Find Public Records in Somervell County
Somervell County public records are held by the County Clerk and District Clerk in Glen Rose, the county seat in North Central Texas. With a population of about 9,000, Somervell County is a smaller county where the Glen Rose courthouse handles all official filings, including property deeds, court cases, and marriage records. Requests can be made in person or by mail, and some records are accessible through the Texas online court portal. This page explains how to locate and request public records from Somervell County offices and what search tools are available through state databases.
Somervell County Overview
County Clerk Records
The Somervell County Clerk records and indexes property instruments including deeds, deeds of trust, liens, and easements. The office also handles marriage licenses, assumed name certificates, and commissioners court minutes. Plain copy fees are $1 per page and certified copies cost $5 plus the per-page fee. The clerk's office is at the courthouse in Glen Rose.
Somervell County has grown in recent decades as people have moved out from the DFW Metroplex. The clerk's deed records reflect this growth, with an increasing volume of residential subdivision plats and new property filings. If you need to search recent deed records or find a plat map, the clerk's office can help in person or by mail request. Call ahead to confirm hours and any current backlog before visiting.
District Court Records
Somervell County is part of the 18th Judicial District, which also serves Erath County. The District Clerk handles felony criminal cases, civil suits, family law proceedings, and probate matters. Case index data is searchable through the free re:SearchTX portal by name or cause number. For copies of specific documents, contact the District Clerk's office in Glen Rose. Civil filings can be submitted electronically through eFileTexas.
Property Records
Property in Somervell County includes a mix of rural ranching land, residential properties near Glen Rose, and tracts near the Paluxy River corridor. The County Clerk's deed index covers all recorded transactions. The Somervell County Appraisal District maintains current ownership and appraisal data. If you want to find who owns a specific parcel, the appraisal district's online tools or a phone call can often give you current ownership quickly. For ownership history and title chains, use the clerk's deed index.
Somervell County borders the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant area, and easement and right-of-way records associated with that facility may be part of the county's land records. Plat maps for residential subdivisions in the county are also filed with the clerk and show lot layouts for newer developed areas.
Public Information Act Requests
Under the Texas Public Information Act, you can request records from any Somervell County government office. Submit a written request to the specific agency. The office has 10 business days to respond. Most county records are public. Exceptions include active law enforcement files, some personnel records, and data protected by other Texas statutes. If your request is denied, contact the Texas Attorney General's Office to challenge the denial and get a ruling.
Vital Records and Criminal History
Certified birth and death certificates for events in Somervell County are issued by Texas DSHS Vital Statistics. They are not available from the county clerk. A birth certificate costs $23 and a death certificate costs $21. You can order online, by mail, or in person through DSHS. Marriage licenses are recorded by the County Clerk. Divorce records are in the District Clerk's case files.
For statewide criminal history data, contact the Texas DPS Crime Records Service. Local arrest and jail records in Somervell County are held by the sheriff's office. Historical state records can be found through the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics page, shown below, is the official source for ordering certified birth and death records for events anywhere in Texas, including Somervell County.
DSHS Vital Statistics processes certified vital record orders online and by mail, typically returning records within a few weeks of a complete application.
Cities in Somervell County
Somervell County has no cities with a population over 100,000. Glen Rose is the county seat and largest community. No qualifying cities have dedicated pages for this county.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Somervell County.