Galveston County, Texas Court Records (Greater Houston Metropolitan Area)

One of the oldest counties in the Greater Houston metropolitan area, Galveston County is a popular destination with a fast-growing population of roughly 350,000. Nearby counties include Brazoria, Chambers, and Harris. Primary employers in the area include Walmart, Landry’s, and Moody Gardens.

Galveston County is a robust urban area defined by a strong, diverse, bustling economy that frequently attracts families and individuals seeking new opportunities. Because of these trends, employers in the area are much more likely to encounter job applicants from other metro counties. The same is true for employers in surrounding counties. Your business must equip itself with the tools to access criminal records from across the metro area to hire safely and effectively in such a region. Otherwise, you might miss vital information along the way.

Getting started begins with knowing how to navigate employment law in this area.

The State of Texas has no ban the box laws for public or private employers, nor does the state dictate how employers may use pre-employment drug tests. Similarly, Galveston County has no laws preventing you from asking about criminal records on job applications or in interviews.

Federal employment and consumer protection law still applies, and Texas employers must abide by these rules. Chief among your responsibilities is adhering to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. This law requires disclosing your intent to use background checks and obtain an applicant’s consent. If you make adverse decisions based on the results, the law outlines a specific procedure you must follow. Employers should consult EEOC guidelines on proper background check policies or consult an employment lawyer.

Once you’ve created a written policy to guide your company through a federally compliant background check procedure, you can begin screening applicants without worrying about regulatory concerns. First, it is best to establish a broad view of a candidate’s past, including whether they’ve left behind criminal records in other counties or states. The US OneSEARCH is the perfect tool for the job. This product uses our thoroughly maintained database built from public records we derive from official nationwide databases, including Galveston County. Our coverage map has all the facts about our current sources.

When choosing the US OneSEARCH, you can quickly access virtually instant results drawn from various sources to provide expansive coverage. The local resources we have include:

• The Texas Department of Public Safety – Misdemeanor and felony records from 1975-present

• Galveston County – Misdemeanor records from 1982-present
• Galveston County District Court – Felony records from January 2017-present 

If you have a job candidate whose record indicates a pending charge or an active criminal case, you might want additional information not yet available in the higher-level background check. Our direct county courthouse searches yield up-to-date information you can use for making a more accurate determination during hiring.

Background reports sourced from county court records may include the subject’s:

• Name
• Offense/Charge
• Sentence
• Disposition

As a county directly adjacent to the central area of the Greater Houston metropolitan area, employers in Galveston County can and will encounter applicants from across the region. So, too, will other metro counties have an increased likelihood of fielding candidates from Galveston. Thorough, far-reaching pre-employment background checks will ensure you better understand your candidates, no matter their place of origin.