Austin Municipal Court and Austin Community Court Privacy Notice
The court is required to comply with Texas State Law, to include, but not limited to The Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Texas Government Code, as well as Rules of Judicial Administration, as it relates to the retention and release of court records.
1. Personal information
Personal information is anything that can be used to distinguish, trace, contact or link to an identifiable individual. In the context of court proceedings, this may include, but is not limited to, the following identifiers:
- Date of birth
- Home and/or mailing address
- Driver’s License number
- Vehicle license plate
- Vehicle owner name and address
- Personal health care information
- Race and/or Ethnicity
- Gender
2. Collection of personal information
The court collects personal information through a variety of official means, which may include:
- Documents and forms filed by parties, attorneys, and other individuals involved in a case (e.g. Austin Police Department and other law enforcement agencies, City of Austin Departments with authority to file a violation of law for a Class C Misdemeanor, private attorneys, defendants and respondents, etc.)
- Evidence submitted in a proceeding including financial records or medical reports.
- Testimony and other information presented during hearings and trials.
- Through data sharing agreements or interfaces with others involved in court processes including the Texas Department of Public Safety.
3. Use of personal information
The court uses personal information exclusively for purposes authorized by law, court rules, or data use agreement to conduct court business. These purposes include, but are not limited to:
- Case management and administration.
- Authenticating the identity of parties and other individuals.
- Providing public access to court records as required by law.
- Statistical and research purposes, provided that individual identities are protected.
4. Sharing and disclosure of personal information
The court discloses personal information as authorized by court rules and applicable law. Information provided to the court under a data use agreement is handled in accordance with the agreement and not disclosed to other parties unless disclosure is explicitly authorized in the data use agreement.
Authorized disclosures may include:
- Public access: In keeping with the principle of open courts, some information in court records is publicly available through the court’s online case portal.
- Law enforcement and other agencies: The court may share personal information with law enforcement agencies or other governmental entities as part of an official investigation or as otherwise required by law.
- Parties to a case: Under certain circumstances and with court oversight, parties in a case may have access to information relevant to the proceedings.
5. Protection and management of personal information
The court employs technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. These practices include:
- Redaction of personal identifiers, as required by law
- Confidential records: Certain records must be protected as confidential, as required by law. Records may be deemed as confidential based on age of the defendant, case type, and other case statutes.
- Secure systems: Electronic case file systems are secured with access controls, regular backups, and other security measures to protect the integrity and confidentiality of records.
- Limited data retention: The court retains personal information only for as long as legally required or necessary for official purposes, after which it is securely disposed of.
- Training: Court staff receive annual training on security and privacy of criminal justice information.
Medical and Healthcare Information: Austin Municipal Court and Austin Community Court complies with all federal and state privacy laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). We strictly protect the confidentiality of your medical records and communications. For details on your rights, please review the federal Health Information Privacy guidelines and the Austin Public Health Notice of Privacy Practices.