Find Felony Records in Cooke County
Cooke County felony records are filed and maintained by the District Clerk's Office in Gainesville, Texas, serving the 235th Judicial District Court. This page covers how to search, request, and obtain criminal case records from this north Texas county.
Cooke County Overview
Cooke County District Clerk
The Cooke County District Clerk is the official record keeper for the 235th Judicial District Court. The office is located at the Cooke County Courthouse, 101 South Dixon, Room 207, Gainesville, TX 76240. Phone: 940-668-5450. Fax: 940-668-5476. The District Clerk files and indexes all court documents, including felony criminal cases, civil filings, family law matters, and juvenile records.
At the conclusion of each felony case, the District Clerk is required to report the final disposition to the Texas Department of Public Safety. This is how felony convictions and deferred adjudications flow into the statewide Computerized Criminal History database. The District Clerk also coordinates jury duty for Cooke County. The Court Coordinator is Kristin Martin (940-668-5401). The District Judge is Janelle M. Haverkamp.
Court fees, fines, and costs are collected by the District Clerk's office. No personal checks are accepted. The office can take cash, money orders, and credit or debit cards. Online payment for criminal court costs is also available. Call first to get your balance before paying online to avoid overpayment.
The Cooke County District Clerk portal at co.cooke.tx.us has contact info, fee schedules, court dockets, and links to online records.
From this page you can also download forms like the Records Request Form, Statement of Inability to Afford Payment, and various court filing forms.
Cooke County Felony Case Records Online
Cooke County court records can be searched through two main online systems. The first is Texas Online Records, which is specifically set up for Cooke County and lets you look up cases handled by the District Clerk. This is a good starting point if you have a cause number or party name.
The second option is the re:SearchTX statewide portal. This system covers all 254 Texas counties and is free for basic case lookups. You can search by name, cause number, or attorney. Document images may require a subscription or in-person request. Data in re:SearchTX updates nightly, so very recent filings may not appear immediately.
You can also view the 235th Judicial District Court docket by visiting the Cooke County website at co.cooke.tx.us and clicking on District Court, then 235th Judicial District Court Docket. Docket entries show case number, time, party name, attorney or bondsman, action type, and offense description. This is a useful way to see what cases are scheduled on a given day.
The Texas Online Records portal for Cooke County allows direct lookup of District Clerk case records.
Use this portal to search by name or cause number for criminal, civil, and family law cases handled by the 235th District Court.
Records Requests and Copy Fees
To get copies of Cooke County felony records, you can request them in person, by mail, or by email. The Records Request Form is available on the county website or at the courthouse. The form can be emailed to districtclerk@co.cooke.tx.us. Include as much detail as possible, including the cause number if you have it.
If you send the request by mail, include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Copy fees are $1 per page for both certified and plain copies. Certification adds $5 per document on top of the per-page rate. If the clerk must search for a cause number or verify whether a document exists, a $5 research fee applies.
In-person requests are the fastest option. Visit Room 207 at the Cooke County Courthouse with your ID and payment. Staff can usually pull case files while you wait for common requests. For older records or complex searches, allow extra time.
Note: The District Clerk's office cannot provide legal advice. If you need help understanding what records mean or what steps to take next in a case, consult a licensed attorney or use self-help resources at TexasLawHelp.org.
235th District Court and Felony Case Types
The 235th Judicial District Court handles all felony criminal cases in Cooke County. This includes drug possession and delivery charges, assault and violent crimes, theft and burglary, weapons offenses, DWI felonies, and other serious crimes under the Texas Penal Code. Each case starts with an indictment from the grand jury and proceeds through arraignment, pre-trial hearings, and either a plea or trial.
Texas felonies break down into five levels. Capital felonies are the most serious and can result in life or death. First-degree felonies carry 5 to 99 years. Second-degree felonies run 2 to 20 years. Third-degree felonies bring 2 to 10 years. State jail felonies range from 180 days to 2 years. The level of the offense is set by the Texas Penal Code based on the nature and circumstances of the crime.
The District Clerk indexes each case by cause number, defendant name, and case type. These records are public and can be requested by anyone. Sealed records, juvenile records, and records under nondisclosure orders are exceptions to public access.
E-Filing and Online Payments
Cooke County accepts electronic filing through efile.txcourts.gov. E-filing customer service is available at 855-839-3453. Mandatory e-filing notices are posted on the county website. Important tips for e-filing: submit proposed orders as a separate lead document, save all exhibits as one file, and if filing a motion and order together, the envelope goes to the judge for approval.
Family cases require full names of all parties in the case caption. The District Clerk's office does not issue refunds for fees under $10 or from e-file submissions. Cases transferred in from another county require new case fees. Contact the office at 940-668-5450 if you have questions about what fees apply to your filing.
The re:SearchTX portal is linked directly from the Cooke County court system for statewide case lookups.
Registered users of re:SearchTX can set up case alerts and track Cooke County cases as they progress through the court system.
Cooke County Clerk's Office
The Cooke County Clerk is Pam Harrison. Address: Cooke County Courthouse, 101 South Dixon, Room 108, Gainesville, TX 76240. Phone: 940-668-5474. Office hours are 8:00 AM to 4:50 PM, Monday through Friday, including during the lunch hour. The County Clerk handles misdemeanor criminal cases, civil cases under $200,000, probate matters, and real property records.
The County Clerk's office also offers online search of public records, criminal and civil records search, and free real property and land records search. If your records request involves a misdemeanor case or a county court matter rather than a felony, you need to contact the County Clerk, not the District Clerk. The two offices are in the same courthouse but handle separate case types.
Statewide Criminal History Resources
For a comprehensive criminal history check covering all Texas counties, use the Texas DPS Crime Records Service. Name-based searches cost $3 per name and pull from the statewide Computerized Criminal History database. Fingerprint-based searches are more accurate and are required for formal background checks such as licensing applications.
The TDCJ Offender Search shows current and past inmates in Texas state prisons. You can search by name or TDCJ number to find people sentenced from Cooke County cases. The Texas Sex Offender Registry is searchable by county or zip code and includes all registered offenders with Cooke County addresses.
The Texas Attorney General's Open Government Hotline at (877) OPEN-TEX can answer questions about public records rights and what agencies are required to release under the Texas Public Information Act.
Nearby Counties
Cooke County borders several north Texas counties. Felony records for neighboring areas can be found through their District Clerk offices.