# Harris County Court Records Scraper (`jungle_synthesizer/harris-county-court-records-scraper`) Actor Extract probate and civil court records from Harris County (TX) District Clerk. Search by party name or date range. Returns case info, parties, attorneys, and filing event history. - **URL**: https://apify.com/jungle\_synthesizer/harris-county-court-records-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [BowTiedRaccoon](https://apify.com/jungle_synthesizer) (community) - **Categories:** Automation, Lead generation - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 0.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $1.60 / 1,000 record scrapeds This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## Harris County Court Records Scraper Extract probate and civil court records from the **Harris County (TX) District Clerk** public search portal ([hcdistrictclerk.com](https://www.hcdistrictclerk.com/edocs/public/search.aspx)). Search by **party name** or **filing date range**. Returns case number, case style, court, filing date, case type, case status, and the matched party's role. --- ### What you get Each result row contains: | Field | Description | |-------|-------------| | `caseNumber` | Case (cause) number — unique identifier | | `caseUrl` | Link to the case detail page on hcdistrictclerk.com | | `caseStyle` | Full case title (e.g. *Smith v. Jones (Civ)*) | | `court` | Court number | | `filedDate` | Date the case was filed (M/D/YYYY) | | `caseType` | Case/offense type (e.g. NOTE, INSURANCE POLICY) | | `caseStatus` | Status indicator from case number (Purged, Active, Disposed) | | `parties` | Matched party name and role (e.g. *DEFENDANT - JOHN SMITH*) | | `scrapedAt` | ISO-8601 timestamp of extraction | > **Note:** Attorney details and full filing history are available on the linked case detail pages, which require a registered hcdistrictclerk.com account to access directly. This actor extracts all fields available from the public search results. --- ### Input | Parameter | Type | Default | Description | |-----------|------|---------|-------------| | `searchMode` | string | `party_name` | `party_name` or `date_range` | | `partyName` | string | — | Party to search. Format: `LastName, FirstName` or last name only. Required for `party_name` mode. | | `partyRole` | string | `A` | `A` = All, `D` = Defendant, `P` = Plaintiff | | `dateFrom` | string | — | Start date `MM/DD/YYYY`. Required for `date_range` mode. | | `dateTo` | string | — | End date `MM/DD/YYYY`. Defaults to today. | | `courtId` | string | — | Filter by court ID (date_range mode only). | | `maxItems` | integer | `10` | Maximum number of case records to return. | #### Example — party name search ```json { "searchMode": "party_name", "partyName": "Johnson", "partyRole": "A", "maxItems": 50 } ```` #### Example — date range search ```json { "searchMode": "date_range", "dateFrom": "01/01/2024", "dateTo": "12/31/2024", "maxItems": 100 } ``` *** ### How it works 1. Opens the Harris County District Clerk public search portal using a Playwright browser with a US IP. 2. Activates the appropriate search tab (party name or filing date). 3. Submits the search form via ASP.NET UpdatePanel async postback. 4. Parses the search results table directly — extracts all available fields from the result rows. 5. De-duplicates by case number (the table can return multiple rows per case when multiple parties match). 6. Returns up to `maxItems` unique cases. The search portal returns up to **100 results per query**. For large result sets, narrow your search using `partyRole` or a tighter date range. *** ### Coverage - **Court types:** Civil and probate cases filed in Harris County District Courts. - **Historical depth:** Records back to the 1970s (older cases shown as "Purged"). - **Live data:** Search results reflect the current state of the District Clerk's database. *** ### Limitations - Maximum 100 results per search query (site limit). - Case detail pages (attorney info, full filing history) require a registered hcdistrictclerk.com account — this actor extracts the publicly available search result fields only. - US IP required — the site blocks non-US traffic. # Actor input Schema ## `sp_intended_usage` (type: `string`): Please describe how you plan to use the data extracted by this crawler. ## `sp_improvement_suggestions` (type: `string`): Provide any feedback or suggestions for improvements. ## `sp_contact` (type: `string`): Provide your email address so we can get in touch with you. ## `searchMode` (type: `string`): How to search for cases: by party name or by filing date range. ## `partyName` (type: `string`): Party name to search for. Format: 'LastName, FirstName' or just last name. Required when searchMode is party\_name. ## `partyRole` (type: `string`): Filter by party role (All, Defendant, or Plaintiff). ## `dateFrom` (type: `string`): Start of filing date range (MM/DD/YYYY). Required when searchMode is date\_range. ## `dateTo` (type: `string`): End of filing date range (MM/DD/YYYY). Leave blank to use today's date. ## `courtId` (type: `string`): Filter by specific court ID (leave blank for all courts). Only used in date\_range mode. ## `maxItems` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of case records to extract. ## Actor input object example ```json { "sp_intended_usage": "Describe your intended use...", "sp_improvement_suggestions": "Share your suggestions here...", "sp_contact": "Share your email here...", "searchMode": "party_name", "partyName": "Smith, John", "partyRole": "A", "dateFrom": "01/01/2024", "maxItems": 5 } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `results` (type: `string`): No description # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "sp_intended_usage": "Describe your intended use...", "sp_improvement_suggestions": "Share your suggestions here...", "sp_contact": "Share your email here...", "searchMode": "party_name", "partyName": "Smith, John", "dateFrom": "01/01/2024", "courtId": "", "maxItems": 5 }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("jungle_synthesizer/harris-county-court-records-scraper").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "sp_intended_usage": "Describe your intended use...", "sp_improvement_suggestions": "Share your suggestions here...", "sp_contact": "Share your email here...", "searchMode": "party_name", "partyName": "Smith, John", "dateFrom": "01/01/2024", "courtId": "", "maxItems": 5, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("jungle_synthesizer/harris-county-court-records-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "sp_intended_usage": "Describe your intended use...", "sp_improvement_suggestions": "Share your suggestions here...", "sp_contact": "Share your email here...", "searchMode": "party_name", "partyName": "Smith, John", "dateFrom": "01/01/2024", "courtId": "", "maxItems": 5 }' | apify call jungle_synthesizer/harris-county-court-records-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=jungle_synthesizer/harris-county-court-records-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Harris County Court Records Scraper", "description": "Extract probate and civil court records from Harris County (TX) District Clerk. Search by party name or date range. Returns case info, parties, attorneys, and filing event history.", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "Oeqf5Ih0L7dXCiMBx" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/jungle_synthesizer~harris-county-court-records-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-jungle_synthesizer-harris-county-court-records-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/jungle_synthesizer~harris-county-court-records-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-jungle_synthesizer-harris-county-court-records-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/jungle_synthesizer~harris-county-court-records-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-jungle_synthesizer-harris-county-court-records-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "searchMode", "maxItems" ], "properties": { "sp_intended_usage": { "title": "What is the intended usage of this data?", "minLength": 1, "type": "string", "description": "Please describe how you plan to use the data extracted by this crawler." }, "sp_improvement_suggestions": { "title": "How can we improve this crawler for you?", "minLength": 1, "type": "string", "description": "Provide any feedback or suggestions for improvements." }, "sp_contact": { "title": "Contact Email", "minLength": 1, "type": "string", "description": "Provide your email address so we can get in touch with you." }, "searchMode": { "title": "Search Mode", "enum": [ "party_name", "date_range" ], "type": "string", "description": "How to search for cases: by party name or by filing date range.", "default": "party_name" }, "partyName": { "title": "Party Name", "type": "string", "description": "Party name to search for. Format: 'LastName, FirstName' or just last name. Required when searchMode is party_name." }, "partyRole": { "title": "Party Role", "enum": [ "A", "D", "P" ], "type": "string", "description": "Filter by party role (All, Defendant, or Plaintiff).", "default": "A" }, "dateFrom": { "title": "Date From", "type": "string", "description": "Start of filing date range (MM/DD/YYYY). Required when searchMode is date_range." }, "dateTo": { "title": "Date To", "type": "string", "description": "End of filing date range (MM/DD/YYYY). Leave blank to use today's date." }, "courtId": { "title": "Court", "type": "string", "description": "Filter by specific court ID (leave blank for all courts). Only used in date_range mode." }, "maxItems": { "title": "Max Items", "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum number of case records to extract.", "default": 10 } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```