Dallas County
Dallas County is the ninth most populous county in the U.S and the second most populous county in Texas after Harris County (4,731,145). It was established in 1846 and its county seat is the City of Dallas which also stands as its largest city. Over 2.6 million people call Dallas County home. The county occupies a total land area of 908.54 square miles.
The Dallas County court structure consists of a Constitutional County Court, District Courts, Criminal District Courts, Statutory Probate Courts, Justice Courts, and Municipal Courts.
District Courts are the courts of general jurisdiction handling cases beyond the jurisdiction of other trial courts. They are in charge of civil, family, election contest, juvenile, criminal, and tax court cases.
Criminal District Courts hear criminal cases such as felonies and misdemeanors. The Criminal District Courts are located in the Frank Crowley Courts Building.
The Constitutional County Court has original jurisdiction over Class A and B misdemeanors. It also has appellate jurisdiction over cases appealed from justice courts and municipal courts with the exception of counties that have already established County Courts at Law. The Constitutional County Court is a court established by the state constitution.
The three Statutory Probate Courts in Dallas County are located in the Renaissance Tower on Elm Street. Their function is to serve justice to large metropolitan areas like Dallas County. They preside over cases related to wills of deceased persons, estate administrations, guardianship for incapacitated persons and minors, and mental health cases.
Justice Courts are divided into precincts (1-4) and also known as Small Claims Courts or Justice of the Peace Courts. They handle disputes over debts, evictions, Class C misdemeanors, and issue warrants, and perform marriage ceremonies as well.
The Municipal Courts are trial courts of justice that have jurisdiction at the city level over cases that are punishable by monetary fines. They handle cases involving traffic violations, noise violations, zoning/building violations, and property maintenance.
The Clerks at various courts maintain and keep accurate court records that contain court orders, trials, and judgment within Dallas County. According to the Texas Public Information Act, members of the public have the right to view the following court records without constraint:
- Civil records
- Criminal records
- Family court records
You can access court records from various sources within Dallas County. Court records, case information, and case documents can be viewed in Dallas County by:
- Contacting the District Clerk or going in person to the District Clerk's Office for District Court records such as felony cases
- Searching on the Dallas County website
- Visiting the Dallas County Clerk's Office (misdemeanor cases) or call at 214 653 5767 or 214 653 5762 or an in person visit to the County Clerk office on the second floor of the Frank Crowley Courts Building near the District Clerk's office
- Searching on each Municipal Court website for Municipal court records
- Visiting the Courthouse in person to view records of various courts at 500 Commerce St, Dallas, TX 75202 or via call at 214 653 7011
When obtaining copies of criminal court records, note that District Courts accept cash, money order, and personal checks for payments. To obtain copies of criminal case records you may send your request by mail to DCRecordsCriminal@dallascounty.org and attach a Criminal Records Request Form along with your mail.
