Search Bowie County Family Court Records
Bowie County family court records are filed with the District Clerk at the courthouse in New Boston, which is the county seat. The county seat of Bowie County is New Boston, though the county also includes Texarkana, a bi-state city that straddles the Texas-Arkansas line. Family court cases for Texas-side Bowie County residents are filed in New Boston and handled by the 5th, 102nd, or 202nd District Courts. You can search case records online through the Tyler Odyssey portal, visit the courthouse in person, or submit a written request to the District Clerk. The online portal shows basic case information for free, but full document copies require a visit or a formal records request.
Bowie County Overview
Bowie County District Clerk and County Clerk
Two clerk offices maintain official records for Bowie County. Lori Caraway serves as the District Clerk and handles all family court case files: divorce cases, custody orders, child support actions, and protective orders from the three district courts. Tina Petty serves as the County Clerk and handles vital records, marriage licenses, land records, and probate files. Both offices are at 710 James Bowie Drive in New Boston.
For family court records, contact the District Clerk at (903) 628-6750. The mailing address is 710 James Bowie Drive, P.O. Box 248, New Boston, TX 75570. The fax number is (903) 628-6827. For marriage certificates, vital records, or probate matters, contact the County Clerk at (903) 628-6740. Both offices are open standard weekday business hours.
| District Clerk | Lori Caraway |
|---|---|
| District Clerk Address | 710 James Bowie Drive, New Boston, TX 75570 |
| District Clerk Phone | (903) 628-6750 |
| District Clerk Fax | (903) 628-6827 |
| County Clerk | Tina Petty |
| County Clerk Address | 710 James Bowie Dr, New Boston, TX 75570 |
| County Clerk Phone | (903) 628-6740 |
| County Clerk Fax | (903) 628-6729 |
| Mailing Address | P.O. Box 248, New Boston, TX 75570 |
Bowie County has three district courts: the 5th, 102nd, and 202nd District Courts. Each handles a portion of the civil, criminal, and family court docket. If you are looking for a specific case, the Tyler Odyssey portal allows you to search across all three courts at once. If you are unsure which court heard a particular matter, the online portal is the fastest way to find out without calling the clerk's office.
The county's location is worth noting for anyone who lives in the Texarkana area. Texarkana sits on the Texas-Arkansas state line. The Texas side of the city is in Bowie County, and Texas-side family court cases are handled here in New Boston. If a case involves parties who live on the Arkansas side of the line, it may be filed in Miller County, Arkansas, not in Texas at all. Make sure you are looking in the right state when you search.
Searching Bowie County Family Court Records Online
The Tyler Odyssey portal at bowiecountytx-web.tylerhost.net/web is the primary online search tool for Bowie County court records. This system covers civil, criminal, and family court cases and is free to use. You can search by party name or case number. Results show basic case information including party names, case type, filing date, and docket entries. The portal does not allow you to download full documents online. For document copies, you need to visit the courthouse or submit a formal request to the District Clerk.
The Tyler Odyssey portal at bowiecountytx-web.tylerhost.net provides free public access to Bowie County court case information including family court filings across the three district courts.
For a broader statewide search, use the re:SearchTX system operated by the Texas Judicial Branch. This covers cases filed through the state e-filing system since November 2018. It is searchable by name, case number, or attorney and is free to use. Copies from re:SearchTX are unofficial. The District Clerk remains the only source for certified copies of Bowie County family court records.
In-person searches can be done at 710 James Bowie Drive in New Boston. Public access terminals are available at the courthouse. Staff can help you search by name or cause number. Bring a photo ID. Copy fees are $1.00 per page for printed copies. Electronic copies cost $1.00 for the first ten pages and $0.10 for each page after that. Certification fees are additional on top of per-page costs.
To submit a written request by mail, send it to the Bowie County District Clerk at P.O. Box 248, New Boston, TX 75570. Include the names of the parties, the approximate filing year, and the case type. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want the clerk to mail the documents back to you. Processing times vary. Calling ahead to confirm the clerk received your request and to check status is a good practice.
Family Court Records Available in Bowie County
The District Clerk in New Boston maintains a broad set of family law case files. Divorce cases are the most frequently searched. A complete divorce file includes the original petition, any temporary orders, the final decree of divorce, and any post-decree modifications filed later. If children are involved, the file also contains a conservatorship order and a possession schedule that sets out when each parent has the children. Property division agreements are included as exhibits or attachments to the final decree.
Bowie County's district courts also handle child custody and child support cases filed separately from a divorce. These come up in paternity actions or when parents who were never married go back to court to change a custody or support arrangement. The Texas Attorney General's office handles child support enforcement separately from the court case files. For questions about enforcement actions, contact the AG's Child Support Division rather than the clerk's office.
Protective order cases are part of the district court docket as well. Texas has a statewide protective order registry that lets the public search for active orders by county, name, or birth year. Some information in these files is restricted to protect the safety of the person who sought the order. The clerk can tell you what portions of a protective order file are public when you make your request.
Note: Adoption records, juvenile court files, and child abuse investigation records are confidential under Texas law and are not included in the public case index.
Filing for Divorce or Family Court in Bowie County
To file a divorce or family court case in Bowie County, at least one spouse must have lived in Texas for at least six months and in Bowie County for at least 90 days before the petition is filed. This residency requirement is set by Texas Family Code section 6.301. Texarkana residents on the Texas side of the border file in Bowie County. Residents of the Arkansas side file in Miller County, Arkansas.
Attorneys must use the state e-filing system at eFileTexas.gov for all civil and family court filings. E-filing is mandatory for attorneys in Bowie County. Self-represented litigants are encouraged to e-file but may also file paper documents in person at the District Clerk's office in New Boston. The BVS 165 form must accompany divorce petitions. Staff at the clerk's office can confirm what forms are required for your case type.
Texas law requires a 60-day waiting period between the filing date and the date a divorce can be finalized. This comes from Texas Family Code section 6.702. The clock starts the day you file. You cannot skip the waiting period except in limited cases involving family violence. Contested divorces, cases with children, and cases involving complex property division often take much longer than 60 days.
Texas follows community property rules. Under Texas Family Code Chapter 6, the court divides marital property in a just and right manner. Property earned or acquired during the marriage is generally community property. Each spouse keeps their separate property, which includes what they owned before the marriage, and any gifts or inheritances received and kept separate during the marriage.
Copy Fees and Public Access
Most Bowie County family court records are public under Texas Government Code Chapter 552, the Texas Public Information Act. You do not need to be a party to the case to request a copy. Printed copies cost $1.00 per page from the District Clerk. Electronic copies cost $1.00 for the first ten pages and $0.10 per page for everything after that. Certified copies have an additional certification fee on top of the per-page cost. Standard fees also apply to County Clerk records.
For mail requests, send your written request to P.O. Box 248, New Boston, TX 75570. Include the party names, approximate filing year, and case type. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check or money order for the estimated fee. To confirm the current fee before mailing, call (903) 628-6750. In-person payments at the courthouse are accepted in cash, check, or money order.
The Tyler Odyssey portal shows limited information online for free. You can see case status and docket entries without paying anything. To get actual document copies, you must visit or submit a request. The online portal is useful for confirming a case exists and getting a cause number before you commit to a formal records request.
Note: Records involving minor children, sealed domestic violence cases, and restricted financial documents may have limited access even when the broader case file is public under state law.
Legal Help and Self-Help Resources
If you are handling a family court case in Bowie County without a lawyer, the Texas Judicial Branch's self-help resource page is a good place to start. It has guides for self-represented litigants on how to file, what forms to use, and what to expect in court. The materials are in plain language and are updated regularly.
The Texas State Law Library offers a detailed family law forms guide at guides.sll.texas.gov. It covers forms for divorce, custody, paternity, child support, and protective orders. Because Texas does not have a complete set of official fill-in-the-blank court forms, this guide points you to approved templates and explains what each form is for. The guide is free and accessible online from anywhere.
TexasLawHelp.org provides step-by-step guides for common family law situations, plain-language explanations of Texas family law, and a directory of legal aid organizations. Bowie County residents who qualify for low-income legal help can search the site for the nearest legal aid program. The Texas-Arkansas border location of Texarkana means some residents may also have access to Arkansas legal aid resources for Arkansas-side matters.
For state-level vital records, contact the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Unit. For official court forms from the Texas Judicial Branch, visit txcourts.gov/rules-forms. The Texas Judicial Branch FAQ at txcourts.gov answers common questions about how to get court records, how the court system is organized, and what to expect when filing a case.
Cities in Bowie County
New Boston is the county seat and the location of the District Clerk's office. Texarkana is the largest city in Bowie County and straddles the Texas-Arkansas state line. The Texas portion of Texarkana is in Bowie County, and family court cases filed by Texas-side residents go through the courthouse in New Boston.
Texarkana does not have a dedicated city page. All Bowie County family court filings are handled at the courthouse in New Boston.
Nearby Counties
Bowie County is in far Northeast Texas, bordering Arkansas and Louisiana. If you are not sure which county or state handles your case, check where you lived for the 90 days before filing.