Search Court Records by Name
Enter first name, last name, and state to prepare a court records search.
Harris County Probate Court 4 Case Search, Dockets, Copies, Estate Hearings & Guardianship Help
Use this image-free Harris County Probate Court 4 guide to search official probate records, verify Judge James Horwitz and Court No. 4 contact details, understand Court 4 docket rules, request certified or raised-seal copies, use the County Clerk probate portal, follow estate and heirship requirements, check guardianship hearing steps, and avoid private record websites.
Best Starting Point for Harris County Probate Court 4 Records
Use two official sources together. Open the official Harris County Probate Court No. 4 page for court-specific instructions, dockets, guardianship rules, estate/heirship requirements, mental-health information, court staff, appointments and forms. Use the Harris County Clerk Probate Court Search for filed records, document images, non-certified copies and certified-copy purchases.
The official Court 4 page lists Judge James Horwitz, 201 Caroline, 7th Floor, Houston, Texas 77002, phone 832-927-1404 and fax 832-927-1499. The County Clerk Probate Department is listed at 201 Caroline, Suite 800, Houston, TX 77002, phone 713-274-8585, with public search filings reflected from 11/17/1837 to present and images available from 1/1/2008 to present.
Choose the Harris County Probate Court 4 Task You Need
Most users are not looking for a generic probate definition. They need one practical action: search a record, order a copy, probate a will, request a hearing, handle a guardianship, check mental-health procedures, or find the correct office.
Search probate records or document images
Case number, court filter, party name, attorney name, company name, filing date, status and probate document images.
Use the Harris County Clerk Probate Court Search and select Court 4 if you know the case is assigned there.
A search result is not the same as a certified copy, raised-seal copy, letters or a court setting confirmation.
Which Official Harris County Probate Court 4 Page Should You Use?
Use this routing table before clicking a form or paying for a copy. Harris County Probate Court No. 4 and the Harris County Clerk solve different problems.
How to Search Harris County Probate Court 4 Records Online
The Harris County Clerk Probate Court Search is the official search route for filed probate records. The portal includes a Court filter for all probate courts or Court 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. It also allows searches by case number, status, filing date range, party, attorney, company, name and bar card number.
Open the official probate search
Start with the Harris County Clerk probate search portal, not private public-record sites. The portal is tied to the County Clerk’s probate records workflow.
Filter by Court 4 when you know the court number
If your file is assigned to Probate Court No. 4, select Court 4 or confirm the court assignment after you find the case. If you are unsure, search all courts first.
Use strong search details
Case number is best. If you do not have it, try decedent name, estate name, ward name, applicant, attorney, company, file-date range or status.
Check image availability
The Clerk portal states that probate filings are reflected from 11/17/1837 to present and images are available from 1/1/2008 to present. Older records or unavailable images may require a clerk request.
Order the right copy type
For legal use, ask whether you need a non-certified copy, certified copy, raised-seal certified copy, letters testamentary, letters of administration, guardianship letters or a signed order.
Harris County Probate Court 4 Dockets, Hearing Requests and Zoom Rules
Court 4 publishes court-specific docket categories and hearing-request instructions. Do not assume a hearing is set just because a case has been filed or a request was submitted.
Monday at 9:00 AM
Court 4 lists mental health on Monday at 9:00 AM. These matters may involve privacy and urgent procedures.
Tuesday dockets
Court 4 lists Probate of Will Rocket Docket Tuesday at 9:30 AM and Probate of Will Docket Tuesday at 10:00 AM.
Wednesday at 9:30 AM
Uncontested guardianship dockets are listed on Wednesdays at 9:30 AM, with applicants and attorneys expected to log in earlier for staff discussion.
Wednesday at 1:00 PM
Heirship / administration docket is used for judicial determination of heirs and appointment of an independent or dependent administrator in intestate matters.
Thursday at 9:30 AM
Court 4 states ancillary dockets are held in person. Contact the court for scheduling conferences or show causes.
Attorney office requirement
Court 4 states lawyers conducting uncontested Zoom dockets must have witnesses in the attorney’s office unless an exception or in-person hearing is arranged.
Hearing safety note: A hearing request is not the same as a confirmed hearing. Court 4 guardianship instructions say the hearing is not set until confirmation is received directly from the court. Always verify Zoom/in-person status, witness requirements and notice requirements before sending parties to court.
Probate of Will, Heirship and Decedent Estate Requirements in Court 4
Court 4’s Probate Requirements page is important because it includes practical instructions not obvious from a generic case-search page. It states that unsigned proposed hearing documents must be e-filed for the court’s review before setting a hearing. Examples include proposed proofs of death, witness affidavits or testimony, proposed orders and proposed oaths.
Prepare proposed documents first
Before requesting a hearing, confirm that proposed proofs, testimony, oaths, orders and other required unsigned hearing documents have been e-filed for court review.
Use the correct docket and checklist
Heirship and administration matters may involve intestacy, judicial determination of heirs and appointment of an independent or dependent administrator.
Email the staff attorney for settings
Court 4 directs users to email Staff Attorney Blenda Ruiz at blenda.ruiz@prob.hctx.net to request settings for litigious or contested matters associated with decedents’ estates.
Witness location matters
For probate and heirship Zoom hearings, Court 4 states lawyers with clients and witnesses who want Zoom must have them in the lawyer’s office unless an in-person hearing is arranged.
Micro-help checklist: Before requesting an estate or heirship hearing, gather the case number, court number, applicant details, original will status, proposed order, proposed proof, witness affidavit/testimony, proposed oath, notices/citations, and any checklist required for probate of will or heirship administration.
Harris County Probate Court 4 Guardianship Requirements Users Often Miss
Court 4’s guardianship page lists several requirements that can cause a hearing to be passed if missed. This is more useful than a general “guardianship definition” because applicants need to know what to complete before requesting a setting.
Submit through the website
Hearing requests must be submitted through the Court 4 website, and the hearing is not set until confirmation comes directly from the court.
JBCC and training steps
Before submitting a hearing request, verify JBCC registration, background checks and guardianship training certificate filing for each applicant.
120-day timing rule
Court 4 says to verify the examination date is within 120 days of filing the application, not the date the physician signed it.
$750 security for ad litem fees
Effective March 14, 2025, Harris County Probate Courts require applicants in heirships and guardianships to deposit $750 as security for attorney ad litem fees.
Noon Monday before hearing
Proposed orders must be filed no later than noon on the Monday before the hearing so the court can review and address changes.
Person vs estate bond
Guardian of the person may have a $25 cash bond per applicant unless advised otherwise; guardian of the estate requires a surety bond based on estate assets.
Do not skip the checklist: Court 4 states that the hearing will be passed if the listed requirements are not met. Confirm notices, waivers, citations, fees, training, medical exam timing and proposed orders before the hearing date.
Certified Copies, Non-Certified Copies, Raised Seals and Letters
The Harris County Clerk probate search page explains that non-certified copies and certified copies can be purchased through the Document Search Portal after locating documents. It also warns that certified copies purchased online do not have a raised seal that some entities may require.
Portal purchase and email delivery
Create an account, log in, locate the document, add it to your shopping cart and complete the purchase. Copies are emailed to the address associated with your account when available.
Verify raised-seal needs
Certified copies can be purchased online, but online certified copies do not have a raised seal. Banks, title companies, agencies or other courts may require a raised seal.
Use department or request form
If you cannot locate the document or cannot view the image, the Clerk page directs users to visit the appropriate department or use the request/credit-card authorization form.
201 Caroline, Suite 800
For record, copy and department help, use the Harris County Clerk Probate Department at 201 Caroline, Suite 800, Houston, TX 77002, phone 713-274-8585.
Harris County Probate e-Filing, Clerk Duties and Fee Notes
The Harris County Clerk Probate page states that the Probate Courts Department serves as clerks for the statutory probate courts and is responsible for filing, docketing, assessing costs, issuing and recording citations, notices, abstracts, writs, letters testamentary, letters of administration, guardianship letters and other process or documents authorized by the clerk.
Texas mandate
The Clerk Probate page states that effective January 1, 2014, the Supreme Court of Texas mandated that attorneys electronically file court documents in Harris County Probate Courts through the state e-filing portal.
Print and scan before e-filing
The Clerk page notes that if users intend to e-file listed forms, the forms must be printed and scanned before submission.
Not accepted in guardianship note
Court 4 guardianship guidance tells users to contact the Clerk at 713-274-8585 for filing fees and states personal checks are not acceptable by the Clerk’s office.
Fee caution: Do not rely on a stale blog fee. Use the Harris County Clerk fee schedule or call the Probate Department for the current amount, especially for estate filings, guardianship filings, letters, certified copies, mental-health filings and attorney ad litem security.
Court 4 PDF and Local Rule Details That Affect Real Filings
These official PDFs are not just “extra links.” They contain court-specific details that can change how a user prepares a filing, schedules a hearing, handles ad litem fees, or practices in contested matters.
New matters and sub-file numbering
The local rules explain that new estate administrations, guardianships and trust matters filed in Harris County Probate Courts are assigned to a court under the applicable numbering system. Related estate or guardianship matters can retain the original docket number with sub-file suffixes.
$750 security in heirships and guardianships
The March 14, 2025 update says applicants in heirships and guardianships must deposit $750 as security for attorney ad litem fees. The flat $750 fee applies to attorney ad litem appointments, with higher fees considered for work beyond a typical uncontested case.
Effective March 1, 2026
Court 4’s summary-judgment practice guide applies to motions filed on or after March 1, 2026. It requires motions to be filed no later than 90 days before trial under the docket-control order and describes Rule 166a title, hearing and deadline requirements.
Independent verification required
Court 4’s announcement directs attorneys to file affidavits confirming that citations generated or supported by artificial intelligence or related tools were independently verified. The court warns that sanctions may apply for hallucinated or unsupported citations.
Practical takeaway: For non-lawyer users, the key lesson is simple: Court 4 has court-specific rules. For lawyers and contested matters, calendar deadlines, read the MSJ guide, verify proposed orders, confirm hearing procedure and do not use AI-generated citations without checking them.
Mental Health Matters in Harris County Probate Court 4
Probate Court No. 4 includes mental-health resources and a Monday 9:00 AM mental-health docket. These cases can have restricted access, urgent deadlines, medical privacy, treatment issues and special statutory requirements. Do not treat mental-health records like ordinary estate records.
Not every record is public
Mental-health case information may be restricted, sealed or unavailable through ordinary public search tools.
Last 30 days behavior note
The Clerk Probate page instructs users applying for a mental health warrant to complete forms using only behavior from the last 30 days and not to sign until presented in person.
Urgency warning: Mental-health matters can affect liberty, treatment and medical privacy. Use official court and clerk instructions and consider legal help immediately for urgent or contested situations.
Harris County Probate Court 4 Address, Phone and Clerk Contact
Court No. 4 and the County Clerk Probate Department are both in the Harris County Civil Courthouse, but they are not the same office. Use Court 4 for court-specific docket and judge/court procedures. Use the Clerk Probate Department for filing, records, copies, letters and department processing questions.
Judge James Horwitz
Harris County Civil Courthouse
201 Caroline, 7th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: 832-927-1404
Fax: 832-927-1499
Records, filings and copies
201 Caroline, Suite 800
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: 713-274-8585
Fax: 713-222-1177
Email: ccoProbFM@cco.hctx.net
Mailing address: Harris County Clerk, Attn: Probate Court Department, P.O. Box 1525, Houston, TX 77251-1525. For in-person department work, the Clerk probate page lists Monday–Friday hours as 8:00 AM–4:30 PM.
Official Harris County Probate Court 4 Links
Use these official links only after you know your task. They are grouped by action so users do not click the wrong record system or court page.
Map to Harris County Probate Court 4
Use this map for general direction planning. Confirm hearing location, court floor, filing department, clerk office, Zoom or in-person status and copy requirements before traveling.
Harris County Civil Courthouse — Probate Court No. 4
Address: 201 Caroline, 7th Floor, Houston, TX 77002
Common Harris County Probate Court 4 Search and Filing Mistakes
Using the court page for copy ordering
The Court 4 page explains court-specific procedures. Filed records and copies usually go through the Harris County Clerk Probate Department and Document Search Portal.
Treating online copies as raised-seal copies
Online certified copies may not have a raised seal. Verify what the bank, title company, agency or other court requires before ordering.
Assuming a hearing request is confirmed
Court 4 guardianship guidance says a hearing is not set until confirmation is received directly from the court.
Missing proposed documents before setting
Court 4 requires unsigned proposed hearing documents to be e-filed for review before setting certain estate/heirship hearings.
Useful Related Harris County Probate Guides
These internal links help users compare same-county probate courts and avoid selecting the wrong court number. For Court 4 action, always use the official Court 4 and Harris County Clerk links above.
Harris County Probate Court 4 FAQs
Where is Harris County Probate Court 4 located?
Harris County Probate Court No. 4 is listed at the Harris County Civil Courthouse, 201 Caroline, 7th Floor, Houston, Texas 77002.
Who is the judge of Harris County Probate Court 4?
The official Probate Court No. 4 page lists Judge James Horwitz.
What is the phone number for Probate Court 4?
The official Court 4 page lists phone 832-927-1404 and fax 832-927-1499.
How do I search Harris County Probate Court 4 records?
Use the Harris County Clerk Probate Court Search. Search by case number if possible, or use party name, attorney, company, filing date, status and Court 4 filter.
How far back does the Harris County probate search go?
The Harris County Clerk probate search page states that filings accepted from 11/17/1837 to present are reflected, and images are available from 1/1/2008 to present.
Can I buy certified probate copies online?
Yes, when the document is available through the Document Search Portal. However, the Clerk page notes that online certified copies do not have a raised seal that some entities may require.
Where do I request a raised-seal certified copy?
If a raised seal is required, the Clerk page says to visit the appropriate department in person or use the request/credit-card authorization form if the document cannot be located or viewed online.
Does Court 4 handle guardianship matters?
Yes. Court 4 publishes guardianship procedural requirements, including website hearing requests, confirmation rules, JBCC and training checks, examination date requirements, ad litem fee security, proposed orders and bond notes.
Does Court 4 handle mental health matters?
Yes. Court 4 lists a mental health docket and mental-health resources. These matters may involve privacy, restricted records and time-sensitive procedures.
Can the Harris County Clerk give legal advice?
No. The Clerk can help with filing, records, copies and department procedures, but legal strategy, form selection, objections and contested probate questions should be handled with a qualified Texas probate attorney.
Best Next Step for Harris County Probate Court 4 Help
For Harris County Probate Court 4, use this order: open the official Court 4 page for judge, docket and court-specific requirements; use the Harris County Clerk Probate Search for records and images; verify Court 4 assignment; check whether your copy needs a raised seal; review Court 4 estate or guardianship requirements before requesting a hearing; and call the correct office before filing, paying or relying on private record sites.
This page is an independent informational guide published for ProbateCourtUSA.org. It is not Harris County Probate Court No. 4, the Harris County Clerk, Texas Courts, a court office, a government agency or a law firm. Always verify urgent or official matters directly with the court, clerk office or a qualified Texas probate attorney.