Kendall County Public Records /Kendall County Court Records

Kendall County Court Records

What Is Kendall County Court Records

Court records in Kendall County, Texas, are official documents generated by the judicial system in the course of legal proceedings. These records encompass a broad range of materials, including case files, dockets, pleadings, motions, orders, judgments, transcripts, exhibits, and sentencing records. Each document type serves a distinct function: dockets provide a chronological index of case events, pleadings contain the formal written statements of parties, and judgments reflect the court's final determinations.

Court records are distinct from other categories of public records maintained in Kendall County. Property records, for example, are held by the County Appraisal District or County Clerk's real property division, while vital records such as birth and death certificates are administered separately under the Texas Department of State Health Services. Court records, by contrast, are generated exclusively through judicial proceedings and maintained by the clerk of the court in which the case was filed.

The following courts in Kendall County maintain their own records:

District Court – handles felony criminal cases, major civil matters, and family law
County Court at Law – handles misdemeanor criminal cases, civil cases under jurisdictional limits, and probate matters
Justice of the Peace Courts – handle small claims, Class C misdemeanors, and traffic violations
Municipal Court (City of Boerne) – handles Class C misdemeanor offenses and city ordinance violations
Probate Court – matters involving wills, estates, and guardianships are handled through the County Court at Law in Kendall County

Records span civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic matters. Under Texas Government Code § 552.001, public information is broadly defined to include any information collected, assembled, or maintained by or for a governmental body.

Are Court Records Public In Kendall County

Court records in Kendall County are generally accessible to the public under Texas law. The Texas Public Information Act establishes the presumption that government records, including court records, are open to public inspection unless a specific statutory exception applies. Additionally, Texas Government Code § 22.004 authorizes the Texas Supreme Court to adopt rules governing the management and public access to court records statewide.

The following categories of court records are generally available to the public:

Most civil case files, including petitions, answers, and supporting documents
Criminal case files following the filing of formal charges
Final judgments and court orders
Docket sheets and hearing schedules
Probate filings, including wills admitted to record

Members of the public should note that federal court records for cases filed in the Western District of Texas are maintained separately through the federal PACER system and are not accessible through Kendall County's local court offices. State court records, by contrast, are managed at the county level.

Certain records are exempt from public disclosure under Texas law, including juvenile records, sealed case files, mental health commitment records, and documents protected by court order. The Texas Judicial Branch provides statewide guidance on record access policies applicable to all Texas courts.

How To Find Court Records in Kendall County in 2026

Members of the public seeking court records in Kendall County may access them through several official channels. The process varies depending on the court type and the nature of the case.

In-Person Requests:

Visit the Kendall County District Clerk's Office for district court records involving felony criminal, civil, and family law matters
Visit the Kendall County Clerk's Office for county court at law records, probate matters, and misdemeanor cases
Visit the Justice of the Peace precinct office for JP court records
Visit the Boerne Municipal Court for municipal court records

By Mail:

Submit a written request identifying the case by name, cause number, or approximate filing date
Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and any applicable copy fees
Mail requests to the appropriate clerk's office

Online:

Use the Kendall County online case search portal where available
Access the Texas judiciary's statewide search tools for district and county court records

Required Information for Requests:

Full legal name of one or more parties
Case or cause number (if known)
Approximate year of filing
Type of case (civil, criminal, family, probate)

Official request forms, when available, may be obtained directly from the clerk's office counter or the county's official website.

How To Look Up Court Records in Kendall County Online?

Several online portals currently provide access to Kendall County court records, depending on the court level involved.

Texas District and County Clerk Online Portal: Kendall County participates in the state's online case management infrastructure. Members of the public may search district and county court records through the county's case search system, which indexes case names, cause numbers, filing dates, and case statuses.

Tyler Technologies / Odyssey Portal: Many Texas counties, including Kendall County, use the Odyssey case management system. Users may search by party name, attorney name, or cause number to retrieve docket information and case summaries.

Search Steps for Online Access:

Navigate to the Kendall County official website or the clerk's online portal
Select the appropriate court type (district, county, or justice court)
Enter the party name, cause number, or filing date range
Review the case summary, docket entries, and available documents
Request certified copies through the clerk's office if official documents are needed

The Texas Judicial Branch maintains a directory of court websites and online access tools for all Texas courts, including those in Kendall County. For a comprehensive overview of how court records are organized across Texas jurisdictions, the Texas State Law Library's court records guide provides detailed navigation instructions.

How To Search Kendall County Court Records for Free?

Texas law currently guarantees members of the public the right to inspect public court records at no charge. Under Texas Government Code § 552.228, governmental bodies may not charge fees for making public information available for inspection. Fees may, however, be assessed for printed or certified copies.

The following free search options are available to the public:

In-person inspection at the District Clerk's Office or County Clerk's Office during regular business hours, at no cost
Online case search through the Kendall County Clerk or District Clerk's web portal, which provides free access to case summaries and docket sheets
Odyssey Public Access Portal, where available, allows free name-based and cause-number-based searches
Texas Judicial Branch website, which links to free court directories and case lookup tools statewide

Fees are typically assessed only when a requestor requires printed copies (generally $1.00 per page for standard copies) or certified copies (which carry an additional certification fee). Members of the public who wish to inspect records without incurring costs may do so at the clerk's public counter during posted business hours.

What's Included in a Kendall County Court Record?

The contents of a court record vary by case type, but generally include the following categories of documents:

Civil Court Records:

Original petition or complaint
Defendant's answer and counterclaims
Motions filed by either party
Court orders and rulings
Final judgment
Post-judgment filings (e.g., motions for new trial, abstracts of judgment)

Criminal Court Records:

Charging instrument (indictment, information, or complaint)
Arrest and booking information (where filed with the court)
Plea documents
Pre-trial motions and rulings
Sentencing records and probation orders
Appellate filings

Family Court Records:

Divorce petitions and decrees
Child custody and support orders
Protective orders (some may be restricted)
Adoption records (typically sealed)

Probate Records:

Will and testament filings
Inventory and appraisement of estate assets
Letters testamentary or letters of administration
Final accounting and order of distribution

Traffic and Justice Court Records:

Citation information
Plea and payment records
Judgment of conviction or dismissal

How Long Does Kendall County Keep Court Records?

Kendall County courts retain records in accordance with the retention schedules established by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and the Texas Judicial Council. Retention periods vary by record type and court level.

Record Type	Minimum Retention Period
Felony criminal case files	Permanent
Misdemeanor criminal case files	10 years after final disposition
Civil case files (general)	10 years after final disposition
Probate records	Permanent
Justice of the Peace records	5–10 years depending on case type
Municipal court records	5 years (Class C misdemeanors)
Judgment records	Permanent
Court dockets and indexes	Permanent

These schedules are issued pursuant to the Texas Local Government Records Act and are administered by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Courts are required to follow approved retention schedules and may not destroy records before the applicable retention period has elapsed. Members of the public seeking older records should contact the relevant clerk's office directly to confirm availability.

Types of Courts In Kendall County

Kendall County's court system operates within the Texas state judicial hierarchy, which proceeds from municipal and justice courts at the local level through district courts, then to the Courts of Appeals, and ultimately to the Texas Supreme Court (civil/family matters) and Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (criminal matters).

Kendall County District Court (216th Judicial District)

Kendall County District Clerk's Office 201 E. San Antonio Ave., Suite 104, Boerne, TX 78006 (830) 331-8120 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Kendall County District Clerk

Kendall County Court at Law

Kendall County Clerk's Office 201 E. San Antonio Ave., Suite 101, Boerne, TX 78006 (830) 331-8315 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Kendall County Clerk

Justice of the Peace – Precinct 1 201 E. San Antonio Ave., Boerne, TX 78006 (830) 331-8380 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Kendall County Justice of the Peace

City of Boerne Municipal Court 447 N. Main St., Boerne, TX 78006 (830) 249-9511 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM City of Boerne Municipal Court

What Types of Cases Do Kendall County Courts Hear?

Each court in Kendall County exercises jurisdiction over specific categories of cases as defined by Texas law.

216th District Court:

Felony criminal cases (state jail felonies through first-degree felonies)
Civil cases involving amounts over $200 (no upper limit)
Family law matters (divorce, child custody, child support, termination of parental rights)
Juvenile matters

County Court at Law:

Class A and Class B misdemeanor criminal cases
Civil cases with amounts in controversy between $200 and $250,000
Probate matters (wills, estates, guardianships)
Mental health commitment proceedings
Appeals from Justice of the Peace courts

Justice of the Peace Courts:

Class C misdemeanor offenses
Small claims cases (up to $20,000)
Eviction (forcible entry and detainer) proceedings
Traffic violations
Magistrate functions (setting bail, issuing warrants)

City of Boerne Municipal Court:

Class C misdemeanor violations of state law occurring within city limits
City ordinance violations
Fine-only traffic offenses

How To Find a Court Docket In Kendall County

A court docket is the official schedule or log of proceedings in a case, listing all filings, hearings, and actions taken by the court. Members of the public may access Kendall County court dockets through the following methods:

Online Docket Search:

Access the Kendall County District Clerk or County Clerk's online portal and search by party name or cause number to retrieve the case docket
The Texas Judicial Branch website provides links to individual court websites where docket information may be available

In-Person Docket Inspection:

Visit the District Clerk's Office or County Clerk's Office during public counter hours
Request the docket sheet for a specific cause number; staff will retrieve the record from the case management system

Hearing Schedules:

Weekly or daily hearing schedules for district and county courts may be posted at the courthouse or available upon request from the clerk's office
Justice of the Peace and Municipal Court hearing schedules are available at the respective court offices

Steps to Search a Docket Online:

Navigate to the Kendall County clerk's online case search portal
Enter the cause number or party name in the search fields
Select the matching case from the results list
Review the docket entries, which list each filing and court action chronologically
Note hearing dates, judge assignments, and case status

Which Courts in Kendall County Are Not Courts of Record?

A court "not of record" is a court that does not maintain a verbatim transcript of proceedings and whose judgments may be appealed by trial de novo—meaning the case is reheard entirely in a higher court rather than reviewed on the record. Under Texas Government Code § 30.00003 and related provisions of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Justice of the Peace courts and Municipal Courts in Texas are generally classified as courts not of record unless they have been specifically designated as courts of record by local legislation.

In Kendall County, the following courts are currently classified as courts not of record:

Justice of the Peace Courts (all precincts) – Appeals from JP court judgments are heard by trial de novo in the County Court at Law
City of Boerne Municipal Court – Unless the municipality has adopted a municipal court of record designation, appeals proceed by trial de novo to the County Court at Law

Courts of record in Kendall County—the 216th District Court and the County Court at Law—maintain official transcripts and case files, and appeals from these courts proceed on the record to the Fourth Court of Appeals in San Antonio, and thereafter to the Texas Supreme Court or Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, depending on the nature of the case.