What the Red “+” Means on Matagorda County's Case Search (Required Fields)

Required search fields are marked with a red

You’ll usually see another visual cue at the same time: the field’s label is shown in bold red. Between the red “+” and the bold red label, you can quickly spot which boxes must be filled in to submit your search.

If you see a red “+”, start there. Enter a value in every field marked with the red “+” so the system has what it needs to run the search. Once those required fields are filled, you can add any optional details to narrow results if you want.

1. Find the “Search By” dropdown - this setting controls which search parameters appear on the screen.
2. Choose “Case” - use this option when you have case-related details and want the required fields for a case-based search.
3. Choose “Party” - switch to this when you’re trying to look someone up by party information instead.
4. Choose “Attorney” - pick this if attorney information is what you have available.
5. Re-check which fields have a red “+” - the required fields shown on the page are based on the “Search By” option you selected, so changing it can change what you’re required to enter.

If a required field doesn’t make sense or you’re not sure what format it wants, use the site’s built-in navigation. After you perform a search, the black header includes links that let you go back, start over, return to the search menu, or open Help so you can see what the portal expects.

• ✓ Logout
• ✓ Search Menu
• ✓ New Search
• ✓ Back
• ✓ Help