The Beaumont courthouse a person needs depends on the case. Jefferson County’s main courthouse at 1149 Pearl Street handles felonies, divorce, custody, and larger civil suits. The Beaumont Municipal Court at 700 Orleans Street handles traffic tickets and city ordinance violations. Justice of the Peace courts across the county handle small claims and evictions. Federal cases go to the Jack Brooks Federal Building at 300 Willow Street. Each has its own hours, its own clerk, and its own rules about what you can bring inside.
Which Courthouse Handles Your Case
Sort by what kind of case you have before you head downtown.
- Felony charge, divorce, custody, protective order, or a civil dispute over $250,000: Jefferson County Courthouse, 1149 Pearl Street (District Courts).
- Class A or B misdemeanor (including DWI), civil dispute between $500 and $250,000, or an appeal from Municipal or JP court: Jefferson County Courthouse (County Courts at Law).
- Probate, will contest, guardianship: Jefferson County Courthouse complex, 1085 Pearl Street (Constitutional County Court, filed through the County Clerk).
- Traffic ticket, city ordinance violation, or other fine-only offense inside Beaumont city limits: Beaumont Municipal Court, 700 Orleans Street.
- Small claim up to $20,000, eviction, or landlord/tenant dispute: Justice of the Peace court for the precinct where the dispute or property is located.
- Federal criminal charge, federal civil case, bankruptcy, or patent dispute: Jack Brooks Federal Building, 300 Willow Street.
Jefferson County Courthouse on Pearl Street
The Jefferson County Courthouse at 1149 Pearl Street is the main state courthouse in Beaumont. It houses the District Courts, which have original jurisdiction over civil lawsuits involving more than $500 and over all felony criminal prosecutions.1State of Texas. Texas Government Code 24.007 – Jurisdiction District Courts also have exclusive authority over divorce, child custody, protective orders under the Texas Family Code, and land title disputes. Civil, family, and felony filings go through the District Clerk’s office at (409) 835-8580.
The County Courts at Law operate out of the same complex and handle the middle tier of cases. On the civil side, that means disputes over $500 but not more than $250,000, excluding interest, punitive damages, and attorney’s fees.2Texas Public Law. Texas Government Code 25.0003 – Jurisdiction3State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 12.21 – Class A Misdemeanor4State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 12.22 – Class B Misdemeanor These courts also hear appeals from Municipal Court and Justice of the Peace court.
Probate matters go through the Constitutional County Court, which handles wills, estate administration, and guardianships.5Jefferson County. Probate County Court of Jefferson County Probate filings run through the County Clerk’s office at 1085 Pearl Street, reachable at (409) 835-8475.
Beaumont Municipal Court
The Beaumont Municipal Court at 700 Orleans Street handles Class C misdemeanor violations of state law and city ordinances that occur within the city limits.6City of Beaumont. Beaumont Municipal Court Class C offenses are punishable by a fine of up to $500, and no jail time is possible.7State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 12.23 – Class C Misdemeanor Most people end up here because of a traffic citation, a code violation, or a noise complaint.
Municipal Court cannot handle marriage or divorce matters. Those must go through the Jefferson County Courthouse at 1149 Pearl Street.6City of Beaumont. Beaumont Municipal Court The court’s phone number is (409) 980-7200.
Justice of the Peace Courts
Jefferson County has Justice of the Peace courts across several precincts. Two operate inside the courthouse complex at 1085 Pearl Street (Precinct 1, Place 1 and Place 2). Others sit in south Beaumont, on Viterbo Road, and in Port Arthur at 525 Lakeshore Drive. Which precinct you file in depends on where the dispute arose or where the property is located.
JP courts have original jurisdiction over civil cases where the amount in controversy does not exceed $20,000.8State of Texas. Texas Government Code 27.031 – Jurisdiction This is the small claims track, and corporations can appear without an attorney in these courts. Eviction cases are also filed here, in the precinct where the rental property is located.9State of Texas. Texas Property Code 24.004 – Jurisdiction and Dismissal JP courts share Class C misdemeanor jurisdiction with Municipal Court.
Some things a JP court cannot hear: defamation suits, cases involving land title, and divorce.8State of Texas. Texas Government Code 27.031 – Jurisdiction Those belong in District Court.
Jack Brooks Federal Building
Federal cases in Beaumont are heard at the Jack Brooks Federal Building and United States Courthouse, 300 Willow Street, Suite 104.10United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas. Clerk’s Office This is the Beaumont Division of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Federal district courts handle federal criminal charges, civil suits between parties from different states with more than $75,000 at stake, bankruptcy, patent cases, and claims against the federal government.
Hours and Contacts
- Jefferson County Courthouse (District Courts, County Courts at Law, County Clerk): Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. District Clerk (409) 835-8580; County Clerk (409) 835-8475.11Jefferson County Clerk. Jefferson County Clerk’s Office
- Beaumont Municipal Court: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. (409) 980-7200.
- Jack Brooks Federal Building Clerk’s Office: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, closed on federal holidays.12United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas. Beaumont Division
- All courthouses are closed on weekends.
Security, Electronics, and Parking
Every Beaumont courthouse screens visitors at the entrance. Weapons are prohibited everywhere. The federal courthouse has the strictest rules by a wide margin: cell phones, cameras, laptops, and gaming devices are not permitted inside the building at all, and a photo ID is required to clear security.12United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas. Beaumont Division If you’re heading to Willow Street, leave your electronics in the car.
The federal courthouse has free parking on the west side of the building, with overflow parking to the south. Parking near the Jefferson County Courthouse and Municipal Court downtown is tighter, with metered street spots and public garages nearby.
Looking Up Records and Filing Documents
The Jefferson County District Clerk publishes civil case indexes online by year, and attorneys have separate access through the Tyler Technologies portal. Sealed and juvenile cases are not part of the public index.13District Clerk Jefferson County TX. Civil Indexes For an in-person search, call the District Clerk at (409) 835-8580. Probate record searches are handled separately by the County Clerk at (409) 835-8475.14Jefferson County Clerk. Probate – Request a Search of Records
Texas attorneys must file most civil documents electronically through approved e-filing service providers; eFileTexas is the state’s free platform. People representing themselves are generally exempt from mandatory e-filing, but individual courts can impose their own requirements through local rules. Call the specific court before you bring paper documents.