Gillespie County Public Records

Gillespie County public records are held at the courthouse in Fredericksburg, Texas. The County Clerk and District Clerk offices maintain property documents, court case files, marriage licenses, and vital records for the county. Gillespie County is located in the Texas Hill Country west of Austin and San Antonio. Court records can be searched online through the statewide re:SearchTX portal. This guide covers each office, what records they hold, how to request copies, and the fees involved.

Gillespie County Clerk

The Gillespie County Clerk office in Fredericksburg keeps the official record of all property transactions in the county. Documents on file include deeds, deeds of trust, liens, releases, easements, and plat maps. The clerk also records marriage licenses, assumed name certificates, and county court cases including probate and misdemeanor matters.

You can contact the County Clerk at the Gillespie County Courthouse, 101 W. Main Street, Fredericksburg, TX 78624. To get copies of recorded documents, you can visit in person or send a written request by mail. Plain copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies are $1.00 per page plus $5.00. Name search fees run $5.00 per name when staff assistance is needed for a manual search.

Birth and death certificates for events in Gillespie County are also on file with the County Clerk. Birth certificates are $23.00 and death certificates are $21.00 for the first copy. State-level certified copies are available from the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section in Austin.

District Clerk and Court Filings

The Gillespie County District Clerk holds all district court records for the county including civil suits, felony criminal cases, family law filings, juvenile matters, and contested probate. Gillespie County is served by the 216th Judicial District. The District Clerk office is at the courthouse in Fredericksburg.

Case records are searchable online for free through the re:SearchTX portal. Search by party name or cause number to see case type, filing date, and current status. This is the quickest way to see if a case was filed in Gillespie County before making a trip to Fredericksburg.

All attorney filings in Gillespie County courts go through eFileTexas.gov, the mandatory statewide e-filing system. Self-represented parties may also use the system to file. Mail requests for copies typically take 5 to 10 business days. In-person requests at the Fredericksburg courthouse are usually handled the same day.

Open Records Requests

Gillespie County offices comply with the Texas Public Information Act, Government Code Chapter 552. All written requests must receive a response within 10 business days. No special form is needed. Just put your request in writing, describe the specific records you want, and send 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 at the standard state rate. Records that are sealed or involve juvenile matters are not available to the public.

Federal cases for Gillespie County residents fall under the Western District of Texas. Use PACER to search those records.

Fees and Request Processing

Plain copies of court documents cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies are $1.00 per page plus $5.00 for the certification. Name searches cost $5.00 per name when a staff member must search manually. Administrative PIA copies cost $0.10 per page. Online searches through re:SearchTX are free.

In-person requests at the Fredericksburg courthouse are handled the same day in most cases. Mail requests take 5 to 10 business days. PIA requests must be answered within 10 business days. Vital record copies cost $23.00 for birth certificates and $21.00 for death certificates from the county clerk.

The Texas State Library and Archives in Austin holds historical government records from across Texas, including older documents from Gillespie County that predate electronic filing systems.

Vital Records and Background Checks

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section provides certified birth and death certificates, marriage records, and divorce verifications at the state level. You can order online, by mail, or in person in Austin. Birth records cost $23.00 and death records cost $21.00 for the first copy.

Criminal history checks are available through the Texas DPS Crime Records Division. Online name-based searches cost $3.15. The DPS Sex Offender Registry is free to search by name or location. The Texas State Library and Archives holds historical records and older government documents for research.

Cities in Gillespie County

Fredericksburg is the county seat and by far the largest city in Gillespie County. All district and county court records are at the courthouse in Fredericksburg.

Other communities in the county include Harper and Stonewall. No cities in Gillespie County meet the population threshold for a dedicated records page. All filings go through the Gillespie County courthouse in Fredericksburg.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Gillespie County in the Texas Hill Country.