Ellis County Courts and Courthouse Location
The Ellis County courts are located in the county seat city of Waxahachie Texas. The courts are spread amongst two basic buildings: the historic courthouse and the new courthouse. There are numerous things to know about the courthouses and which one to report to – for this page our aim is to help you understand the purposes of the two courthouses and which courts and offices are house in each. Though the historic courthouse has an amazing history, we will only highlight that and link to additional information. The purpose of this page is information, not historical. First and foremost – the important question – where do I park for the courthouse and courts in Waxahachie?
Waxahachie Courthouse Parking and parking in downtown Waxahachie
The address of the old courthouse is:
101 W Main St. Waxahachie, TX 75165
There are reserved handicap spots, though at times during the day they can get full. There are many parking spots throughout town but during the day due to business hours and court hours, parking can be difficult to find near where you want to be (unless you have luck getting parking spots). Especially during festivities or celebrations, parking can be quite far from your destination. You can easily spend 10 minutes or more finding a spot and find yourself far enough away it takes 10 minutes to walk back to the courthouse. You should allow time accordingly. Of course, right as you arrive on foot to the courthouse, several spots will open up, Murphy’s law. People often complain there are parking problems in Waxahachie, but the city does not agree.
The address of the new courthouse is:
109 S Jackson St, Waxahachie, TX 75165
Please note, some programs will state 100 vs 109 S. Jackson, it’s okay, either will get you there fine. For the new courthouse, there is a parking garage with free parking. There are also spots on the street to park but sometimes the one way traffic and the no parking zones can get confusing and the parking garage is rarely full and is adjacent to the courthouse with elevators. It is recommended to park in the garage (plus it has shade!).
The New Ellis County Courthouse and Courts in Waxahachie Texas
The new courthouse has 4 main floors. One thing to note is that the main entry is actually on the second floor, so if you are directed to the 2nd floor, you are already there, no reason to stop by the elevators. The main entrance is of course protected with an X-ray scanner. You have to empty your pockets and walk through a scanner. The good news is mostly you don’t have to remove shoes or belts. In cases of early morning reports for court or jury duty, there could be a slight delay as there is only one scanner and it is advised to allow time to get through security.
The first floor of the new courthouse is mostly for employees only.
The second floor has the Ellis County district clerk – who administers passports, trusts, child support, etcetera. Click the link on district clerk for more information on what their office handles. On the opposite end is the Ellis county clerk. The office handles birth and death records, marriage certificates, assumed names (DBA’s), permits and more. The second floor also has a payment center to conveniently pay for fines or other fees. There are also two rooms that are sometimes used for court overflow or jury check-in.
The third floor has several courtrooms including the 40th judicial court, County Court at Law 1, 2, and 3, the 378th judicial court, and the 443rd judicial court.
The fourth floor is the Ellis County district attorney’s office.
The Old Historic Ellis County Courthouse and Courts in Waxahachie Texas
The “old courthouse” as locals call it has most other offices for the county. This includes the office of the Ellis county judge, the treasurer, and other mostly administrative offices.
The historic Ellis county courthouse is famous for it’s exquisite design and architecture. The designer was J. Riely Gordon – who also designed 18 other Texas courthouses! There are many stories of love and treachery behind the design of the “faces” on the courthouse, but the truth is most are fair tales. You can read more about the faces of the courthouse here. This page is not designed to be yet another tribute to the history of the Ellis County Courthouse, but if you would like to read more information, this is an excellent source to read.