Choose felony or misdemeanor records before you start searching
Dallas County divides criminal court records between two clerks. The District Clerk is the official custodian for felony criminal court records, while the County Clerk maintains misdemeanor criminal court records. Dallas County’s online Courts Portal can search both case types, but knowing which clerk owns the record becomes important when you need older files, certified copies, background certifications, expunction information or help with a missing document.
Dallas County criminal court records are split between two clerks
This is the most important local detail to understand before requesting a record. Dallas County does not use one clerk for every criminal case.
Dallas County District Clerk
Custodian for felony criminal court records and the Magistrate Court in the Lew Sterrett Justice Center.
Dallas County Clerk
Supports the Dallas County Criminal Courts that handle misdemeanor matters.
Dallas County Courts Portal
Public portal providing case information for both felony and misdemeanor criminal cases.
Search Dallas County criminal cases online
Dallas County provides a public Dallas County Courts Portal. Registration is not required for ordinary public access.
Open Dallas County Courts PortalDallas County states that online criminal case information is available for cases dating back to 1975, including the status of cases being heard in felony and misdemeanor courts.
Open Smart Search
Use the public Dallas County Courts Portal rather than a commercial records website.
Enter a case number or defendant name
If you know the case number, use it. Otherwise, enter the person’s name in the format supported by the portal.
Narrow the results
Use advanced filters such as case type, case status, filing dates, judicial officer and available party identifiers.
Open the specific case
Review the court, case number, charge information, status and event history before assuming the result belongs to the person you are researching.
Open available documents
Some records are available remotely. Older files, certified records and restricted documents may require a clerk request.
How Dallas County Smart Search works
The county portal provides more search controls than a simple first-and-last-name box.
Name format
Dallas County’s Smart Search accepts names in: Last, First Middle Suffix format.
Wildcard searches
The portal supports wildcard searching with an asterisk. Its instructions currently say a last-name wildcard requires at least three characters and a first-name wildcard requires at least one character.
Case type
Narrow results so unrelated civil, probate or other records do not dominate the search.
Case status
Limit results based on the current status when the portal exposes that option.
File date
Use a date range when you know approximately when the case was filed.
FBI number
Smart Search currently exposes an FBI-number filter where applicable.
SO number
Sheriff’s Office identifiers can help narrow the correct defendant when known.
Booking number
The portal also exposes a booking-number filter for situations where that identifier is available.
How to read a Dallas County criminal docket correctly
Finding a name does not tell you whether the person was convicted. Read the docket and disposition.
| Record field | What it tells you | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Case number | The court’s unique identifier for that case. | Use it for later clerk requests. |
| Charge | The criminal allegation filed in court. | A filed charge is not automatically a conviction. |
| Case status | Whether the matter remains active or has been disposed. | Check the latest event rather than an older status. |
| Docket / event history | Chronological court activity. | Look for plea, dismissal, trial, sentencing and orders. |
| Disposition | How a charge was resolved. | Each count can have a different outcome. |
| Sentence | Court-ordered punishment or conditions. | Confirm which count and disposition the sentence relates to. |
Dallas County felony records: use the District Clerk
The Dallas County District Clerk is the official custodian of felony criminal court records. Its felony records desk is at the Frank Crowley Courts Building.
Dallas County says most felony case records are freely available online for cases filed after 2009.
Dallas County District Clerk
Frank Crowley Courts Building133 N. Riverfront Boulevard
2nd Floor
Dallas, TX 75207
Records phone:
(214) 653-5950
Email:
DCRecordsCriminal@dallascounty.org
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
When you should contact the District Clerk directly
- you need a certified felony document
- the felony case predates online document coverage
- you need a felony criminal-record certification
- a public document does not appear in the portal
- you need an older off-site felony file
- you need help identifying the correct felony record
Dallas County misdemeanor records: use the County Clerk
Misdemeanor criminal cases are maintained by the Dallas County Clerk’s Criminal Courts Division.
Dallas County Clerk — Criminal Courts Division
Frank Crowley Courts Building133 N. Riverfront Boulevard
2nd Floor, Room A-1
Dallas, TX 75207
Main phone:
(214) 653-7099
Misdemeanor records:
(214) 653-5767
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Dallas County currently operates 11 County Criminal Courts plus two county criminal appeals courts, all supported by the County Clerk’s Criminal Courts Division.
Older Dallas County criminal records may be stored off-site
The online portal is broad, but document availability differs by age and case type.
| Record type | Online coverage | If the document is missing |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal case information | Dallas County says case information goes back to 1975. | Contact the appropriate clerk when details are incomplete. |
| Felony documents | Most felony case documents are online for cases filed after 2009. | Older felony cases may require off-site retrieval. |
| Misdemeanor plain-copy documents | County Clerk says cases from 2011 forward generally have plain-copy documents online. | Pre-2011 records may require email, mail or in-person request. |
Felony files before 2009
The District Clerk’s felony record-request form states that pre-2009 felony cases are stored off-site and can take a minimum of approximately 3–5 business days to retrieve.
Misdemeanor files before 2011
The County Clerk says misdemeanor files before 2011 are retained at an off-site warehouse and may take up to approximately 72 hours to retrieve. Calling or emailing before an in-person visit can prevent an unnecessary trip.
How to get plain or certified Dallas County criminal court copies
The correct request path depends on whether the case is a felony or misdemeanor.
District Clerk copy request
Request in person, by mail or by email using the District Clerk Criminal Records Request Form.
Email: DCRecordsCriminal@dallascounty.org
Felony Records Request FormCounty Clerk copy request
Older records and certification requests can be submitted by email, mail or in person.
Email: dc.criminalrecords@dallascounty.org
Misdemeanor Request InstructionsCurrent record-service fees
| Service | Current published fee | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Record/name search | $5 | District Clerk felony search when no case number is supplied; County Clerk misdemeanor record search also lists $5. |
| Paper copy | $1 per page | Published felony and misdemeanor copy schedules. |
| Certification | $5 per certified document/case | Added when official certification is requested. |
| Exemplification | $5 plus applicable copy/certification fees | Higher authentication where specifically needed. |
| Misdemeanor archive retrieval | $2 per file | County Clerk published archive-order charge. |
Dallas County criminal background search vs court-case search
Dallas County itself distinguishes between criminal-history information and court case records.
Dallas County case search
Shows Dallas County court cases, charges, dispositions, docket activity and available court documents.
Texas DPS search
Statewide Texas criminal-history search covering qualifying DPS criminal-history information.
Misdemeanor background search
The County Clerk currently performs misdemeanor background searches for a $5 record-search fee. Mail requests should include the person’s full name, date of birth, payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Felony background certification
For felony-only Dallas County certification, contact the District Clerk Criminal Records section.
Use Texas DPS when you need statewide Texas criminal history
Dallas County’s District Clerk FAQ directs users seeking broader Dallas County and statewide Texas criminal-history information to the Texas DPS Public Criminal History Conviction Name Search.
Open Texas DPS Criminal History SearchThe DPS public system is useful for qualifying public Texas conviction and deferred-adjudication information. It is still different from the Dallas County court docket, which should be used when you need actual local case details and documents.
Dallas County jail and inmate lookup
For current county custody, use the official Dallas County Jail Lookup operated through Dallas County Sheriff’s jail-information services.
Open Dallas County Jail LookupDallas County lists the 24-hour prisoner-information number for county jail facilities as: (214) 761-9025.
A citation or ticket may not belong in the county criminal courts
Not every offense in Dallas County is filed in a Dallas County Criminal Court or Criminal District Court.
Justice of the Peace matters
Certain lower-level citations and cases can be filed in Dallas County Justice of the Peace courts.
City citation matters
City ordinance and municipal citation matters may belong to a municipal court such as the City of Dallas Municipal Court rather than the Dallas County criminal courts.
Dallas County’s Criminal Courts Division lists: (214) 943-5981 for Justice of the Peace citation questions and (214) 670-0109 for municipal-court citation questions.
Frank Crowley Courts Building: the main criminal-record location
Both the Dallas County felony records desk and misdemeanor Criminal Courts Division operate from the Frank Crowley Courts Building.
District Clerk
Frank Crowley Courts Building133 N. Riverfront Boulevard
2nd Floor
Dallas, TX 75207
Records: (214) 653-5950
Hours: 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday–Friday
County Clerk
Frank Crowley Courts Building133 N. Riverfront Boulevard
2nd Floor, Room A-1
Dallas, TX 75207
Main line: (214) 653-7099
Hours: 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday–Friday
Map to the Frank Crowley Courts Building
This is the central location for Dallas County felony and misdemeanor criminal-record services.
Why some Dallas County criminal records are not available online
Public access has legal limits.
The District Clerk specifically states that sealed cases and records held confidential under state or federal law are not available through ordinary online access and generally require legal authority or a court order to access.
Dallas County also says records containing the names of children or sexual-assault victims are not made available online in the same way as ordinary public felony documents.
Dallas County expunctions and orders of nondisclosure
Dallas County’s District Clerk handles expunction filings through the criminal section. Orders of nondisclosure may be filed with the clerk of the court where the underlying case was heard, depending on the type of relief and case.
Dallas County Expunction & Nondisclosure GuideThe District Clerk permits eligible self-represented filers to submit completed petitions at the second-floor criminal cashier window in the Frank Crowley Courts Building or through applicable electronic filing procedures.
Filing fees and statutory rules can change. Verify the current District Clerk fee schedule and applicable Texas law before submitting a petition.
Juvenile records use a different Dallas County records office
Juvenile matters should not be treated like ordinary adult criminal cases.
Dallas County’s Juvenile Records office is located at:
Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center
2600 Lone Star Drive3rd Floor
Dallas, TX 75212
Juvenile Records: (214) 698-4903
Federal criminal cases are separate from Dallas County court records
A federal prosecution occurring in Dallas is not a Dallas County felony court case. Federal cases are maintained by the United States federal judiciary.
Dallas is within the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Federal court records are searched through PACER.
Search Federal Cases with PACERFederal prosecution → federal district court / PACER.
Dallas County criminal-record search tips that save time
Start with the unified portal
Search the Dallas County Courts Portal before deciding which clerk you need.
Save the case number
A case number avoids repeated name searches and usually eliminates a $5 manual name-search fee.
Felony = District Clerk
Do not send a felony certified-copy request to the County Clerk.
Misdemeanor = County Clerk
The County Clerk is the records custodian for Dallas County misdemeanor criminal courts.
Older felony?
Pre-2009 felony files may need off-site retrieval, so contact the records desk before visiting.
Older misdemeanor?
Pre-2011 misdemeanor files can also be off-site and may need advance retrieval.
Search Texas DPS too
Dallas County records do not reveal criminal cases filed in every other Texas county.
Recent arrest?
Use jail lookup first, then move to the court portal as the criminal case is filed and updated.
Need formal proof?
Order a certified disposition rather than relying only on a screenshot of the online docket.
Common questions about Dallas County criminal court records
1. Can I search Dallas County criminal court records online for free?
Yes. Dallas County provides a public Courts Portal for felony and misdemeanor case information, and registration is not required for ordinary public access.
2. How far back does Dallas County’s online criminal case information go?
Dallas County states that criminal case information is available online for cases dating back to 1975. Document availability is more limited for older cases.
3. Who keeps Dallas County felony criminal records?
The Dallas County District Clerk is the official custodian of felony criminal court records. Its felony records desk is located on the second floor of the Frank Crowley Courts Building.
4. Who keeps Dallas County misdemeanor records?
The Dallas County Clerk’s Criminal Courts Division maintains misdemeanor criminal court records.
5. Are Dallas County felony documents available online?
The District Clerk states that most felony case documents are freely available online for cases filed after 2009. Older or restricted records may require a records request.
6. How do I get an older Dallas County misdemeanor record?
Misdemeanor records before 2011 may be stored off-site. The County Clerk accepts qualifying requests by email, mail or in person and says archive retrieval can take up to about 72 hours.
7. How much does a certified Dallas County criminal court copy cost?
Current published schedules generally list $1 per page and a $5 certification charge, although exact costs depend on the service and record. Confirm the current fee with the clerk before ordering.
8. How do I find someone currently in the Dallas County jail?
Use the official Dallas County Jail Lookup. Dallas County also lists a 24-hour prisoner-information number at (214) 761-9025.
9. Is a Dallas County criminal case search the same as a Texas background check?
No. The Dallas County portal searches county court cases. Texas DPS maintains the statewide criminal-history system and provides a separate public search for qualifying Texas criminal-history records.
10. Why might a Dallas County criminal record not appear publicly?
A case may be sealed, subject to nondisclosure, confidential by law, too old for remote document access, stored off-site or maintained in another court such as a municipal, justice or federal court.
Official Dallas County and Texas sources
- Dallas County — Online Record Search
- Dallas County Courts Portal — Smart Search
- Dallas County District Clerk — Felony Criminal Court Records
- Dallas County District Clerk — Criminal Felony Section
- Dallas County District Clerk — Criminal FAQs
- Dallas County Clerk — Criminal Courts Division
- Dallas County Clerk — Criminal Courts FAQs
- Dallas County Clerk — Criminal Copy Fees
- Dallas County District Clerk — Expunction & Nondisclosure
- Dallas County — Jail Lookup
- Texas DPS — Public Criminal History Search
- PACER — Federal Court Records