Court Records

Dallas County TX court records can include case summaries, party names, filing dates, hearing information, judgments, orders, and copies of documents filed in civil, family, probate, misdemeanor, felony, and other court matters. This article explains which Dallas County clerk maintains each type of record, how to search official online systems, what information to prepare, when a record request is necessary, how copy and payment procedures work, and which restrictions may prevent a document from appearing online.

Court Record Offices

Dallas County court records are not maintained by a single office. Responsibility depends on the court in which the case was filed or heard. Identifying the correct court level before searching can prevent incomplete results, unnecessary record requests, and payments sent to the wrong clerk.

District Clerk Records

The Dallas County District Clerk is the custodian of records for the civil and family state district courts. The District Clerk also maintains records for felony criminal cases handled by the district courts and provides information about juvenile court records.

The District Clerk’s court records information page organizes its services into civil, family, juvenile, and criminal record categories. It also directs users to the online court portal, records payment system, fee information, and records contact information.

County Clerk Records

The Dallas County Clerk maintains records for county courts at law, county criminal courts, and probate courts. A case heard in one of these courts should generally be directed to the County Clerk rather than the District Clerk.

The County Clerk’s records include civil cases filed in county courts at law, Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases, appeals handled by county criminal courts of appeals, and probate matters involving wills, estates, guardianships, mental health proceedings, and related filings.

Justice Court Records

Records for a case heard by a justice of the peace are maintained by the office of the justice of the peace who heard the case. The District Clerk’s civil records office specifically directs users with justice court cases to the appropriate justice of the peace office.

This distinction matters when looking for eviction cases, lower-level civil disputes, or matters that originated in a justice court. Some cases may later be appealed to a county court, but the original justice court record remains associated with the justice of the peace office that handled the case.

Official Online Search Systems

Dallas County provides several official online systems. They serve different purposes, so users should select the system based on the type of information or document needed.

Main Courts Portal

The Dallas County Courts Portal is the primary system for searching court records. Its Smart Search feature allows users to look for case information by record number, party name, business name, and several advanced filters.

The portal also includes separate features for searching court hearings and making certain criminal or traffic case payments. Public access to case information does not require general users to register. The portal’s registration notice applies to defense attorneys and Dallas County employees who need registered access.

Online Record Search Page

The county’s online record search page serves as a central directory for court and public records. It identifies available searches for civil district courts, family district courts, county and probate courts, felony cases, misdemeanor cases, assumed names, marriage information, deeds, and other County Clerk records.

Family district court results may provide case information without making every filed document available online. Document availability depends on the record type, filing date, confidentiality rules, and whether the case file has been placed in the online system.

Criminal Document Access

The separate criminal and protective order document portal is intended only for retrieving criminal court documents and protective order documents. It is not the correct system for retrieving civil documents.

This portal uses a case-number search. Case numbers must be entered without dashes or spaces. Examples shown by the county include formats such as F3344556, M3344556, and CV1700105. Entering punctuation or spacing that is not part of the stored number can prevent a match.

Smart Search Methods

The Courts Portal offers broad searches and more precise searches. A case number is usually the most reliable search value, but a party name or business name may be used when the number is unknown.

Case Number Searches

Enter the record number in the Smart Search field using the format shown on a court notice or filing. For a wildcard case-number search, the portal requires at least four characters. A partial number that is too short may return an error rather than a list of possible cases.

Case numbers from different court systems may use different letters or structures. A booking number, sheriff’s office number, or payment reference is not automatically the same as a court case number. Users should enter the number identified specifically as the cause number, case number, or record number on the court document.

Individual Name Searches

The portal accepts names in “Last, First Middle Suffix” format. A search is more likely to work when the spelling and name order match the court record. Middle names, initials, suffixes, and prior names can affect results.

For a wildcard name search, the portal instructs users to enter at least three characters followed by an asterisk for the last name and at least one character followed by an asterisk for the first name. This can help when the full spelling is uncertain, but a broad wildcard may return multiple people with similar names.

Business Name Searches

A business case search is available through Advanced Filtering Options. Under General Options, select “Business Name” from the search-type menu and enter the business name in the search field.

If a business name includes a comma, the portal permits a wildcard search using an asterisk in place of the comma. Nothing should be entered after the asterisk in that search format. Business names may appear under a legal name rather than a commonly used trade name, so users should consider the exact name shown on contracts, court notices, or formation documents.

Advanced Search Filters

Advanced Filtering Options can narrow a large result list. Available filters include location, search type, party search criteria, phone number, FBI number, sheriff’s office number, booking number, case type, case status, filing date range, and judicial officer.

Filters should be based on information known to be accurate. An incorrect filing year, court location, or case status can exclude the correct record. When a narrow search returns nothing, removing uncertain filters and searching again may produce a match.

Records by Case Type

Civil District Cases

The District Clerk maintains civil cases filed in the state district courts. Online case information is available for district civil cases dating back to 1975, including current cases. Case files are available online for most civil cases filed after 2008.

The District Clerk’s civil court records page explains online viewing, copy requests, certification, payment methods, and counter services. Records that do not appear online may still be available through the Civil and Family Records Desk.

Family and Juvenile Cases

Family district court case information is handled by the District Clerk. Family records can involve divorce, parent-child matters, name changes, and other proceedings assigned to family district courts. Juvenile records also fall within the District Clerk’s civil, family, and juvenile records structure.

Access to documents may be restricted when a file contains children’s names or other sensitive information. A case summary may therefore be visible even though some or all documents cannot be opened through the public portal.

Felony Criminal Cases

Felony criminal matters received from the Dallas County Grand Jury are heard by district courts and supported by the District Clerk’s Criminal Section. Users seeking felony case information should follow the resources on the District Clerk’s felony criminal information page.

The section provides access to felony case records, criminal background search information, felony collections, expunction and nondisclosure materials, filing fees, forms, and criminal contact information. A misdemeanor case should not be directed to this section because misdemeanor court records are maintained by the County Clerk.

County Civil Cases

The County Clerk is the custodian of records for the county courts at law. Dallas County has five county courts at law that hear civil cases. These courts also hear certain appeals from justice of the peace courts, cases transferred from state district courts, and foreign judgments originating in other counties or states.

The County Clerk Civil Courts Division maintains these records. Users experiencing problems viewing documents submitted through electronic filing may send an inquiry to cc-civilefile@dallascounty.org.

A request for a court hearing is different from a request for a court record. Hearing requests must be directed to the coordinator for the court to which the case is assigned. The clerk’s records office cannot replace the court coordinator in the hearing-scheduling process.

Misdemeanor Cases

The County Clerk maintains records for the county criminal courts. Dallas County’s county criminal courts hear Class A and Class B misdemeanor offenses. Two county criminal courts of appeals hear appeals from justice of the peace courts and municipal courts.

The County Clerk Criminal Courts Division is the correct office for these misdemeanor records. Users should not send a misdemeanor records question to the District Clerk’s felony section merely because the matter is criminal.

Probate Court Matters

The County Clerk maintains the permanent records of Dallas County’s probate courts. Probate cases can involve wills, estates, guardianships, mental health proceedings, and mental health assessments. The County Clerk also receives wills placed on deposit before the death of the person who made the will.

Probate documents available through an online public search are non-certified unless they are purchased through the County Clerk’s electronic certified-document service. A public search image and a certified court copy serve different purposes and should not be treated as interchangeable.

Online Records and Certified Copies

Public Case Information

Online case information is useful for identifying the court, case number, parties, filing date, case status, and available docket entries. Some records also include downloadable documents. The amount of information displayed varies by case type and filing date.

Dallas County states that online information is provided as is and may be changed or updated. Users who need a document for filing, identification, enforcement, licensing, financial, or other official purposes should confirm whether the receiving organization requires a certified copy.

Non-Certified Documents

Documents viewed or downloaded from an ordinary online public record search are generally non-certified. They may be suitable for reviewing the contents of a case, checking dates, or identifying documents to request, but the County Clerk specifically distinguishes online public-search copies from electronic certified documents.

Certified Court Copies

A certified copy is issued by the court clerk as a true and exact copy of the original court record. The District Clerk’s Civil and Family Court Record Request form states that certified copies are $1 per page in either paper or electronic form.

The County Clerk also offers electronic certified court documents. Those documents include encrypted security features and a unique County Clerk digital signature. They are separate from ordinary documents displayed through the online public record search.

Restricted Court Documents

Records sealed by court order or made confidential under state or federal law are not available through unrestricted online access. Access to a sealed record generally requires a court order. Records containing children’s names or other sensitive information may also be restricted from online viewing.

The absence of a downloadable document does not necessarily mean that no case exists. It may indicate that the case is older, the document has not been placed online, or access is limited by confidentiality requirements.

District Clerk Copy Requests

Users needing certified copies, documents unavailable online, older files, or a clerk-conducted record search may submit a request to the District Clerk’s Civil and Family Records Desk.

Request Information

The official Civil and Family Court Record Request form asks for information that helps the records staff locate the case and prepare the correct documents. A requester should provide as much of the following information as possible:

Requester’s name, telephone number, address, and email address.
Case number, when known.
Year the case was filed.
Name of the plaintiff.
Name of the defendant.
Whether certified copies are required.
Whether delivery should be electronic or by mail.
Whether only the final judgment is requested.
The exact titles of any additional documents requested.

Providing exact document titles can prevent the records office from sending the wrong filing. Examples of distinguishable documents may include a final judgment, order, petition, answer, motion, or other entry shown in the case record. Requesters should use the document title as it appears in the docket whenever possible.

Email and Mail Requests

Completed civil and family record requests may be emailed to DCRecords@dallascounty.org. The request form should be attached to the email. Mail requests may be sent to the District Clerk’s Civil and Family Court Records office at the address shown in the department list below.

The records office sends an invoice for the amount due. A requester should wait for the invoice or cost instructions before using the online records payment system.

Incomplete Search Details

A $5 search fee may be charged when the requester provides incomplete or incorrect case information. Including the case number and filing year can reduce the need for a manual name search and help distinguish between people or businesses with similar names.

Older Off-Site Files

Many older records are stored off-site. The District Clerk’s request form states that retrieving these records may take up to six weeks. A $5 search fee is assessed for records retrieved from the warehouse.

Users requesting an older case should account for this retrieval period rather than expecting immediate electronic delivery. The filing year and complete party names are especially useful for an off-site search.

Counter Record Services

The Civil and Family Records Desk provides access to district civil and family case records that are not available online. It also handles record certification and clerk-assisted searches.

The counter is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Requests made after 4:00 p.m. are handled on the next business day. Users arriving late in the day should not assume that a search, certification, or copy order will be completed before the counter closes.

For best printing results, the Courts Portal advises users to download a document and then print the downloaded file rather than printing directly from the web browser. This can reduce formatting problems or missing portions of the page.

Fees and Payment Rules

District Clerk Record Payments

The District Clerk accepts cash, personal checks drawn on an in-state bank, money orders, and credit cards for services offered by the Civil and Family Records section. Payment may be made at the records counter or, when applicable, by mail or online.

Mail payments may be made by check or money order. Online record payments should be made only after the Records Office provides an invoice or confirms the exact cost.

Online Payment Portal

The District Clerk records payment portal accepts Visa and MasterCard debit and credit transactions. It is intended for payment of invoiced records services, not for estimating the price of a request.

The portal lists a nonrefundable credit card fee of 2.05% of the amount charged, with a minimum fee of $2.85. The debit card fee is $2.85 per transaction. Users should log off completely after finishing a transaction to reduce the risk of another person accessing personal information through the same session.

Pay only the amount provided by the records office. Overpayments are typically not refunded and may be held in escrow for a future purchase. Underpayments may delay the order.

Case Payment Transactions

The payment function in the Dallas County Courts Portal is different from the District Clerk records payment portal. The Courts Portal payment feature applies to criminal and traffic cases and states that it currently accepts only full payments.

Credit and debit card transactions made through that court payment feature are subject to a 2.39% convenience fee. Users should verify that they are paying a court case balance rather than a copy invoice before entering payment information.

Hearings and Case Activity

The Courts Portal includes a hearing search for a specified date range. A hearing search can help identify scheduled court activity, but it is separate from the document search and does not replace notices issued by the court.

Case status, hearing information, and document availability may change as the clerk processes filings and the court enters orders. A recently filed document may not appear immediately. Users should search by the correct case number and review the docket entries before assuming a filing is absent.

Questions about County Courts case information may be sent to CC-Inquiry@dallascounty.org. Questions about District Courts case information may be sent to DC-Inquiry@dallascounty.org. A question about obtaining civil or family copies from the District Clerk should be directed to DCRecords@dallascounty.org.

Portal Access Requirements

The Dallas County Courts Portal requires JavaScript and browser cookies. If JavaScript is disabled, the application cannot load its search and payment features. If cookies are blocked, the portal may be unable to maintain the session.

An unsupported or outdated browser may also prevent the portal from working. Users who receive a browser warning should open the portal in a currently supported version of a major browser and allow cookies for the site.

The portal ends inactive sessions. A warning may appear shortly before expiration. Users completing a detailed search or payment should avoid leaving the session inactive and should save or download needed documents before the session closes.

Common Search Problems

Wrong Clerk or Court Level

A common mistake is sending every court records request to the District Clerk. State district civil, family, juvenile, and felony records belong with the District Clerk. County civil, misdemeanor, and probate records belong with the County Clerk. Justice court records belong with the justice of the peace who heard the case.

Incorrect Number Type

A case number should not be confused with a booking number, sheriff’s office number, FBI number, payment confirmation number, or other identifier. The Smart Search advanced filters include some of these identifiers, but they must be entered in the appropriate field.

Overly Narrow Filters

An incorrect filing date, case type, status, or judicial officer can remove the correct case from the results. Begin with the strongest known information, such as the full case number or exact party name, and add filters only when the initial result list is too broad.

Name Formatting Errors

Individual names should be entered in the portal’s requested last-name-first format. Business searches should use the Business Name filter. Nicknames, shortened business names, omitted suffixes, and spelling differences can produce incomplete results.

Certified Copy Confusion

Printing a public online document does not make it a certified copy. Certification must come from the appropriate clerk. Users should confirm the document requirements of the agency, court, employer, financial institution, or other recipient before ordering.

Payment Before Invoicing

The District Clerk directs users to obtain the cost of copies or services before paying online. Paying an estimated amount can create an overpayment held in escrow or a shortage that delays processing.

Privacy and Record Limitations

Dallas County’s public access information is assembled from multiple sources and is provided without a guarantee of accuracy, completeness, reliability, or timeliness. Online information may be updated, corrected, or changed.

The county states that public portal information is not for official use and that commercial use is prohibited. A person who needs an official court document should obtain the appropriate certified copy from the clerk responsible for the case.

Social Security numbers and other sensitive personal information should not appear in publicly accessible court records. Dallas County provides a redaction form for reporting sensitive information found in a court record. The criminal document portal instructs users to submit the completed Social Security number redaction form to Ahsan.Ali@dallascounty.org.

Court clerks may provide record access, copies, certification, filing information, and administrative assistance within their responsibilities. They may not provide legal advice, decide which document a person should file, or explain how the law applies to an individual case.

Court Records Department List

District Clerk Civil and Family Records Desk
George Allen Courts Building, 600 Commerce Street, Basement “B” Floor West, Dallas, TX 75202
(214) 653-6076

District Clerk Civil, Family and Juvenile Section
George L. Allen, Sr. Courts Building, 600 Commerce Street, Suite 103, Dallas, TX 75202
(214) 653-7307

District Clerk Criminal Court Section
Frank Crowley Courts Building, 133 N. Riverfront Boulevard, 2nd Floor, Dallas, TX 75207
(214) 712-3088

County Clerk Civil Courts Division
George L. Allen, Sr. Courts Building, 600 Commerce Street, 1st Floor, Suite 101, Dallas, TX 75202
(214) 653-7099

County Clerk Criminal Courts Division
Frank Crowley Courts Building, 133 N. Riverfront Boulevard, 2nd Floor, Room A-1, Dallas, TX 75207
(214) 653-7099

County Clerk Probate Courts Division
George Allen Courts Building, 600 Commerce Street, 7th Floor, Suite 400, Dallas, TX 75202
(214) 653-7099

Court Records FAQs

Is there an official walkthrough for the court records portal?

Yes. Dallas County provides a demonstration video through its official Online Record Search page. The walkthrough can help first-time users understand how to open Smart Search, enter search criteria, review results, and locate available case documents. A captioned version is also available. Watching the demonstration may be useful when the portal returns a large number of matches or when the available search filters are unfamiliar.

When would an attorney need a registered portal account?

Ordinary public searches do not require registration. Registered access is limited to Dallas County employees and defense attorneys who need approved portal features. Attorneys must complete the portal user request process and register through the Dallas County Courts Portal. Approval is not automatic, so attorneys should complete the required steps before they need access for a scheduled hearing or filing deadline.

Can certified County Clerk documents be purchased after business hours?

Electronic certified court documents offered by the Dallas County Clerk may be purchased online at any time, including outside normal office hours. These files contain encrypted security features and a unique digital signature from the County Clerk. Availability can depend on the case category and whether the requested document has been added to the electronic system. The county record search directory provides access points for county civil, criminal, and probate matters.

Why does the criminal document site ask users to accept terms?

The criminal public-access system requires users to acknowledge Dallas County’s terms before retrieving documents. Those terms explain that information can change, may come from multiple official sources, and is not independently verified for official use. They also prohibit commercial use and misuse of the system. Users should review the notice carefully before continuing to the public access court records page, particularly when records will be used for employment, housing, licensing, or legal decisions.