vernon.

Case records are searchable online through the re:SearchTX portal at no cost. You can search by party name or cause number and view case type, filing date, and status. The portal covers Franklin County courts and is updated regularly. It gives you basic case information before you contact the clerk directly.

Attorneys and parties file court documents electronically through eFileTexas.gov. This is the mandatory system for attorney filings statewide. Self-represented parties may also use it. Mail requests take 5 to 10 business days. In-person requests are usually handled the same day.

Franklin County Open Records Requests

Franklin County offices respond to public records requests under the Texas Public Information Act, Government Code Chapter 552. Any written request gets a response within 10 business days. No special form is needed. Just put your request in writing, describe the records you want, and submit it to the right office.

If an agency wants to withhold records, it must seek a ruling from the Texas Attorney General's Open Government division before doing so. PIA copies from administrative county offices cost $0.10 per page under the standard state rate.

Note: Sealed court records, juvenile files, and records protected under specific statute exemptions are not available through public records requests.

Fees for Franklin County Records

Standard copy fees at the Franklin County courthouse are $1.00 per page for plain copies and $1.00 per page plus $5.00 for certified copies. Name search fees of $5.00 per name apply when a staff member must search manually. PIA copies from county administrative offices cost $0.10 per page.

Online searches through re:SearchTX are free and give immediate results. In-person requests at the Mount Vernon courthouse are typically handled the same day. Mail requests take 5 to 10 business days. All PIA requests receive a response within 10 business days as required by state law.

The eFileTexas system handles attorney e-filings for Franklin County courts and maintains an online record of all court activity.

All mandatory e-filings in Texas courts, including Franklin County, go through eFileTexas, and those filings appear in the re:SearchTX case search system.

Vital Records and Background Checks

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section maintains state-level birth and death records, marriage indexes, and divorce verifications. You can order certified copies online, by mail, or in person in Austin. These are often needed for legal and identification purposes.

Criminal history records are available through the Texas DPS Crime Records Division. Online name-based searches cost $3.15. The DPS also maintains the free Sex Offender Registry. For older records and historical documents, the Texas State Library and Archives serves as the main archive for state government records.

Federal court records for Franklin County fall under the Eastern District of Texas. Use PACER to search federal case filings.

Cities in Franklin County

Mount Vernon is the county seat and largest city in Franklin County. All district court and property records go through the courthouse in Mount Vernon.

Other communities in the county include Winnsboro (partially), Scroggins, and several small rural areas. No cities in Franklin County meet the population threshold for a dedicated records page.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Franklin County in Northeast Texas.