General Information
The Inmate Copy Service will provide Texas Department of Criminal Justice inmates with copies of their appellate records that are currently held at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the Texas Supreme Court or the Texas Third Court of Appeals. This is a fee-based service.
The State Law Library does not have access to the records of any other courts, and court records are not kept at the Library. We can only request records from the courts listed above. If your case is not currently stored at one of the courts mentioned above, we cannot help you. Please contact the court that has your records or your unit library for help.
Obtaining Court Records
First, you must send the State Law Library a request for specific court documents, so that the library can retrieve the records and create an estimate. To enable us to search for your records, please submit as much of the following information as possible:
1. Full name and any aliases
2. Date of conviction
3. County of conviction
4. Appeal number
5. Complete mailing address
When we locate your records, we will send you a letter detailing the total cost of photocopying the documents. We will process the copies as soon as we receive payment from you in that amount. If you send an incorrect payment amount, we will not process your request and your check or money order will be returned to you. We also accept payments from friends or family members on your behalf.
Copies will be sent to you via TDCJ Courier (truck mail).
Because of the volume of letters and phone calls we receive, turn-around time is currently between 4 – 6 weeks, depending on the length of your request.
Fees & Payment
Charges for obtaining photocopies from the State Law Library include ALL of the following:
• 25 cents per page
• 8.25% state sales tax
• $5 service charge
• An additional service charge will be added for large copy requests
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you send me copies of my court records?
We can send copies of appellate court records that are currently held at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the Texas Third Court of Appeals or the Texas Supreme Court. There is a fee for this service.
Can I get copies of my court records from you if they are from another court?
No. We cannot make copies of records from other appellate courts or trial courts. Please contact your unit library for help with contacting the other courts.
Which court records are stored at your library?
There are no court records stored at the State Law Library.
Can I get copies of current statutes, codes and case law from your library?
No. Please contact your unit library for copies of statutes, codes or case law.
I am indigent and do not have any money. Can you send me free copies?
No. The State Law Library does not provide free copies.
I have a question about my case. Can someone help me?
We cannot provide legal advice and cannot answer legal questions about your situation. Please contact your attorney or the State Counsel for Offenders for help with your legal situation.
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
State Counsel for Offenders Division
2503 Lake Road
P.O. Box 4005
Huntsville, TX 77342-4005
Can you find an address for me? Can you find an internet address for me?
Due to the number of letters we receive, we are unable to provide these reference services. Please contact your unit library or the TDCJ educational library for reference assistance.
I need to have some papers copied. Can I send them to you? How much will it cost?
We cannot copy your papers for you. Please do not send them to us.
Does your library have books for sale? Can you loan me a book?
The State Law Library does not have books for sale and cannot loan books to you.
Will your library accept stamps for payment?
No. We do not accept stamps for payment.