Harris County Criminal Records
A Guide to Harris County Criminal Records
If you live in or near Harris County, Texas, you may find yourself needing to search for criminal records. Being the largest county in Texas, by a long shot, there are more people arrested and incarcerated here than any other county in the state. Whether for personal reasons, employment, or legal matters, knowing how to navigate the criminal justice system can be incredibly helpful. This guide will explain the various methods of running a Harris County Texas criminal records search, what records are publicly available, and how to expunge a criminal conviction.
Whether you want to verify someone's criminal past, or run a criminal background check, you have come to the right place. You might be surprise what you can find online. All you need is a few moments, and we will show you how to research anyone's past, including your own.
How to Run a Harris County Criminal Records Search
Running a criminal records search in Harris County can be long-drawn-out process if you don't have a good starting point. The first step in looking up someone's criminal offenses is to determine what records you want to find. This might be an arrest, a conviction, a warrant, a traffic violation, or incarceration. Or, maybe you want to research a person's complete criminal history by running a comprehensive background check.
The next step is to gather all the information you know about the person of interest. This means knowing their full name, with the correct spelling, their age or date of birth, and any other identifying information. You may also want to know their address, phone number, or relatives so that you can verify that you have the correct record for the right person. This is because many people have the same first and last name and having more information will ensure the accuracy of your results. Now let us begin with the various ways to lookup this information online.
The final step is to determine what resource to use for your research. For example, if you want to lookup someone's complete criminal history then you can visit the Texas Department of Public Safety and run a criminal history check. They offer both official and un-official criminal history checks, depending on what you need. Another option is to use a privately run database resource. These are most commonly referred to as public record sites. These private databases offer quick access to tier-one background checks, which are typically used for personal reasons. One of the benefits of using a private database resource is they often offer anonymous searching. While the Texas DPS will make you register with your information to use their search platform.
Uncover Someone's Harris County Criminal History
If you want to really know who someone is, looking up their criminal history is a good start. For the most part, all someone's criminal convictions, are publicly available, well as arrests and warrants, which are allegations of a crime. Here is a list of what you can expect when running someone's criminal history:
3). Convictions & Sentencings
5). Jail Inmate and Prison Inmate Records
6). Felonies, Misdemeanors and Criminal Infractions
7). Probation and Parole Orders
8). Traffic Citations & DUIs/DWIs
10). Police Reports
11). Background Records
There are some exceptions to what is publicly available such as records that are sealed, expunged, juvenile and minor records, and those of a sensitive nature. That being said, the large majority of the records listed above are accessible by anyone upon request. It is also not possible to view a person's social security number, fingerprints, or credit information without expressed permission.
How Can I Lookup Harris County TX Criminal Records?
It depends on if you need official or unofficial records. If you want to run an official criminal background check on someone then you run one through the Texas DPS website, or other verified FCRA certified resources. If you just need to verify or research someone's criminal past for personal reasons, then you can use any third-party public records website. The intent of how you want to use the information you obtain will determine which resource you should use.
Can I Expunge My Harris County Criminal Record?
It is possible to expunge a record however, you will first need to find out if your case is eligible for expungement. Secondly, you will most likely need to hire an attorney to assist you as the legal process can be somewhat complicated. There may be a certain legal precedence you can use, or a specific path you need to take to have your record expunged that only an attorney can help with.
