Start with the court level, then find the docket or document
Tarrant County criminal court records are divided between the District Clerk, County Clerk, individual criminal courts and other justice agencies. Felony District Court files are maintained by the District Clerk; Class A and B misdemeanor files are maintained by the County Clerk; current court settings appear through the criminal-court docket system; and pre-filing magistrate documents and executed search warrants have separate access routes.
Which Tarrant County office keeps the criminal record?
Tarrant County divides criminal records by court level. Before calling a clerk or paying for a search, identify whether the case is a felony, Class A/B misdemeanor, municipal case, jail matter or law-enforcement record.
| Record | Start here | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Felony criminal case | Tarrant County District Clerk | Custodian of criminal District Court documents. |
| Class A or B misdemeanor | Tarrant County Clerk Criminal Division | County Clerk records currently date back to 1976. |
| Upcoming felony or misdemeanor setting | Criminal Courts electronic docket / assigned court | Docket information is maintained by the criminal courts rather than being a substitute for the case file. |
| Pre-filing magistration document | District Clerk – Unfiled Criminal Cases | Can include probable-cause and bail documents before formal case filing. |
| Executed search or probable-cause warrant | District Clerk warrant search | Different from checking whether someone currently has an outstanding arrest warrant. |
| Current county jail inmate | Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office | Use the official inmate search for custody and bond information. |
| Sheriff incident/offense report | TCSO Records Division | Law-enforcement reports are separate from court filings. |
| Municipal citation / Class C city case | Issuing municipal court | Not automatically held by the County Clerk’s Class A/B misdemeanor division. |
| Statewide Texas public criminal history | Texas Department of Public Safety | Separate from Tarrant County court records. |
| Texas state prison record | Texas Department of Criminal Justice | Different from Tarrant County jail custody. |
Felony vs misdemeanor: the most important Tarrant County split
District Clerk
The Tarrant County District Clerk’s Criminal Section has custody and control of documents filed in criminal District Court cases.
The criminal-record office is on the third floor of the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center.
County Clerk
The Tarrant County Clerk Criminal Division is the keeper of records for Class A and Class B misdemeanor offenses occurring in Tarrant County.
The County Clerk says these misdemeanor records date back to 1976.
Tarrant County felony criminal court records
The Tarrant County District Clerk Criminal Section maintains felony District Court records.
Felony recordsTarrant County District Clerk – Criminal Section
Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center401 W. Belknap Street, Third Floor
Fort Worth, TX 76196
Phone: 817-884-1342
What can you request?
- criminal case documents
- judgments
- sentences
- dismissals
- orders
- other public filings
- certified copies
- felony background searches
Tarrant County Class A and B misdemeanor court records
The Tarrant County Clerk Criminal Division keeps the records of the county’s ten County Criminal Courts, where Class A and B misdemeanors are filed.
The County Clerk says staff can provide information such as:
- case number
- assigned court
- court date
- attorney name
- bondsman name
- copies of filed misdemeanor records
Tarrant County Clerk Criminal Division
Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center401 W. Belknap Street, Second Floor
Fort Worth, TX 76196
Case information: 817-884-1066
Email for record copies: countyclerkcriminalefile@tarrantcountytx.gov
How to search Tarrant County criminal court dockets
A case file tells you what has been filed. A docket tells you when a case is scheduled to appear before the court.
Tarrant County Criminal Courts Administration directs users who want to know when a current criminal case is set to the county’s criminal courts electronic docket. Individual criminal court pages also publish docket information.
Several felony court pages state that their docket pages show settings for the next two weeks. The county also advises defendants to confirm their setting with their attorney or bondsman.
Which Tarrant County courts hear felony cases?
Tarrant County’s felony court system includes dedicated Criminal District Courts and numbered District Courts with criminal jurisdiction.
Current county listings include Criminal District Courts Nos. 1–4 and criminal District Courts such as the 213th, 297th, 371st, 372nd, 396th, 432nd and 485th District Courts. Court assignments and judicial offices can change, so use the county’s live court directory instead of relying on an old list.
Tarrant County’s ten misdemeanor criminal courts
Tarrant County currently has ten County Criminal Courts handling Class A and B misdemeanor cases.
The County Clerk maintains the records, while each individual court maintains its own judicial schedule, coordinator information and docket instructions.
County Clerk
Use the County Clerk for case information, copies, judgment/dismissal documents and misdemeanor background searches.
Individual criminal court
Use the assigned court’s page for docket, coordinator, courtroom and scheduling information.
Free onsite felony court-document lookup
One of Tarrant County’s most useful public-access features is the District Clerk’s Court Document Lookup .
The service covers District Clerk cases including criminal felony cases and provides free self-service document lookup at designated public-access terminals.
Self-service research
Use a county public-access terminal to search eligible District Clerk case files without paying a clerk research fee.
$5 basic search
If staff performs the basic records search for you, the District Clerk currently lists a $5 fee.
Pay only when needed
After locating the record, purchase only the pages or certification you actually need.
Downtown public-access location
Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center401 W. Belknap Street, Third Floor
Fort Worth, TX 76196
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
817-884-1342
Remote District Clerk Web Based Access
Tarrant County also offers a paid District Clerk Web Based Access Service for people who need frequent remote access to District Court records and imaged court documents.
The county says the service includes:
- remote access approximately 23 hours per day
- District Court felony records
- record searches from the subscriber’s location
- access to imaged court documents where available
- civil, family and other supported District Clerk records
- multi-user subscription options
The District Clerk’s April 2026 information lists a $50 non-refundable processing fee and $35 per month for 1–5 users, with the first two months of service due at setup.
Tarrant County felony court-record copy fees
| District Clerk service | Current fee | Practical use |
|---|---|---|
| Records research without case number | $5 | Charged when Clerk staff has to locate the felony case. |
| Non-certified paper copy | $1 per page | Plain physical copy. |
| Non-certified electronic copy | $1 for pages 1–10 $0.10 each page after 10 |
Usually the lowest-cost option for larger non-certified documents. |
| Certified paper copy | $1 per page + $5 certification/seal | For formal use when certification is required. |
| Certified electronic copy | $1 for pages 1–10 + $0.10 thereafter + $5 certification | Electronic certified record where accepted. |
Mailing a felony copy request
Mail felony criminal-record requests to the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center, attention Criminal Felony Court Records.
For a mailed certified copy request, the District Clerk instructs requesters to include a self-addressed stamped envelope. For non-certified electronic copies, include a valid email address.
Tarrant County criminal background searches
The county offers local clerk-performed searches, but they are not the same as a statewide Texas DPS criminal-history search.
District Clerk background search
Current fee: $5. The search covers Tarrant County felony criminal cases only.
The District Clerk requests the person’s full name and date of birth.
County Clerk background search
Current fee: $5. This concerns Tarrant County Class A and B misdemeanor records.
County Clerk records currently date back to 1976.
Tarrant County criminal records before the case is formally filed
This is a particularly useful Tarrant County feature. Since January 1, 2021, the District Clerk records section has access to qualifying unfiled criminal magistration documents for Tarrant County defendants.
That means useful records can sometimes exist even before a formal District Court case number appears.
Early arrest documents
May include a probable-cause affidavit and probable-cause determination.
Arrest-warrant paperwork
May include the arrest warrant and arrest-warrant affidavit.
Bail and warning records
May include magistrate warnings, conditions of bail, personal bonds and emergency-protection orders.
How to request an unfiled criminal document
The District Clerk currently lists email as its preferred request method:
dcmagrequest@tarrantcountytx.gov
Walk-in requests are also accepted on the third floor of the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center.
District Clerk unfiled criminal documentsExecuted search and probable-cause warrants
Tarrant County has a separate public search for executed Search Warrants and Probable Cause Warrants.
This is not the same thing as asking whether someone currently has an outstanding arrest warrant.
Executed search/probable-cause warrant
Search through the District Clerk’s public warrant system using the District Clerk warrant number or associated person/location information.
Outstanding arrest warrant
Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office restricts disclosure of criminal arrest-warrant information to the general public. See the separate warrant section below.
For an official certified copy of an executed search-warrant document, contact the District Clerk rather than relying only on the web image.
Executed warrant search instructionsTarrant County jail and inmate records
For a person currently held in the Tarrant County Jail, use the Sheriff’s official Inmate / Jail Information page.
Search Tarrant County inmatesThe Sheriff’s warrant guidance also directs users to the inmate search when someone is already incarcerated and they need information about:
- current charges
- bond amounts
- current custody
- other available inmate details
Tarrant County outstanding criminal warrants
Tarrant County has an important local restriction: the Sheriff’s Office says it is not its policy to release criminal arrest-warrant information to the general public.
The Sheriff’s current guidance says criminal warrant information is provided to:
- licensed bondsmen
- licensed attorneys
- law-enforcement agencies
Traffic warrants
For traffic warrants, the Sheriff instructs users to contact the agency that issued the citation. If a Tarrant County Sheriff’s deputy issued it, contact the Justice of the Peace shown on the citation.
Sheriff criminal warrantsTarrant County Sheriff’s Office
200 Taylor Street, Sixth FloorFort Worth, TX 76196
Phone: 817-884-1289 Official Tarrant criminal-warrant guidance
Request a Tarrant County Sheriff’s report or incident record
Sheriff’s reports are law-enforcement records, not court records. Use the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office Records Division for qualifying public records maintained by TCSO.
Requests can currently be submitted:
- through the Sheriff’s online public-record request system
- by email
- by mail
- in person
Official email: TCSO_Records@tarrantcountytx.gov
Records DivisionTarrant County Sheriff’s Office
200 Taylor Street, Sixth FloorFort Worth, TX 76196
Include enough detail to locate the report
- report number if known
- type of report or incident
- date of occurrence
- incident address
- names of parties involved
- contact information in case clarification is needed
Municipal and Class C criminal cases are separate
Tarrant County Clerk’s Class A/B misdemeanor division is not the correct source for every citation or low-level criminal case in the county.
City municipal courts can maintain Class C misdemeanor and city-code cases separately. Search the court that issued the citation.
Arlington Municipal Court example
Arlington Municipal Court provides an official citation search, warrant information and downloadable/open-data court-case records.
Municipal courtArlington Municipal Court
101 S. Mesquite StreetArlington, TX 76010
Phone: 817-459-6777
Arlington’s open-data court-case report currently covers the prior two years, excludes juvenile cases and is updated weekly.
Arlington Municipal CourtTexas DPS statewide criminal-history search
Tarrant County court records answer what happened in Tarrant County courts. For broader public Texas criminal-history information, use the Texas DPS Criminal History Name Search .
$1
Texas DPS currently charges one $1 search credit for the initial name-based search.
First and last name
Middle/maiden name and date of birth can improve search precision.
Name search has limits
DPS warns that name-based searches can match the wrong person or miss the correct record.
- use the full legal first and last name
- include the middle name when known
- include maiden/previous names where appropriate
- add complete date of birth when known
- avoid nicknames and initials
- verify all identifying details before relying on a match
Texas prison and TDCJ records
If a person has moved from county jail custody into the Texas state correctional system, use the official Texas Department of Criminal Justice Offender Search .
The current TDCJ search supports:
- name search
- SID number
- current TDCJ number
- previous TDCJ number search
- wildcard searches using an asterisk
Tarrant County jail → Sheriff’s inmate search.
Texas state correctional custody → TDCJ.
Tarrant County criminal appeals
Most criminal appeals from Tarrant County district and county courts go to the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth.
The Second Court of Appeals has jurisdiction over criminal appeals from Tarrant County except cases in which the death penalty has been imposed; those go directly to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
Appellate courtSecond Court of Appeals
Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center401 W. Belknap Street, Suite 9000
Fort Worth, TX 76196-0211
Phone: 817-884-1900
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., except holidays Second Court of Appeals
Federal criminal cases from Tarrant County
Federal prosecutions are separate from Tarrant County’s state-court system. Tarrant County is assigned to the Fort Worth Division of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
Public federal court records are primarily accessed through PACER.
Electronic records
The Northern District states that docket entries from 1990 to present can be viewed through PACER or public courthouse terminals.
Microfiche / archives
Older cases can require microfiche research or Federal Records Center retrieval.
The federal court can also provide a Certificate of Name Search covering its civil and criminal records back to January 1, 1957.
Federal courtEldon B. Mahon U.S. Courthouse
501 W. 10th StreetFort Worth, TX 76102 Northern District – Fort Worth Division Federal online record request
Expunction and nondisclosure in Tarrant County
Texas provides different forms of criminal-record relief, including expunction and orders of nondisclosure in qualifying cases.
Tarrant County District Clerk’s Felony/Civil Section handles:
- felony and misdemeanor expunctions
- felony nondisclosures
- felony bond forfeitures
- related felony civil matters
The County Clerk currently states that misdemeanor nondisclosure applications must be electronically filed and lists a $350 filing fee.
What if a Tarrant County criminal record is not yours?
Tarrant County publishes a particularly useful process for people whose identifying information was falsely used by another person during an arrest.
The Criminal District Attorney’s post-conviction guidance says a Tarrant County resident whose name or identifying information was falsely given by another arrested person may be able to pursue expunction of that incorrectly associated identifying information.
Keep copies of any identification, fingerprints, court documents or agency correspondence that help demonstrate that the record belongs to another person.
Tarrant County post-conviction guidanceTim Curry Criminal Justice Center: where most Tarrant criminal-record paths meet
The Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in downtown Fort Worth houses the District Clerk Criminal Section, County Clerk Criminal Division, felony and misdemeanor criminal courts and the Second Court of Appeals.
District Clerk Criminal Section
401 W. Belknap StreetThird Floor
Fort Worth, TX 76196
Phone: 817-884-1342
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Misdemeanor records
County Clerk Criminal Division
401 W. Belknap StreetSecond Floor
Fort Worth, TX 76196
Phone: 817-884-1066
Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Map: Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center, 401 W. Belknap Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76196.
How to read a Tarrant County criminal case or docket correctly
| Term | What it generally tells you | What it does not prove by itself |
|---|---|---|
| Docket setting | The case is scheduled for a particular court event. | How the case will ultimately be resolved. |
| Arrest | Law enforcement took a person into custody. | Guilt or conviction. |
| Probable-cause affidavit | Contains allegations and facts offered to establish probable cause. | That those allegations were ultimately proved beyond a reasonable doubt. |
| Indictment | A felony accusation returned through the grand-jury process. | A conviction. |
| Bond | Conditions or financial terms connected with release. | Case outcome. |
| Dismissal | The charge or case was dismissed. | That no historical arrest or filing ever existed. |
| Deferred adjudication | A Texas disposition with specific statutory consequences. | That it is identical to either an ordinary conviction or ordinary dismissal. |
| Judgment / sentence | The court’s formal disposition and sentence when applicable. | That every count in a multi-count case had the same outcome. |
Tarrant County court-record search tips that save time
Felony or misdemeanor first
The District Clerk and County Clerk keep different criminal files.
Get the case number before ordering
Without it, a District Clerk staff search can trigger a $5 research fee.
Docket ≠ case file
Use the docket for scheduling and the clerk’s case file for the underlying documents.
No filed case yet?
Check Tarrant’s unfiled magistration-document process instead of assuming no record exists.
Search-warrant question?
Use the District Clerk’s executed warrant search—not the Sheriff’s outstanding-warrant process.
Current inmate?
Go directly to Tarrant County Sheriff’s inmate search before digging through a court docket.
Use DOB for local background searches
Tarrant District Clerk asks for full name and date of birth for felony background checks.
Municipal citation?
Search the issuing city court instead of the Class A/B County Clerk system.
Recheck the docket
Court settings change. Verify the current schedule close to the hearing date.
Use free onsite terminals
Frequent paid searches are not necessary if you can use the District Clerk’s free public-access terminals.
Read the disposition
Never summarize a case based only on the arrest, indictment or mugshot.
Expand outside Tarrant when needed
Tarrant Clerk searches are local; use Texas DPS or another jurisdiction when the search needs broader coverage.
Employment, housing and regulated background-check use
Public court records are not automatically a legally compliant consumer report. If criminal-history information will be used for employment, tenant screening, credit, insurance or another regulated eligibility decision, additional federal or Texas rules can apply.
A consumer-reporting agency may be subject to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, including consent, accuracy, notice and adverse-action requirements.
Tarrant County criminal court records: frequently asked questions
1. Where do I get a Tarrant County felony criminal record?
Felony District Court records are maintained by the Tarrant County District Clerk Criminal Section at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center.
2. Where are Tarrant County misdemeanor records kept?
The Tarrant County Clerk Criminal Division keeps Class A and Class B misdemeanor records for the county’s ten County Criminal Courts. The County Clerk says its records date back to 1976.
3. How do I check a Tarrant County criminal court docket?
Tarrant County Criminal Courts Administration links to the criminal courts electronic docket. Individual felony and misdemeanor court pages also provide docket information and court-coordinator contacts.
4. Can I view Tarrant felony court documents for free?
Yes. The District Clerk offers free self-service document lookup at designated public-access terminals, including the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center.
5. How much does a Tarrant County felony background search cost?
The District Clerk currently charges $5 for a felony background check covering Tarrant County felony cases only. A full name and date of birth are requested.
6. Can I get records before the felony case is formally filed?
In some situations, yes. The District Clerk has maintained access to qualifying unfiled magistration documents since January 1, 2021, including probable-cause affidavits, arrest-warrant documents, magistrate warnings and certain bail records.
7. Can I search executed Tarrant County search warrants online?
Yes. The District Clerk provides a separate public system for executed Search Warrants and Probable Cause Warrants. A certified copy must still be obtained from the District Clerk.
8. Can I publicly search for someone’s outstanding Tarrant County criminal warrant?
The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office states that it does not release criminal arrest-warrant information to the general public. The information is provided to licensed bondsmen, attorneys and law-enforcement agencies.
9. Is a Tarrant County clerk search the same as a statewide Texas criminal-history search?
No. District Clerk and County Clerk searches concern Tarrant County court cases. Texas DPS maintains the broader public Texas Criminal History Name Search.
10. Where do Tarrant County criminal appeals go?
Most criminal appeals from Tarrant County district and county courts go to the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth. Death-penalty appeals go directly to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
Official Tarrant County, Texas and federal sources
- Tarrant County District Clerk – Criminal Section
- District Clerk – Court Document Lookup
- District Clerk – Felony Criminal Background Checks
- District Clerk – Web Based Access Service
- District Clerk – Unfiled Criminal Cases
- District Clerk – Executed Probable Cause & Search Warrants
- Tarrant County Clerk – County Criminal Courts
- County Clerk – Criminal FAQs & Misdemeanor Records
- Tarrant County Criminal Courts Administration / Criminal Docket
- Tarrant County Felony Courts
- Tarrant County Misdemeanor Courts
- Tarrant County Sheriff – Inmate Search
- Tarrant County Sheriff – Criminal Warrants
- Tarrant County Sheriff – Public Records Request
- Texas DPS – Criminal History Name Search
- Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Offender Search
- Texas Second Court of Appeals
- U.S. District Court – Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division
- PACER – Federal Court Records