Search Dallas County Criminal Court Records

Dallas County criminal court records are filed with the Dallas County District Clerk at the George L. Allen Sr. Courts Building in downtown Dallas. With a population of roughly 2.6 million, Dallas County is one of the largest court systems in Texas, processing thousands of felony and misdemeanor cases each year. You can search records online for free through re:SearchTX and the county's own portal, visit the clerk's office on Commerce Street in person, or submit requests by mail. The clerk's office can locate records by defendant name, cause number, or date of birth.

Dallas County District Clerk - Criminal Records Division

The Dallas County District Clerk maintains criminal records for dozens of felony district courts. Dallas County has multiple criminal district courts, including dedicated courts for felony drug offenses, violent crimes, and general felony matters. Each court has its own docket, but all records are filed with the central District Clerk office at 600 Commerce Street. The criminal records division is the primary division you need for felony case files.

The District Clerk's website at dallascounty.org provides direct online access to case lookups and allows you to see docket information, charge details, and in some cases view documents filed in court. This county-level portal works alongside the statewide re:SearchTX system. Because of the volume of cases in Dallas County, it is worth trying both systems when searching. Older cases may only appear in one portal or the other depending on when they were filed.

The District Clerk handles felony cases from indictment through sentencing and beyond. Post-conviction matters like expunction petitions under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55 and motions for nondisclosure are also filed with this office.

How to Search Dallas County Criminal Records

Dallas County has more search options than most Texas counties. Start with the Dallas County District Clerk criminal records portal, which provides direct access to county court filings. The statewide re:SearchTX portal is also free and covers Dallas County along with courts statewide. Both portals are worth checking since they may show different levels of case detail.

The Dallas County Sheriff's Office detention portal, shown below, is another resource for finding information about people in the county's custody. The screenshot comes from the county's official detention information page at dallascounty.org.

The Dallas County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail and publishes booking information publicly. This is separate from the court clerk records but useful when looking for someone recently arrested. For a broader statewide criminal history check, the Texas DPS Criminal History Search costs $3 per name and covers courts across all 254 Texas counties. The FAST fingerprint program provides the most definitive result when you need to match records to a specific individual. In-person searches at the Dallas County Courthouse are available during business hours and require a photo ID.

Dallas County Misdemeanor Records

Dallas County has a large County Criminal Court system separate from the felony district courts. Class A and B misdemeanors are handled in the County Criminal Courts at Law, of which Dallas County has multiple. The Dallas County Criminal Courts Building at 133 N. Industrial Blvd houses many of these courts. The Dallas County Criminal District Attorney prosecutes both felony and misdemeanor cases.

Common Class A and B misdemeanors in Dallas County include DWI first offense, assault causing bodily injury, theft under the felony threshold, criminal mischief, and drug possession in smaller amounts. The County Clerk maintains records for the County Criminal Courts. That is a separate office from the District Clerk. If you are looking for a misdemeanor case that was not a felony, contact the Dallas County Clerk's office rather than the District Clerk.

Class C misdemeanors are handled at the municipal courts in Dallas, Irving, Garland, and other cities, as well as at the justice of the peace courts in each precinct. Those records are not held by the County Clerk or District Clerk. Municipal courts in Dallas handle traffic violations, public intoxication, minor theft, and other fine-only offenses. Contact the specific city court that handled the matter for those records.

Dallas County Arrest Records and Sheriff

The Dallas County Sheriff's Office operates the county jail system, which includes several facilities in the Dallas area. When someone is booked into a county jail, a booking record is created with the name, date of arrest, and charges at booking. Dallas County makes some booking information available through its online portal. An arrest record is not the same as a conviction or even a formal charge. Cases are frequently dismissed or result in acquittal after arrest.

The Dallas Police Department and the police departments of the many cities within Dallas County also generate arrest records at the city level. Those city-level records may differ from county jail records depending on where the person was held. For state prison records, the TDCJ offender search covers all people currently incarcerated or on supervision through the state system. The Texas sex offender registry is a free tool listing registered offenders statewide, including those living in Dallas County. Searches can be filtered by zip code or county.

Dallas County is also served by federal law enforcement including the FBI, DEA, and ATF. Federal criminal cases are handled by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, based in Dallas. Those records are separate from county records and are accessed through the federal PACER system.

What Dallas County Criminal Records Contain

Dallas County criminal case files are detailed and often substantial. Given the high volume of cases and the number of contested trials, case files can run to hundreds of pages in complex matters. Even a straightforward plea case will have a full set of standard documents.

Documents typically found in a Dallas County criminal case file:

• Grand jury indictment or criminal information
• Arraignment records and all plea entries
• Bond orders, modifications, and conditions
• Pre-trial motions from both the prosecution and defense
• Court orders and rulings on all filed motions
• Competency or mental health evaluations if ordered
• Plea agreement and supporting documents
• Verdict or judgment after trial
• Sentencing documents and probation conditions
• Appeal filings if the case was appealed
• Post-conviction petitions including expunction or nondisclosure orders

Most of these records are public under Texas Government Code Chapter 552. Sealed records, juvenile cases, and expunged files are not available to the public. Given the volume of cases in Dallas County, the clerk's staff will generally respond faster to requests that include a specific cause number rather than a name-only search.

Fees and Access in Dallas County

The Dallas County District Clerk charges $1 per page for standard copies. Certified copies carry an additional $5 per document. Mail requests should include a money order payable to the Dallas County District Clerk and a cover letter specifying the cause number and the documents you need. Given the scale of the office, requests with a cause number are processed faster than name-only requests. Call (214) 653-7131 to verify the current fee schedule and turnaround time before mailing.

Several free and low-cost options are available. The re:SearchTX portal and the Dallas County District Clerk portal are both free. The DPS name search is $3 per query. Court forms are available free at txcourts.gov.

Dallas County has a range of legal resources. Lone Star Legal Aid provides free civil legal services to eligible low-income residents in the Dallas area and can assist with expunction and nondisclosure filings. TexasLawHelp.org has free guides on criminal records and your rights under the Public Information Act. The Texas Bar Find-A-Lawyer directory lists licensed attorneys who handle criminal defense and post-conviction matters in Dallas County.

Cities in Dallas County

Dallas County contains numerous cities, many of which have their own police departments and municipal courts. Cities with their own records pages include Dallas, Irving, Garland, Mesquite, Richardson, and Carrollton. Smaller cities like Farmers Branch, Rowlett, Sachse, Sunnyvale, Balch Springs, Hutchins, Lancaster, Desoto, Cedar Hill, and Duncanville are also in Dallas County. Those smaller cities do not have their own records pages, but criminal court cases arising from incidents in any Dallas County city are processed through the Dallas County court system.

Nearby Counties

Dallas County sits at the center of the Metroplex and borders several other large counties. Neighboring counties include Collin County to the north, Rockwall County to the northeast, Kaufman County to the east, Ellis County to the south, Tarrant County to the west, and Denton County to the northwest. Each county maintains its own separate court system and clerk office.