Find Public Records in Johnson County

Johnson County public records are filed at the courthouse in Cleburne and through Texas state systems accessible online. The county holds property documents, court case files, and vital records that go back well over a century. Whether you need a deed, a divorce decree, a criminal case file, or a copy of a local government document, this guide shows where to look, who to contact, and what you can find without making a drive to Cleburne.

Johnson County Clerk Records

The Johnson County Clerk operates from the courthouse in Cleburne and is the custodian of all recorded land instruments for the county. This includes deeds, deeds of trust, mortgage releases, easements, plats, and liens. If you are doing a title search on Johnson County property, the clerk's index is your primary source. A name search costs $5.00 per name. Staff can assist in person, or you can request copies by mail with prepayment.

Marriage licenses for Johnson County are issued and recorded by the County Clerk. Certified copies cost $1.00 per page plus $5.00 per certificate. Plain copies are $1.00 per page. The office also records some older probate records and commissioners court minutes.

Certified birth and death certificates are handled by the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Unit. Visit dshs.texas.gov/vital-statistics to order online or by mail. Birth certificates are $23 and death certificates are $21. If you are looking for older Johnson County records that predate the state system, check with the county clerk directly.

District Clerk and Johnson County Courts

The Johnson County District Clerk handles records for the 18th and 249th Judicial District Courts. These courts manage felony criminal cases, civil suits over $10,000, family law matters including divorce and custody, and certain appeals. A divorce decree or civil judgment from Johnson County will be in the District Clerk's files. If you need a certified copy, you can request it in person in Cleburne or by mail.

The re:SearchTX portal gives free online access to the statewide case index. You can search by name or case number and pull up basic case information. Documents themselves require a direct request to the clerk. Cases filed through eFileTexas.gov show up in the portal shortly after submission.

Johnson County is a fast-growing county in the DFW area, so the court system handles significant volume. The county court at law handles Class A and B misdemeanors, probate matters, and civil suits under $10,000. Those records are separate from the district court files and are kept by the County Clerk.

Note: Federal cases involving Johnson County residents fall under the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Search through PACER for federal civil, criminal, and bankruptcy filings.

Public Information Requests in Johnson County

The Texas Public Information Act covers all government bodies in Johnson County. You can request records from the county offices in Cleburne, the City of Cleburne, Burleson, Alvarado, and other local governments. Submit your request in writing. No reason is needed. The agency has 10 business days to respond and must ask the Texas Attorney General for a ruling before withholding documents.

Standard PIA copy fees are $0.10 per page for paper documents. Electronic records may be provided at lower cost or at no charge depending on the format. The AG's Open Government division handles complaints and publishes a cost rules chart that agencies must follow.

Criminal History and State Resources

For a statewide criminal background check, use the Texas DPS Crime Records Service. Name-based searches pull arrest and disposition data from all Texas jurisdictions. For a certified copy of a specific Johnson County case, contact the District Clerk in Cleburne.

Historical records from Johnson County, including older land records and probate files, may be available through the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Business entity filings and UCC records are maintained by the Texas Secretary of State and are relevant for commercial transactions.

The eFileTexas system is how attorneys and parties submit court filings electronically in Johnson County courts, and the public can see those filings through re:SearchTX.

Electronic filings in Johnson County courts appear in the public case index shortly after attorneys submit them through the state's efiling platform.

Cities in Johnson County

Cleburne is the county seat. Other significant communities include Burleson, Alvarado, Joshua, Keene, and Crowley. Burleson and Mansfield both straddle the Johnson-Tarrant county line.

Mansfield is a qualifying city with its own records page. Part of Mansfield lies within Johnson County, though the majority is in Tarrant County. Visit the Mansfield public records page for city-specific information.

Nearby Counties

Johnson County is located south of Fort Worth in the DFW metro area. Several neighboring counties are densely populated and have their own courthouse systems.