Find Criminal Records in Dallas

Dallas criminal records are maintained by the Dallas County District Clerk for felony cases and the Dallas County Clerk for misdemeanor cases. With a city population of about 1.3 million, Dallas generates a high volume of court filings each year. The courthouse complex near downtown on Commerce Street is the central hub for criminal record searches. You can access many Dallas County criminal records online, in person, or by mail request through the Dallas County courts system.

How to Search Dallas Criminal Records

The Dallas County District Clerk runs an online case search at dallascounty.org. You can search by defendant name or cause number. The system pulls up felony criminal cases filed in Dallas County district courts, showing party names, charges, hearing history, and case status. Basic lookups are free. Certified copies cost a per-page fee plus a certification charge, payable to the District Clerk.

Dallas County's record search portal lets you look up cases across multiple court types in the county.

The statewide re:SearchTX system also covers Dallas County courts. It aggregates e-filed case data from courts across Texas, including Dallas district courts. Downloads cost 10 cents per page with a $6 cap per document. This tool is helpful when you want to check multiple Texas courts in a single search.

Records that have been sealed or expunged by court order will not appear in any public search. Online results show what is currently on file with the clerk at the time of your search.

Dallas Police Department Records

The Dallas Police Department maintains arrest records, incident reports, and offense reports for the city. DPD is headquartered at Jack Evans Police Headquarters at 1400 S. Lamar Street. The department handles bookings for arrests made within city limits. You can find the department and submit public records requests through dallaspolice.net.

Dallas Municipal Courts handle Class C misdemeanor offenses, which include traffic violations and minor city ordinance issues. These courts are separate from the county criminal courts. Municipal Court services are available through dallascityhall.com/departments/courts. A Class C conviction does not carry jail time but can appear on certain background checks. Municipal Court records are not the same as county criminal court records.

Arrest records from DPD reflect charges at the time of booking. That is not the same as a conviction. The charges may later be reduced, dismissed, or result in not-guilty verdicts. The final outcome is reflected in the Dallas County District Clerk's case file, not just the arrest record.

Dallas County Court Records

Felony criminal cases for Dallas go to the Dallas County district courts. The District Clerk at 600 Commerce Street holds the official files. These include grand jury indictments, plea documents, trial records, and sentencing orders. Dallas County has over 40 district courts, including courts that specialize in criminal matters. The system handles a large caseload given the county's population.

Misdemeanor cases go to the Dallas County criminal courts at law. The County Clerk maintains those records. Class A misdemeanors carry up to a year in county jail. Class B misdemeanors can carry up to 180 days. Common misdemeanor charges include DWI, petty theft, and drug possession in small amounts. The Dallas County Clerk can be reached at (214) 653-7131.

When searching Dallas County criminal records, know which type of offense you are researching. Felony and misdemeanor records sit in different offices. Looking in the wrong place can lead to missed results. If you are not sure, call the District Clerk's office first and describe what you are looking for.

Texas DPS Criminal History

Dallas County courts report convictions and deferred adjudications to the Texas DPS Computerized Criminal History database. All of that data flows into the statewide system. The public name-based search at publicsite.dps.texas.gov lets anyone check a person's Texas criminal history for $3 per search. It shows convictions and deferred adjudications that have been reported to DPS from courts across all 254 counties.

The public DPS search does not show arrests that did not lead to a conviction. For a more complete record, the fingerprint-based FAST search through IdentoGO gives broader results and is often used for employment screening or licensing. FAST appointments can be booked online or at 1-888-467-2080. Costs are higher than the name-based search. Employers who need certified results typically go this route.

For case-level detail on Dallas criminal records, the District Clerk's portal at dallascounty.org gives you more context on each case than the DPS summary. Both tools serve different purposes and are worth using together when doing a thorough search.

Expunction and Nondisclosure in Dallas

People who had arrests in Dallas and qualify under Texas law may be able to have their records expunged. Expunction under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55 destroys the arrest record, court file, and related documents. You file a petition in the Dallas County district court where the arrest occurred. The Dallas County District Clerk at 600 Commerce Street handles expunction filings and can tell you what forms and fees are needed.

Cases that qualify include acquittals, pardons, identity theft, and certain dismissals. Many dismissed cases do not automatically qualify. If your case does not meet expunction requirements, a nondisclosure order under Texas Government Code Section 411 may still seal the record from public view. Nondisclosure is available to those who completed deferred adjudication probation on qualifying offenses. Serious felonies and all sex offenses are excluded.

Waiting periods depend on the offense type. Some misdemeanor nondisclosures can be filed immediately after completing deferred adjudication. Felony nondisclosures generally require a five-year wait after discharge. Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program and Texas Legal Services Center both provide free guidance to qualifying residents. The Dallas Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service at (214) 220-7444 can connect you with a local attorney as well.

Dallas County Criminal Records

All felony and misdemeanor criminal cases for Dallas are filed in Dallas County. The District Clerk and County Clerk maintain the complete record for the county.

Nearby Cities

These cities are in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and share the same regional court system.