Harris County records
Three records. Three different requests.
Use the signed order to identify what was decided. Then arrange the appellate clerk’s record and, when needed, the reporter’s record through the correct office.
Appellate clerk’s record
Civil/Family Post-Trial
Harris County District Clerk
201 Caroline, Suite 250
Houston, TX 77002
For questions about arrangements: civil.familyposttrial@hcdistrictclerk.com. This contact email is not an electronic filing channel.
| What you need | Where to start | What to arrange |
|---|---|---|
| Signed orders and case-file copies | District Clerk Purchase Copies | Have the case number and case style ready. These copies help with case review; ordering them does not order the appellate record. |
| Appellate clerk’s record | Civil/Family Post-Trial | Confirm preparation and payment arrangements, and designate additional items when needed. The office prepares the clerk’s record for the assigned appellate court. An appendix alternative exists in qualifying civil appeals. |
| Reporter’s record | The reporter or recorder who took your hearing | Request the proceedings and exhibits in writing by the applicable appeal deadline. File a copy of the request with the trial-court clerk and arrange payment or establish inability to pay. |
Use the court directory above to find current reporter contacts, then confirm who recorded the particular hearing. For paper copies, the clerk also publishes a Will-Call/Mail Order Form. Record requirements appear in TRAP 34–35.
For filing documents, follow the clerk’s current e-filing instructions. The rules include an exception for self-represented paper filers; contacting an office by email does not file a notice of appeal.
Where your case goes
Local trial court. Houston appellate court.
An ordinary appeal from a Harris family case generally goes to the First or Fourteenth Court of Appeals in Houston. You do not choose between them.
- 01
Harris trial court
Identify the signed order and the court that issued it.
- 02
Trial-court clerk
The notice of appeal is filed with the trial-court clerk, who assigns the appeal under the local rules.
- 03
First or Fourteenth
The assigned appellate court reviews the record and the legal issues raised.
Assignment is ordinarily random. A related appeal or original proceeding can control which court receives the case, so bring any earlier appellate case numbers. Read the shared assignment rule.
Identify the clock
The kind of order determines the deadline
The date you received a mailed copy is not necessarily the date the appeal clock began. Start with the signed order and every postjudgment filing.
| Type of appeal | General deadline | What changes the analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary civil appeal | 30 days after the judgment is signed | The order must be appealable. Special procedures and exceptions can change the deadline. |
| Ordinary appeal with a qualifying filing | 90 days after the judgment is signed | A timely qualifying postjudgment motion or a qualifying request for findings is required; not every filing extends time. |
| Accelerated appeal | 20 days after the judgment or order is signed | Postjudgment motions do not extend this deadline. Certain family cases, including parental-termination appeals, use accelerated deadlines. |
These are common starting points, not a deadline calculation for your case. See the current appellate rules and our full Texas appeals deadline guide.
While review is pending
Filing an appeal does not automatically pause the order
Keep following the current order unless a court grants appropriate relief. Ask specifically whether a stay or other temporary relief is available.
Custody and child support
Keep following the current order.
An appeal alone does not suspend these orders. Relief requires a court order; posting a bond does not itself pause custody. Family Code § 109.002(c); TRAP 24.2(a)(4).
State-brought termination
The termination order cannot be suspended.
The suspension exception does not apply to termination in a suit brought by the state or an authorized political subdivision. Family Code §§ 109.001(d), 109.002(c).
Sources: Family Code §§ 109.001(d), 109.002(c) and TRAP 24.2(a)(4). For other kinds of orders, see the statewide guide to stays pending appeal.
Your next step
Prepare for an appellate consultation
The first review needs the order, the procedural history, and the dates. Gather what you have; do not delay seeking advice while you wait for a complete file.
The order
Signed judgment or order, cause number, current court assignment, any transfer notice, and any associate-judge report.
The dates
When the ruling was announced, signed, and received; include notices and email delivery dates.
The filings
Postjudgment motions, requests for findings, notices of appeal, and prior appellate case numbers.
The hearing record
Hearing dates, reporter details, available transcripts, and the specific rulings you want reviewed.
The appellate consultation is $350. Representation, court fees, and record costs are separate. Booking a consultation does not file an appeal or extend a deadline.
Harris appeals: common questions
My order says 246th District Court. Where do I go now?
Where do I request the Harris County appellate clerk's record?
Can I find every family-case document online?
Is the 280th the same as the other family courts?
Can I choose the First or Fourteenth Court of Appeals?
Does an appeal pause custody or child support?
What should I bring to the $350 consultation?
Official references
Sources behind this guide
Use the current official notices and the orders in your own case. Court assignments, staff, and filing procedures can change.
- Harris County family courts — Court directory, contact information, and current notices.
- 246th District Court notices — Administrative transfer notice and end of docket calls from June 15, 2026.
- 280th District Court — Protective-order location, procedures, and reporter requests.
- Child Protection Court (CPC) — Associate-judge court information and contacts.
- District Clerk Civil/Family Post-Trial — Appellate clerk-record preparation.
- District Clerk office directory — Current Post-Trial address, phone, and contact email.
- Purchase Copies — Ordinary document-copy requests, separate from appellate records.
- Harris County e-filing instructions — Approved filing routes and the self-represented filer exception.
- First and Fourteenth Courts: Local Rule 1 — Assignment and related-case disclosure requirements.
- Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure — Deadlines, stays, and records; as amended February 6, 2026.
- Texas Family Code, Chapter 201 — Associate judges and de novo review.
- Texas Family Code, Chapter 109 — Appeals and orders pending appeal.
Sources checked September 11, 2026. This guide provides general information; the correct remedy and deadline depend on your case.