Taylor County, Texas, was created in 1878 and named after three brothers who died in the Battle of the Alamo: Edward, George, and James Taylor. It has an estimated population of 143,208 and a land area of 916 square miles. Abilene is its largest city and county seat.
Courts in Taylor County
The court system in Taylor County comprises district, county courts at law, justice, and municipal courts. Taylor County has four District Courts: the 42nd, 104th, 326th, and 350th District Courts. The District Courts are the highest in the county and handle cases beyond the jurisdiction of other county courts. They hear criminal, civil, probate, and domestic relations cases.
The Taylor County Courts at Law hear probate and guardianship cases, civil cases with more than $10,000 claims, and misdemeanors. There are two courts at law in the county.
There are five Taylor County Justice of the Peace precincts in the county. These courts handle Class C misdemeanors, preliminary felony hearings, and civil cases with claims under $20,000. They also issue marriage certificates and arrest/search warrants.
Lastly, Taylor County municipal courts hear minor misdemeanor cases, municipal ordinance violations, and traffic offenses. The three municipal courts in Taylor County are in Abilene, Merkel, and Tye.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Taylor County
Public court records in Taylor County can be viewed and copied by members of the public. These include warrants, court filings, writs, transcripts, orders, legal proceedings, and verdicts from the county courts. The Taylor County Clerk maintains all public court records from the Justice and County at Law Courts, while the Taylor County District Court Clerk maintains those of the District Courts. The clerks of municipal courts are responsible for their public court records.
Anyone can search for Taylor County public court records from the Taylor County Court Records Inquiry Portal. Criminal, civil, probate, and domestic relations cases can be searched on the portal. Alternatively, they can visit the county's courts to view or request public court records.
Types of Public Court Records in Taylor County
The availability of non-confidential court records in Taylor County helps to build public trust and confidence in the legal system. The following types of court records are available to the public in Taylor County unless sealed by court orders
- Criminal Court Records
- Family Court Records
- Civil Court Records
- Probate Court Records
Confidential Court Records in Taylor County
Certain court records in Taylor County are sealed to preserve privacy, protect sensitive information, or the interest of justice. These records are either sealed by court orders or by default under Texas law. Unlike public court documents, which are accessible to the public, confidential court records are not. They can only be examined by authorized persons or by court orders. Typically, the following court records cannot be accessed by the public in Texas:
- Substance abuse treatment records
- Most juvenile delinquency records
- Adoption records
- Medical and mental health records
- Sexually transmitted disease (STD) test results and treatment records
- Certain records of victims of sexual or domestic violence
- Unprosecuted charges
Part or all of a Taylor County court record may also be sealed if it contains sensitive information such as:
- Social Security number
- Driver’s license number
- Bank account details
- Individual or corporate tax records
- Intellectual proprietary
- Identifying information about jurors.
Juvenile Delinquency in Taylor, TX
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Taylor County, juvenile delinquency offenses are on the rise. There are many reasons for the inflation in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Texas often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of charges, and other family matters.
In 2017, a total of 350 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Taylor County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 350 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Taylor County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Taylor County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 13,399 |
| Dependency | 0 |
| Status | 205 |
Government of Taylor County, TX
| County Seat: | Abilene |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Dillon's Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1858 |
| Total Square Miles: | 919 |
| 2019 Population: | 136,290 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.01 |
| County Contact: | 300 Oak St
County Courthouse Abilene , TX 79602-1581 http://www.taylorcountytexas.org |
Taylor County, TX Courts
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Taylor County District Court
Address: 300 Oak St, Ste 400, Abilene, TX 79602
Phone: 325-674-1316