Denton County Criminal Records

Denton County criminal records are kept by the District Clerk and County Clerk offices in Denton, the county seat of one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas. The District Clerk manages felony case files across more than 10 district courts in the county. The County Clerk holds misdemeanor records for cases handled in the county criminal courts at law. Denton County sits between Dallas and Fort Worth and has seen rapid growth, which means a higher volume of criminal filings than you might expect for a county its size. If you need to look up a case, check charges, or get a case disposition, both clerk offices in Denton handle those requests. Arrest records come separately from the Denton County Sheriff's Office.

Denton County District Clerk

The Denton County District Clerk maintains all felony criminal case records filed in Denton County district courts. Denton County has multiple district courts, including criminal district courts that focus exclusively on criminal matters. Felony cases handled here include drug offenses, aggravated assault, robbery, sexual assault, murder, and organized crime charges. The District Clerk holds the full case record from indictment through final disposition.

You can access Denton County criminal records through the county's official portal at dentoncounty.gov. The site provides links to the District Clerk's office and online case search options. For in-person records requests, visit the Denton County Courts Building. Staff can search by name or case number and produce certified copies on request. Certified copies carry a per-page fee and certification charge set by state law.

The Denton County portal at dentoncounty.gov provides access to county offices and services, including links to the District Clerk and online case search tools for criminal records.

Denton County felony records are also available through the statewide re:SearchTX platform. This covers Denton County district court cases and supports name-based searches across multiple Texas courts. Documents cost 10 cents per page with a $6 cap per document.

Denton County Clerk - Misdemeanor Records

The Denton County Clerk maintains misdemeanor criminal records from the county courts at law. Denton County has multiple county criminal courts that handle Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases. These courts hear DWI, simple assault, theft under threshold amounts, and possession of small amounts of controlled substances. The County Clerk holds all plea records and final dispositions for misdemeanor cases filed in the county.

The County Clerk's office is at 1 Courthouse Drive in Denton. You can reach the office at (940) 349-2330. Records are available for public inspection and certified copies can be requested. For cases that are partly in Denton County and partly in Collin or Tarrant County (such as cities like Frisco or Carrollton), the court handling the case depends on where the offense occurred.

Some Denton County records may be accessible through the statewide TOPICs system, which aggregates data from participating Texas counties.

Denton County Arrest Records

The Denton County Sheriff's Office holds arrest and jail booking records for the county. Booking records include the person's name, date of birth, charges at arrest, bond amount, and booking date. You can contact the Sheriff's Office at (940) 349-1600. Denton County operates a large jail that serves both county and some municipal agencies.

City police agencies in Denton, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Frisco, and Carrollton each process arrests within their city limits. Felony arrests by city police typically route through the Denton County jail system. For arrest records from a specific city agency, contact that city's police department directly. The Sheriff's records focus on county-wide bookings.

An arrest record shows what was alleged at booking. It does not reflect a conviction or final court outcome. Check the District Clerk's case file to see the final disposition. Arrest records are public under Texas law, but details in active cases may be withheld.

Texas DPS Criminal History - Denton County

Denton County criminal records feed into the Texas DPS Computerized Criminal History (CCH) system. Convictions and deferred adjudications reported by Denton County courts to DPS appear in the statewide database. Given the size and growth of Denton County, it contributes a large volume of data to the CCH each year.

The DPS public name-based search at publicsite.dps.texas.gov costs $3 per search. It returns convictions and deferred adjudications only. Dismissed cases, arrests without conviction, and sealed records do not appear. For fingerprint-based checks, IdentoGO provides the DPS FAST program.

For full case details on Denton County matters, the District Clerk's office in Denton or the county's online portal have more complete court-level information. The Texas Sex Offender Registry is searchable by name or zip code for Denton County residents.

What Denton County Criminal Records Contain

Felony case files at the District Clerk include the indictment or information, motions from both sides, hearing dates and notices, plea agreements, jury instructions when the case went to trial, the judgment, and all sentencing documents. Misdemeanor files at the County Clerk follow a similar pattern but are typically shorter. Both types of records are open to the public under Texas open records law.

Arrest records from the Sheriff's Office cover booking data: name, date of birth, physical description, charges at booking, bond amount, and release date. For detailed booking records or mugshots, contact the Sheriff's Office directly. Not all information may be posted online.

Court case records show legal outcomes. Arrest records show what was alleged at the time of booking. The DPS CCH shows the consolidated statewide conviction history. All three sources together give the most complete picture of any criminal matter in Denton County.

Expunction and Nondisclosure in Denton County

Texas law permits eligible individuals to have criminal records expunged or sealed. Expunction under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55 removes and destroys records for qualifying cases. You file the petition in the district court where the arrest occurred. For Denton County arrests, the petition goes to one of the Denton County district courts.

Qualifying situations include acquittals, pardons, identity theft cases, and some dismissals. Not all dismissed cases qualify. If expunction is not available, an order of nondisclosure under Texas Government Code Section 411 may apply for cases ending in deferred adjudication. Nondisclosure seals records from the public but does not destroy them. Serious felonies and sex offenses do not qualify. The Denton County District Clerk can provide information on forms and fees for these petitions.

Cities in Denton County

Denton County includes several large cities. Felony and Class A/B misdemeanor cases from all cities in the county are filed through the Denton County District Clerk and County Clerk in Denton.

• Denton - county seat
• Lewisville
• Flower Mound
• Frisco (partly in Denton County)
• Carrollton (partly in Denton County)

Nearby Counties

These counties border Denton County. Each has its own District Clerk and court system for criminal records.