Court records in Comal County, Texas, are maintained by the county clerk and the district clerk and can be accessed through online tools, official court portals, and the clerk's office. ComalCourt.us can help you find publicly available court record information for Comal County. You can also search records through the Comal County Clerk's public access portal, the District Court office, and statewide resources maintained by the Texas Judicial Branch.
Comal Court System Overview
Comal County is served by two state district courts — the 22nd District Court and the 207th District Court — both located in New Braunfels. The 22nd Judicial District encompasses Comal County exclusively. District courts in Texas are courts of general jurisdiction, handling the most serious criminal and civil matters. Comal County also has two county courts at law that handle a broad range of cases below the district court level. The county seat and primary courthouse are located in downtown New Braunfels.
Courts Serving Comal County
22nd District Court
207th District Court
Comal County Court at Law No. 1
Comal County Court at Law No. 2
Justice of the Peace Courts
Comal County has four Justice of the Peace precincts handling small claims, evictions, and minor criminal matters. Contact the Comal County official website for precinct-specific addresses and phone numbers.
New Braunfels Municipal Court
Federal Court — U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas (San Antonio Division)
Comal County falls within the Western District of Texas. Federal bankruptcy cases are also handled through this district.
What Types of Cases Comal County Courts Hear
Courts in Comal County handle a wide range of case types across multiple levels of jurisdiction:
- Criminal: Felonies, misdemeanors, and Class C misdemeanors (infractions)
- Civil: Lawsuits, contract disputes, personal injury, and debt collection
- Small claims: Civil disputes within dollar limits set by Texas law
- Family law: Divorce, custody, child support, protective orders, paternity, and adoption
- Probate: Wills, estates, guardianships, and conservatorships
- Juvenile: Delinquency and child protective proceedings
- Traffic: Citations and traffic-related offenses
District Court Cases in Comal County
The 22nd and 207th District Courts hear felony criminal cases, civil cases where the amount in controversy exceeds the county court at law's jurisdictional limit, and family law matters such as divorce and custody. Felony cases typically arrive at district court after indictment by a Comal County grand jury. Civil cases are filed directly with the district clerk. A district judge presides over each court, and cases are assigned between the two courts. The district courts also handle appeals from lower courts and post-conviction proceedings, including motions for new trials and habeas corpus petitions. For more detail on Comal County's district court operations, visit the county's official page.
Magistrate Court Cases in Comal County
In Texas, the magistrate function is performed by various judges — including justices of the peace, municipal court judges, and county court at law judges — rather than a separate magistrate division. In Comal County, the county courts at law handle Class A and Class B misdemeanors, civil cases where the amount in controversy falls between $200 and $200,000, probate matters, and appeals from justice and municipal courts. Justice of the peace courts handle Class C misdemeanors, small claims up to $20,000, evictions, and traffic violations. Municipal courts in New Braunfels and other incorporated cities within the county handle city ordinance violations and fine-only criminal offenses. DUI (DWI in Texas) cases are typically filed as Class B misdemeanors or higher and are heard in county court at law or district court depending on the charge.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Comal County
Family Law
Divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, termination of parental rights, and civil protective orders are handled primarily by the district courts in Comal County. Contested family law matters go before a district judge, while some uncontested matters may be processed through the county courts at law.
Probate
Probate of wills, administration of decedent estates, guardianships, and trust disputes are heard in the county courts at law, which have concurrent probate jurisdiction in Comal County. Filings are made through the county clerk's office.
Juvenile
Juvenile cases — including delinquency and child protective proceedings — are heard in the designated juvenile court, which is one of the district courts. Juvenile records are confidential under Texas Family Code and are not available to the general public. Contact the Comal County Juvenile Probation Department for procedural questions.
How Cases Move Through the Comal County Court System
- Filing / Initiation: Criminal cases begin with an arrest or complaint; civil cases start with a petition filed with the appropriate clerk. Family law and probate cases are initiated by petition.
- Assignment: Cases are assigned to a specific court and judge. District court cases are divided between the 22nd and 207th courts.
- Initial Hearing: Criminal defendants are arraigned and advised of charges. Civil parties attend an initial scheduling conference or receive a court-set deadline.
- Pre-Trial Phase: Parties exchange discovery, file motions, and — in criminal cases — negotiate potential plea agreements.
- Trial or Resolution: Cases proceed to a bench or jury trial, or are resolved through plea, settlement, default judgment, or dismissal.
- Post-Judgment: Criminal cases move to sentencing and possible appeal. Civil judgments may be enforced or appealed to the appropriate appellate court.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Comal County
Court administration in Comal County is overseen by the administrative district judge for the local judicial region. Day-to-day operations are managed by court coordinators for each court. Local rules governing practice in Comal County district courts can typically be found through the Texas Courts website or by contacting the district clerk's office directly.
Under the Texas Public Information Act, most court records are generally open to the public. Exceptions include sealed records, juvenile proceedings, and cases subject to orders of nondisclosure or expunction. Information about expunction and nondisclosure is available through the Texas State Law Library.
Hearings in Comal County are typically held in person at the courthouse. Some proceedings may be conducted remotely by video or telephone at the court's discretion — contact the specific court coordinator to ask about remote hearing availability.
For questions about court administration, call the Comal County Courthouse at 830-221-1230.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Comal County
- County Clerk Records Search: The Comal County Clerk's public access portal allows online searches of land records, and the County Clerk Records Information page provides forms and instructions for requesting vital records and court documents.
- Statewide Court Records Guide: The Texas State Law Library court records guide explains how to locate case records across Texas courts, including which clerk maintains which records.
- Criminal History Search: The Texas DPS Criminal History Name Search provides public criminal history information for a fee. Additional crime records services are available through the DPS Crime Records Division.
- Jail Records and Background Checks: The Comal County Jail open records request page explains how to request jail records and local background checks for Comal County residents.
- Inmate Information: For individuals incarcerated in state facilities, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice offender search provides location, offense, and release date information.
- Wanted Suspects: The Comal County Crime Stoppers wanted suspects list is maintained by the Comal County Sheriff's Office.
- Marriage and Vital Records: Marriage licenses are available through the Comal County Clerk's office. Statewide vital records — including marriage and divorce verification — can be ordered through Texas DSHS Vital Statistics.
- Property Tax Records: Search and pay property taxes through the Comal County Tax Assessor-Collector portal. Property appraisal information is available from the Comal Appraisal District.
- Sheriff's Office: The Comal County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement records and can be reached at 830-620-3400.
- Self-Help and Court Forms: Court forms and self-help resources are linked from the County Clerk's forms page, which also connects to Texas Court Help for self-represented litigants.