McAllen Felony Records Search
McAllen felony records are maintained by the Hidalgo County District Clerk in Edinburg, which is the county seat. If you need to find a felony case involving someone in McAllen, search the county clerk's records system or use the statewide re:SearchTX portal. McAllen is one of the largest cities on the Texas-Mexico border, with roughly 145,000 residents. The Hidalgo County District Courts handle all state felony cases filed in the county, and the clerk's office keeps the official case files including charges, court orders, and judgment records.
McAllen Overview
Where McAllen Felony Records Are Filed
McAllen is in Hidalgo County, so all felony cases go to the Hidalgo County District Clerk's office in Edinburg. The clerk's office keeps records for all district court cases in the county, including felony criminal cases. Edinburg is about 12 miles northeast of McAllen. You can go there in person or search online.
Hidalgo County has several district courts that handle criminal cases. Felonies in the McAllen area are assigned to one of these courts based on the type of charge and court docket. The clerk tracks all filings from the first appearance through sentencing or dismissal.
| Office | Hidalgo County District Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 100 E. Cano St. Edinburg, TX 78539 |
| Phone | (956) 318-2200 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
If you need copies of case documents, you can get plain copies or certified copies from the clerk. Certified copies cost more but carry the court's official seal. Call ahead to confirm fees before you make the drive to Edinburg.
How to Find McAllen Felony Records
You have a few ways to search McAllen felony records. The fastest option is the statewide re:SearchTX portal run by the Texas Office of Court Administration. It pulls case data from participating courts across the state. Most Hidalgo County criminal cases appear there. You can search by full name or cause number.
The Texas Department of Public Safety runs a separate criminal history database. That system, known as the Crime Records Service, holds conviction records statewide. You can request a name-based search or a fingerprint-based search. Go to the DPS Crime Records page to see the request options and fees. Name-based searches cost $10 per name. Fingerprint searches are more thorough and cost $15.
For people currently in state custody, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice has a free offender search tool. You can look up someone by name or TDCJ number and see current housing location, offense, and release date information.
The McAllen Police Department handles initial arrest reports. For incident reports and arrest records from McAllen PD, contact the Records Division at 1300 N. 10th St., McAllen, TX 78501, or call (956) 681-2000.
McAllen Police Records Portal
The McAllen Police Department website provides information on how to request incident reports and arrest records from the Records Division at city hall.
This is the starting point for McAllen arrest records and incident reports. Felony court records, however, are held at the Hidalgo County District Clerk in Edinburg, not at the McAllen Police Department.
Types of Felony Records in McAllen
Felony records in Texas are not a single document. They are a set of files created at each step of the court process. If you're searching McAllen felony records, here's what you may find in the case file:
- Indictment or information showing the charges filed
- Arrest affidavit or probable cause statement
- Court docket showing all hearings and filings
- Plea agreements if the case resolved by plea
- Judgment and sentence signed by the judge
- Probation or community supervision orders
- Appeals if the defendant sought review
Not all of these are open to the public. Some records are sealed by court order. Juvenile records are not public. Cases that were expunged or sealed through a non-disclosure order are not visible in a standard search. If you believe a record was expunged, you may not find it through a normal name search.
McAllen Municipal Court
Not every criminal case in McAllen is a felony. The McAllen Municipal Court handles Class C misdemeanor cases, which include minor traffic violations and low-level city ordinance violations. These cases do not produce felony records. They stay at the municipal level and are not part of the district court system.
The McAllen Municipal Court is at 1300 N. 10th St., McAllen, TX 78501. You can reach them at (956) 681-1900. If you're looking for a traffic ticket or a Class C citation, that's where to search. If the charge was a Class A or B misdemeanor or a state jail felony, first-degree through third-degree felony, then the case file is at the Hidalgo County District Clerk.
One thing worth knowing: when someone is arrested in McAllen and charged with a felony, the case goes to the grand jury in Hidalgo County. The grand jury reviews the evidence and decides whether to indict. Only after indictment does a felony case formally begin in district court. Before indictment, very little public record exists.
Legal Help in McAllen
Several organizations offer legal aid in the McAllen and Rio Grande Valley area. If you need help with a felony case or a related legal issue, these may be useful:
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid serves the lower Rio Grande Valley and offers free civil legal services to low-income residents. Their McAllen office is at 300 S. Texas Blvd., Weslaco, TX 78596, and they can be reached at (888) 988-9996. They also handle some criminal adjacent matters like expunctions and non-disclosures in certain cases.
The State Bar of Texas offers a lawyer referral service at (800) 252-9690. You can also search the attorney directory at texasbar.com. For self-help guides and free court forms, texaslawhelp.org is a good starting point. It has plain-language explanations for how the Texas criminal court process works.
The Hidalgo County courthouse also has a self-help center for pro se litigants. Call the District Clerk at (956) 318-2200 to ask about available resources.
Hidalgo County Felony Records
McAllen is in Hidalgo County. All felony filings for McAllen residents go through the Hidalgo County District Court system. For full details on the county court, clerk contact info, and additional search resources, visit the Hidalgo County felony records page.