Lamar County Records and Filings

Lamar County public records are filed at the courthouse in Paris, the county seat in Northeast Texas near the Oklahoma border. Property records, court case files, marriage records, and vital records are maintained by separate offices in Paris. Texas state systems allow online searches for court cases and criminal history. This guide covers each major record type, the office that holds it, what it costs to get a copy, and where to start your search for Lamar County records.

Lamar County Clerk

The Lamar County Clerk in Paris records all real property instruments for the county. Deeds, deeds of trust, liens, releases, easements, and plats are all indexed and available for public inspection. If you are researching title on Lamar County property, the clerk's grantor-grantee index is your starting point. Name searches cost $5.00 per name. Copies are $1.00 per page. Certified copies add $5.00 per document. Mail requests with prepayment are accepted.

Marriage licenses are issued and recorded by the County Clerk. Certified copies of Lamar County marriage records are available by request. The office also maintains probate records and commissioners court minutes dating back to the county's organization in the 1800s.

Certified birth and death records are available from the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Unit at dshs.texas.gov/vital-statistics. Birth certificates cost $23 and death certificates cost $21. Older records from Lamar County that predate the state registration system may be held locally by the clerk.

Lamar County District Court Records

The Lamar County District Clerk manages records for the 6th Judicial District Court, one of the older judicial districts in Texas. The court handles felony criminal cases, civil suits over the county court limit, and family law matters including divorce, child custody, and child support. The District Clerk in Paris is where you request certified copies of divorce decrees, civil judgments, and felony criminal case files.

The free re:SearchTX portal gives online access to the statewide case index. Search by name or case number to see basic case data for Lamar County. Actual documents require a direct request to the District Clerk. New cases filed through eFileTexas.gov appear in the portal after the clerk processes them.

For misdemeanor cases in Lamar County, the county court at law handles Class A and B matters as well as probate and civil suits under the district threshold. Those records are kept by the County Clerk. Federal cases are in the Eastern District of Texas and can be searched through PACER.

Public Information Requests

Under the Texas Public Information Act, any person can request records from Lamar County government bodies. This includes county departments, the City of Paris, local school districts, and other public entities. Write your request to the specific agency. No reason is needed. They must respond within 10 business days. If an exemption is claimed, the agency must ask the Texas AG's Open Government division for approval before withholding.

Standard copy costs are $0.10 per page for paper records. Electronic records may be less expensive. The AG's office publishes detailed rules on copying costs and what agencies can legally charge. If you think you are being overcharged or improperly denied, the AG's office is the right place to file a complaint.

Note: The City of Paris and Lamar County are separate government entities with separate records. Direct your request to the right agency depending on what you need.

Criminal History and Other Resources

Statewide criminal history covering Lamar County cases is available through the Texas DPS Crime Records Service. Name-based searches pull arrest and disposition data from all Texas jurisdictions. Certified copies of specific Lamar County criminal case files are available from the District Clerk in Paris.

Historical Lamar County records including older land records and archived documents may be available through the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Business entity registrations and UCC filings are at the Texas Secretary of State.

Texas courts are organized in a way that can make it tricky to know which court handled a specific case. The Office of Court Administration explains the structure.

Understanding the difference between the 6th District Court and the Lamar County courts at law helps you go directly to the right clerk when you need a specific record.

Cities in Lamar County

Paris is the county seat and by far the largest city in Lamar County. Chisum, Roxton, and other smaller communities are also in the county. All county records are maintained at the Paris courthouse.

No city in Lamar County meets the population threshold for a dedicated records page on this site. All residents access the same clerk offices in Paris for property, court, and vital records.

Nearby Counties

Lamar County is in the far northeast corner of Texas, bordered by Oklahoma to the north. It sits within reasonable driving distance of Texarkana and the Dallas metro.