The Hidalgo County Clerk’s Office Criminal Department is committed to the protection and conservation of criminal records. Criminal Courts in Texas are organized on three levels insofar as assigned jurisdiction is concerned. At the lowest level are the justice and municipal courts. These courts try crimes designated as misdemeanors where the maximum punishment for the offense is a fine determined by an order signed by a judge.

Our Criminal Department serves County Courts at Law No. One, Two, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten and handle solely misdemeanor cases filed in Hidalgo County.

Duties include:

• Mailing out Notices of Arraignment to all Defendants and Notices to all Bondsmen.
• Processing all paperwork for defendants when reporting to Court.
• Filing and maintaining all NISI (failure to appear in court) cases and Bond Forfeitures.
• Providing Criminal Background Checks for Misdemeanor crimes committed in Hidalgo County.
• Providing documentation to defendants or attorneys who request case paperwork.

County-level courts occupy the middle level of the hierarchy of court structure and are the courts supported by the County Clerk. Original jurisdiction for these courts generally encompasses Class A and B misdemeanors. County-level courts also have appellate jurisdiction in cases originally tried in justice and municipal courts.

The highest level of trial court is the district court, which hears felony cases, the most serious of criminal cases. The County Clerk normally has no official duties in regard to district court cases.

Criminal Case Request Form
Criminal Case Request Form (Agency)

County Clerk's Case Search