Dallas is one of Texas’s most populous counties. It covers a land mass of 873.06 square miles and has a population of 2,611,481. Dallas City, its county seat, is also its most populous city.

Courts in Dallas County

Dallas County’s court system consists of District Courts, County Courts at Law, Probate Courts,  Justice Courts, and Municipal Courts.

The Dallas District Court is the highest court in the county. The court is divided into Civil and Criminal District Courts. The Civil District Court has jurisdiction over a wide range of civil claims, including disputes over land, election, divorce, personal injury, tax disputes, contracts, child support, and monetary claims involving $200 or more. On the other hand, the Criminal District Court hears felony cases. Some district courts are also designated as Juvenile and Family courts.

Dallas County Court at Law has concurrent jurisdiction with the District Court in civil claims involving more than $500. The court also hears cases on Class A and B misdemeanor offenses as well as appeals from the Justice and Municipal Courts.

Dallas Justice Courts, also known as ‘people’s court’ are community courts. The court has jurisdiction to entertain civil matters of $20,000 or less. It also handles Class C misdemeanors and traffic cases. Meanwhile, Municipal Courts operate within cities. Their jurisdiction covers criminal cases punishable only by fines.

The Dallas County Probate Courts handle matters relating to wills, estate administration, guardianships, and mental health cases.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Dallas County

The District and County Clerks are responsible for maintaining public court records in Dallas County. Interested persons can obtain civil and family case records from the District Clerk’s office by making requests in person or by sending a completed civil and family records requests form via email. However, civil records of the Dallas County Court and records of the Probate Court are instead obtainable from the office of the Dallas County Clerk. Civil court records maintained by the District and County Clerks are available online on the Dallas County and District Court Case Information Portal.

The district clerk is also responsible for keeping records of felony cases, while the county clerks keep records of misdemeanor cases. Dallas criminal court records are publicly accessible online on the Dallas County Felony and Misdemeanor Court Documents portal.

Finally, for records pertaining to any case heard by the Justice Court or Municipal Courts, contact the courthouse where the case was heard.

Types of Public Court Records in Dallas County

Court records are information about cases handled by the court. They include documents and details like

• Case numbers
• Parties pleadings
• Documents submitted
• Case judgment
• Case files
• Docket sheets

Per Texas laws, all Dallas County court records are considered public except those declared confidential by law or sealed by order of the court.

Confidential Court Records in Dallas County

Court records in Dallas County can be made confidential either by statute or court order. For example, records relating to minors and certain records of family cases are designated confidential by law. These records may only be accessed by the parties to the case.

Furthermore, Texas law requires the redaction or censoring of sensitive information in documents that form part of court records. Some examples of sensitive information are

• License and ID numbers
• Bank account number
• Birth date and home address of minors
• Healthcare information

Juvenile Delinquency in Dallas, TX

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Dallas County, juvenile delinquency issues are on the rise. There are many reasons for the rise in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Texas often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of crimes, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 556 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Dallas County. Of that total, 1% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 3 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Dallas County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Dallas County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Dallas County, TX

https://texas.gov/

County Seat:	Dallas
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1846
Total Square Miles:	909
2019 Population:	2,618,148
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00

Dallas County, TX Courts