Denton Criminal Records
Denton criminal records are filed with the Denton County District Clerk since Denton is the county seat. The District Clerk keeps all felony criminal case files for Denton County, and the county courts at law handle misdemeanor cases. Denton is a college town in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro, home to the University of North Texas and Texas Woman's University, and the court system handles a range of cases from across the county. If you need to find a criminal record tied to an arrest or charge in Denton, the county courthouse is where you start. This page explains how to search, what offices are involved, and what other resources exist.
Denton Overview
How to Search Denton Criminal Records
Denton County has an online case search portal where you can look up criminal cases by defendant name or cause number. Because the courthouse is in Denton, you can also walk in and search in person. The Denton County District Clerk's office is at 1450 E. McKinney Street. Staff there can help you locate cases and pull documents during business hours.
The Denton County online portal covers felony criminal cases filed in the district courts. Results show case status, party names, docket entries, and hearing dates. Full documents may require a copy request. Certified copies cost a per-page fee plus a certification charge. Plain copies are cheaper. Call ahead to confirm current rates.
The statewide re:SearchTX portal also covers Denton County. It is useful when you want to check multiple Texas counties at once or need to download e-filed documents. Documents cost 10 cents per page with a $6 cap per document.
For misdemeanor cases, the Denton County Clerk handles Class A and B cases in the county courts at law. That is a separate office from the District Clerk. If you are searching for a lower-level offense like DWI first offense or misdemeanor theft, check the County Clerk's records as well.
Denton Police Department and Municipal Court
The Denton Police Department handles law enforcement throughout the city. Officers make arrests for both misdemeanor and felony offenses. Felony and Class A/B misdemeanor arrests get forwarded to the Denton County Jail and into the county court system. The department has a records division for police report requests.
The Denton Police Department website at cityofdenton.com/police has information on records requests, department contacts, and community services.
The Denton Municipal Court handles Class C misdemeanor cases. These are the lowest level of criminal charge and include traffic violations, city ordinance violations, and other offenses that carry fines but no jail time. Municipal court records do not appear in the county court search system. If you need those records, contact the Denton Municipal Court directly.
The Denton Municipal Court website at cityofdenton.com/courts handles Class C misdemeanor cases and city ordinance violations for Denton residents.
| Agency | Denton Police Department |
|---|---|
| Website | cityofdenton.com/police |
| Municipal Court | cityofdenton.com/courts |
| Municipal Court Scope | Class C misdemeanors only |
Denton County District Clerk Records
The Denton County District Clerk is the custodian of all felony criminal records in the county. Cases filed in Denton include drug offenses, assault, burglary, robbery, and other serious crimes. The clerk keeps all indictments, motions, plea agreements, verdicts, and sentencing orders in each case file.
| Office | Denton County District Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 1450 E. McKinney Street Denton, TX 76209 |
| Phone | (940) 349-2330 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Website | dentoncounty.gov |
The county website at dentoncounty.gov has a link to the public case search portal. The system is free to use and does not require registration. For older paper records that have not been digitized, an in-person search or written request may be needed.
Texas DPS Criminal History
Denton County courts report convictions and deferred adjudications to the Texas DPS Computerized Criminal History (CCH) system. Those records show up in the public name-based search at publicsite.dps.texas.gov for $3 per search. The DPS system covers all Texas counties in one query, so it is a good starting point when you want a quick statewide check.
The public search only shows convictions and deferred adjudications that have been reported. Arrests without conviction do not appear. For complete background check purposes, fingerprint-based searches through IdentoGO provide more thorough results. Schedule a FAST appointment by calling 1-888-467-2080 or booking online. Those results are used for employment screening, licensing, and other official purposes.
Expunction and Nondisclosure in Denton
Texas residents in Denton may be able to have qualifying criminal records expunged or sealed. Expunction under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55 destroys records for cases that qualify. Acquittals, certain dismissals, pardons, and cases of mistaken identity may be eligible. You file the expunction petition in the Denton County District Court. Once an order is granted, all agencies holding records must destroy them.
If expunction does not apply, a nondisclosure order under Texas Government Code Section 411 may seal the record. This applies to people who completed deferred adjudication without a conviction. Violent felonies, family violence cases, and sex offenses generally do not qualify. Waiting periods range from immediate eligibility for some misdemeanors to five years for felony cases.
Lone Star Legal Aid and other organizations serve the Denton area. TexasLawHelp at texaslawhelp.org has free guides and all court forms needed to file for expunction or nondisclosure. The State Bar of Texas referral service at (800) 252-9690 can help find a local attorney.
Denton County Criminal Records
Denton is the county seat of Denton County. The District Clerk's office is right in the city and handles all felony criminal records for the county. For more detail on the Denton County court system, visit the county page.