Medina County Public Records

Medina County public records are maintained by the County Clerk and District Clerk at the courthouse in Hondo, a South Central Texas county seat located west of San Antonio along US-90. These offices hold court filings, property deeds, marriage records, and other official county documents. Some records are searchable through Texas state online portals, while others require a written request or in-person visit to the Hondo courthouse. This page covers how to find and request public records from Medina County offices and state systems.

County Clerk Records

The Medina County Clerk in Hondo keeps records that cover a wide range of public business. Property deeds, liens, and mortgage filings are recorded here and can be searched by the public. The Clerk also holds marriage licenses, assumed name certificates (DBAs), commissioners court minutes, and election records. Most property records go back many decades and are stored in the Clerk's official indexes.

You can visit the County Clerk's office at the Medina County Courthouse in Hondo during regular business hours. Staff can help you search indexes and pull documents. Copies of standard pages cost $1 each. Certified copies carry an extra $5 fee. Mail requests are accepted but you need to include the document type, names involved, and a check or money order for estimated fees.

The County Clerk also files and maintains court records for the County Court at Law. This court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, smaller civil matters, and some probate proceedings.

District Clerk Records

The Medina County District Clerk handles records for the district courts. These courts take on felony criminal cases, civil suits above the county court threshold, family law cases, and juvenile matters. The District Clerk keeps case files, docket sheets, orders, and final judgments. These records are public unless sealed by a judge.

To search district court records in Medina County, you can use the statewide re:SearchTX portal. This free tool lets you look up case details by name or case number without traveling to Hondo. The portal covers a large share of Texas district and county courts.

For filings that are not yet on re:SearchTX, contact the Medina County District Clerk directly. Staff can run searches and provide copies for the standard $1 per page fee.

Property and Appraisal Records

The Medina County Appraisal District sets property values for tax purposes. Their records show ownership, legal descriptions, assessed values, and exemptions. These are public records and many are available on the Appraisal District's website. You can search by owner name, address, or property ID. This is useful for verifying ownership, checking valuations, or researching land history.

Actual deed transfers and mortgage filings are recorded with the County Clerk, not the Appraisal District. Use both offices when doing full property research. The Appraisal District keeps current ownership data updated more frequently than deed records in some cases.

For more detail on Texas courts and how records flow through the system, see the Texas Office of Court Administration at txcourts.gov.

The Texas Office of Court Administration explains the structure of Texas courts and how records are organized statewide.

Understanding how courts are organized helps you figure out which office holds the records you need in Medina County.

Open Records Requests

Texas gives residents the right to request records from government bodies under the Texas Public Information Act. This law covers county offices, city agencies, school districts, and state agencies. You submit a written request describing the records you want. The agency has 10 business days to respond.

Most records are public. Some exceptions apply, including active criminal investigation files, personnel records in certain cases, and records sealed by court order. If an agency wants to withhold records, it must ask the Texas Attorney General for a ruling. You can learn more at the Texas Attorney General Open Government page.

For electronic records and online filing, Texas uses eFileTexas, a statewide system for submitting court documents. Attorneys and self-represented parties can use this platform to file and track cases in participating courts.

The fee for copies requested under the Public Information Act is $0.10 per page for standard paper copies. Certified copies cost more and follow the standard clerk fee schedule.

Vital Records

Birth and death certificates for events that occurred in Medina County are issued through Texas DSHS Vital Statistics. You can order them online, by mail, or in person at the DSHS office. Birth certificates cost $23 and death certificates cost $21. You can also visit the County Clerk's office, which often has older local birth and death records on file from before state centralization.

Marriage licenses are issued by the Medina County Clerk. Once a marriage takes place, the license is returned and filed as a public record. You can get copies from the County Clerk's office. Divorce records are maintained by the District Clerk since divorces go through district court.

For statewide vital records access, visit Texas DSHS Vital Statistics.

Cities in Medina County

Medina County's largest city is Hondo. No cities in Medina County currently exceed 100,000 residents.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Medina County.