Search Jim Wells County Felony Records
Jim Wells County felony records are maintained by the District Clerk's office in Alice, Texas, covering all criminal case filings processed through the Jim Wells County District Court. This page covers how to find and access those public records through local and state tools.
Jim Wells County Overview
Jim Wells County District Clerk
The Jim Wells County District Clerk's office is located in Alice, Texas, at the Jim Wells County Courthouse. The District Clerk is the official custodian of all felony criminal records in the county. This office files and maintains case records for the 79th District Court, which hears felony criminal matters. The clerk also handles civil cases, family law filings, and related court documents.
To search for a Jim Wells County felony case, you can visit the District Clerk's office in person or call ahead to ask about the case. If you have the cause number, bring it. Staff can search by name as well, though that takes more time. Plain copies are $1 per page. Certified copies carry a $5 per document certification fee in addition to the per-page copy cost. If no cause number is provided, a $5 research fee per name may apply.
The clerk's office is open Monday through Friday. Hours may vary. Call before making a long trip. Mail requests are also accepted. Include the case name, cause number if known, and a description of the records you need. Include your contact information so the office can reach you about fees and availability.
The Jim Wells County official website has contact information and details for county offices including the District Clerk in Alice.
The county website lists phone numbers, addresses, and hours for county offices serving the Alice area.
79th District Court Felony Jurisdiction
The 79th District Court serves Jim Wells County and handles all felony criminal cases filed there. The court is based in Alice at the county courthouse. The judge presides over jury trials, bench trials, plea hearings, and sentencing proceedings for all felony levels.
Texas felony levels under the Penal Code run from capital at the top to state jail felonies at the bottom. Capital felonies carry death or life without parole. First-degree felonies run 5 to 99 years. Second-degree felonies run 2 to 20 years. Third-degree felonies run 2 to 10 years. State jail felonies run 180 days to 2 years. Each of these cases generates court records filed with the District Clerk.
Jim Wells County is in South Texas. Drug cases connected to border-area activity, theft, and assault are among the more common felony categories handled by the 79th District Court. The clerk maintains records for all case types regardless of the nature of the charge.
Note: The 79th District Court also handles civil matters. If you are not sure whether a case is civil or criminal, the District Clerk can look it up by name and tell you what type of case it is.
Online Case Search for Jim Wells County
The re:SearchTX portal is the statewide court records database maintained by the Texas Office of Court Administration. It covers Jim Wells County and all other Texas counties in a single search interface. You can search by defendant name, cause number, or attorney name. Basic case information is free. Document images may require a subscription fee.
The Texas DPS Criminal History system provides name-based background searches for $3 each. Results pull from the statewide CCH database, which includes Jim Wells County felony dispositions. A fingerprint-based search is more reliable if you need accurate identification of a specific person's record. Both search types require a free CRS Public Website Account.
To look up a person currently incarcerated for a felony offense, use the TDCJ Offender Search. The results include current facility, projected release date, and offense information. This database covers everyone sentenced to Texas state prison or state supervision regardless of which county the case was in.
Jim Wells County Sheriff
The Jim Wells County Sheriff's Office enforces the law in unincorporated parts of the county and manages the county jail. The jail holds people arrested on felony charges pending trial, as well as people serving short sentences. To check on an inmate at the Jim Wells County jail, contact the sheriff's office directly.
Booking records at the jail include arrest charges, bond amounts, and custody status. These are separate from the court records held by the District Clerk. If you need to know whether someone has been arrested and booked, the sheriff's office is the right contact. For court history and case outcomes, go to the District Clerk.
The City of Alice also has its own police department that handles arrests within city limits. Most felony arrests made by Alice PD are eventually processed through the 79th District Court in the same courthouse as the District Clerk. Alice PD can be contacted separately for arrest reports and police records not yet in the court file.
Expunctions and Record Sealing in Jim Wells County
Texas allows people who qualify to clear their criminal records under certain conditions. An expunction under Chapter 55 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure destroys records of an arrest when the case was dismissed, the person was acquitted, or certain other conditions are met. After an expunction order is granted, agencies holding the records must destroy them.
An Order of Nondisclosure seals records rather than destroying them. It is available after successful completion of deferred adjudication probation for qualifying offenses. Sealed records are not available to the public but can still be accessed by criminal justice agencies. Both expunction and nondisclosure petitions are filed with the District Clerk in Jim Wells County.
Free legal help with expunctions and other civil matters may be available through legal aid organizations serving South Texas. Self-help guides and court forms are available at TexasLawHelp.org and the Texas Courts rules and forms page.
Nearby Counties
Jim Wells County is in South Texas. These pages cover felony records for neighboring counties in the region.