Denton County Criminal Records Search | History and Cases

Denton County, Texas · Felony, misdemeanor, jail, bond and court-history records

Trace a Denton County Criminal Case From Search Result to Final Disposition

If you are looking for one person’s Denton County criminal history, do not start by calling every courthouse. The county’s Records Inquiry system brings together court, jail, bond and calendar searches—but you still need to choose the correct record lane.

Misdemeanor court records go through the County Clerk. Felony District Court records go through the District Clerk. Jail and bond information comes from the Sheriff. A city or Justice Court may hold a fine-only Class C case. This guide shows how to move between those systems without confusing an arrest, pending charge and final conviction.

Full legal name Date of birth Case or cause number Approximate filing date Arrest date if relevant
DENTON CASE SORTER ROUTING RECORD
RECORDS INQUIRY
COUNTY CLERK
MISDEMEANOR CASE
DISTRICT CLERK
FELONY CASE
A/B
FEL
CORRECT CLERK + CASE HISTORY
A criminal-record search is not the same thing as a conviction search. An arrest, jail entry, pending charge, deferred case, dismissal and conviction are different events. Denton County also warns that online records are subject to data-entry limitations and that judgment details should be verified against the actual court records on file.
Start here

Pick the record that actually answers your question

COUNTY CLERK Misdemeanor case

Use for Denton County misdemeanor court files, case status, settings, dispositions and certified misdemeanor copies.

Go to misdemeanor records
DISTRICT CLERK Felony or District Court case

Use for felony District Court filings, docket history, judgments, certified records and many Magistrate Court records.

Go to felony records
SHERIFF Jail or bond history

Use the Sheriff record lanes for current or prior jail entries, booking information and bond records.

Go to jail and bond records
DPS / OTHER COURT Statewide or Class C history

Use Texas DPS for broader state criminal history and the appropriate JP or municipal court for fine-only local cases.

Compare statewide records
Fastest sequence for most people: search the county portal → open the correct case → identify the clerk → read the register of actions → find the disposition → order a certified copy only if you actually need proof.

Six useful stops instead of a 25-link table of contents

Use these when you are in a hurry. Supporting jail, lawyer and record-clearing information appears inside the relevant sections.

Case-history decoder

Read the criminal history without misreading the result

Arrest or citation
Magistrate / intake
Charge filed
Court activity
Disposition / judgment
What common Denton County criminal-record fields tell you
Record field
What it helps answer
What it does not prove
What to verify next
Case / cause number
Identifies one court case.
That it represents every arrest or charge involving that person.
Search every known cause separately.
Filing date
Shows when the case entered the court system.
The date of arrest or alleged offense.
Compare with jail and police records.
Court / judicial officer
Shows where the case is assigned.
The next hearing has not changed.
Read the newest court setting.
Charge or offense
Shows the offense currently entered in the court record.
Guilt or conviction.
Find the charging document and disposition.
Case status
Gives a high-level current state such as pending or disposed.
Exactly how every count ended.
Read the register of actions and judgment.
Register of actions
Shows the chronological court history.
That every document itself is publicly viewable online.
Request or inspect the underlying document when necessary.
Dismissal
Shows that a filed count was dismissed.
That all related counts or arrests disappeared from every database.
Check each count and obtain the signed dismissal.
Deferred adjudication
Shows a Texas deferred disposition rather than an ordinary conviction judgment.
Automatic eligibility for nondisclosure.
Review the order and current Texas eligibility rules.
Conviction
Shows a judgment of guilt entered by the court.
That every original allegation resulted in conviction.
Read the judgment and sentence for the exact count.
Jail record
Shows custody or booking information.
The final court result.
Move from Sheriff jail records to the appropriate clerk.
Do not use “closed” or “disposed” as the final answer. Open the actual case history and identify what happened to each count—dismissal, plea, acquittal, deferred adjudication, conviction or another disposition.
County Clerk lane

Denton County misdemeanor criminal records

What the County Clerk keeps

The Denton County Clerk is the official record keeper for misdemeanor court records and supports five County Criminal Courts.

  • County misdemeanor case files
  • Case status and court settings
  • Filed misdemeanor documents
  • Orders and dispositions
  • Certified or plain copies
  • Misdemeanor background-search request form

Do not send felony requests here

A felony filed in a Denton County District Court belongs with the District Clerk, not the County Clerk Criminal Misdemeanor section.

Likewise, an arrest report created by a police officer normally belongs to the law-enforcement agency, not the County Clerk.

How to check a misdemeanor case

Open Court Records Search from the County Clerk Open the County Clerk page
Select the criminal / county-court record lane Use the public Records Inquiry rather than a property-record search.
Match the person and filing date Confirm that the defendant and court history correspond to the event you are researching.
Read the full sequence of entries A later dismissal or judgment can change the meaning of an earlier pending charge.
Contact the criminal misdemeanor clerks if you need the actual file Tell the clerk what document you need rather than asking for “everything.”
Denton County Criminal Misdemeanor Clerks
Phone: 940-349-2014
Additional phone: 972-434-8814
Fax: 940-349-2015
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday: 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Need a misdemeanor background search rather than one known cause? The County Clerk’s current criminal forms page includes a Misdemeanor Background Search Request. Use that form when your question is broader than a single case.
District Clerk lane

Denton County felony and District Court criminal history

The District Clerk is the custodian of pleadings, instruments and papers filed in Denton County District Courts, including criminal District Court cases.

Open District Court Case Records and Calendar Denton County’s own FAQ directs users to this option inside Records Inquiry.
Search the cause number first If you obtained a number from jail, bond, attorney or paperwork, use it before running a broad name search.
Check the registry of actions Denton County specifically recommends using the online registry to monitor activity in a case.
Identify the signed order or judgment you actually need Examples include an indictment, dismissal, plea paperwork, judgment, sentence or later order.
Use a public courthouse computer when online images are unavailable The District Clerk states that case-file documents may be viewed on public computers in the District Clerk lobby and the courthouse at 1450 E. McKinney Street.
Submit the Record Request Form for copies The District Clerk will not perform a record request or research request without the completed form.
Denton County District Clerk
1450 E. McKinney Street, 1st Floor
Denton, TX 76209
Mailing: P.O. Box 2146, Denton, TX 76202
Phone: 940-349-2200
Additional: 972-434-8822
Monday–Friday: 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
The District Clerk’s current forms page includes a Felony Case Record Search Form in addition to the general Records Request Form. That can be more useful when you are trying to locate a felony history rather than ordering a document from a cause you already know.
Recent arrest before filing

When the person was arrested but no normal court case appears yet

A new arrest can exist in the jail or Magistrate Court process before the final prosecuting court receives a filed charge. Denton County’s Magistrate Court handles the early criminal process, including probable-cause and appointed-counsel matters.

Check jail records

Confirm the booking and bond record first. A recent jail entry can appear before a normal felony or misdemeanor case is visible.

Check Magistrate activity

The District Clerk has been designated clerk to the Denton County Magistrate Court for unfiled charges beginning January 1, 2020.

Then recheck the trial court

Once prosecutors file the charge, follow it into the assigned County Criminal Court or District Court.

Denton County’s own pages currently conflict about on-site probable-cause affidavits. The Magistrate Court page says those affidavits are available through the County Clerk, while another county Records Request page says District Clerk. Rather than sending a request to the wrong office, call the Magistrate Court at 940-349-1867 or District Clerk criminal staff at 940-349-2210 and confirm the current custodian for the affidavit you need.
Magistrate Court
1450 E. McKinney Street
Denton, TX 76209
Court: 940-349-1867
District Clerk line: 940-349-2210
Certified proof

How to order an actual Denton County criminal court record

A screenshot is fine for personal research. It is not always enough for licensing, employment disputes, immigration work, record clearing or another situation that requires an official disposition.

District Clerk record-request workflow

Identify the case or cause number The form also asks for the party name.
List the exact document title when possible “Judgment of Conviction,” “Order of Dismissal” or “Indictment” is much clearer than “all records.”
Choose the copy type The current form offers certified paper, certified electronic, plain paper, plain electronic and exemplified copies.
Include the filing date when known This reduces research and helps the clerk identify the correct filing.
Submit by the method that fits your deadline In person, email, mail or fax are currently accepted for District Clerk record requests.
Do not send a duplicate request because you have not heard back The current form warns that duplicate-copy costs are not refunded.
District Clerk copy costs shown on the current Record Request Form
Copy
Published cost
Useful when
Certified paper
$5 certification + $1 per page
An agency requires a traditional certified copy.
Certified electronic
$5 certification + $0.10 per page, with a $1 minimum per document
Electronic certified proof is accepted.
Plain paper
$1 per page
You need a readable paper copy but no certification.
Plain electronic
$0.10 per page, with a $1 minimum per document
Research or personal recordkeeping.
Exemplified
$5 plus certified-paper copying cost
A receiving authority specifically requests exemplification.
The current District Clerk form says to allow up to 10 business days for completion. Paper copies are generally mailed unless requested in person; electronic copies are emailed.
Card-fee inconsistency: the District Clerk’s downloadable Record Request Form currently states a 2.25% debit/credit transaction charge with a $1 minimum, while the county’s general miscellaneous-fee page lists 2.75%. Because those two official county sources disagree, confirm the current card-processing charge before authorizing payment.
Email District Clerk records: dcrecords@dentoncounty.gov
Fax: 940-349-5754
Mail: P.O. Box 2146, Denton, TX 76202

County Clerk misdemeanor copies

The County Clerk’s published fee page currently lists a $5 clerk certificate and $1 per paper page for certified papers. Electronic-copy pricing depends on the document length. Check the live fee page before ordering because your request type determines the final charge.
Sheriff custody records

Use jail and bond records when the court case is only part of the story

Jail Records

Use the Sheriff jail record lane to answer questions about booking and county custody rather than the final prosecution result.

  • Search a current or prior jail record
  • Identify booking information
  • Confirm whether the person was in Denton County custody
  • Use the booking/ID number for jail services

Bond Records

The same county records system includes a bond-record search.

  • Match the bond to the correct person and case
  • Do not assume one bond clears every pending case
  • Verify a surety through Denton County’s licensed-company list
  • Recheck the court case for later bond orders
Jail Information: 940-349-1700 or 972-434-5502
Jail Records: 940-349-1630 or 972-434-5507
Warrants: 940-349-1560 or 972-434-5505
Jail history is not court history. A booking can remain relevant even when a prosecutor later rejects, changes or dismisses a charge. Always move from the jail entry to the County Clerk or District Clerk when you need the legal outcome.
Arrest and offense reports

Request the police narrative from the agency that created it

The Sheriff may operate the jail without being the agency that investigated the incident. Before requesting an offense report, check which department actually made the arrest or created the report.

Denton County Sheriff report

DCSO accepts public-information requests through four approved routes:

  • U.S. mail
  • Email
  • Hand delivery
  • The Sheriff’s GovQA portal

Email: so.orr@dentoncounty.gov

DCSO Records Division
127 N. Woodrow Lane
Denton, TX 76205
Open current DCSO record-request instructions
City police or another agency

If Denton Police, Lewisville Police, Carrollton Police, Flower Mound Police, a constable, DPS or another agency created the report, request the narrative from that agency.

The County Clerk and District Clerk maintain court records. They do not become the custodian of every police investigative report simply because a criminal case was filed.

Copy-ready public-record request
Under the Texas Public Information Act, I request the releasable offense report, arrest report, probable-cause narrative and identified public supplements relating to [full legal name] for the event on or about [date] at [location]. Known identifiers include agency report number [number], Denton County booking/ID number [number] and court cause number [number]. Please advise me of any estimated charge before processing if the amount will exceed $[amount].
Better request: ask for a named document and give the report number, date, location and involved person. That is usually easier to process than asking for “all criminal records.”
Class C and city cases

Why a Denton County name search may still miss a criminal case

Justice of the Peace case

Denton County Justice Courts handle traffic and other Class C or fine-only criminal matters within their jurisdiction.

Municipal Court case

A City of Denton, Lewisville, Carrollton or other municipal citation may belong to that city’s municipal court rather than a County Criminal Court.

Sealed or restricted case

Denton County states that cases sealed by statute or court order are not available for normal public viewing.

If a background check shows an entry that you cannot reproduce in Denton County Records Inquiry, identify the reporting court or agency before assuming the county database is incomplete.
If someone is currently jailed

The useful family steps after you find the criminal record

If the person is still in Denton County Jail, the case search may not be your only immediate concern. Confirm the booking/ID number first because it is also used for mail and inmate services.

Video visitation

  • All Denton County Jail visitation is by video.
  • HomeWav registration is required.
  • On-site public visits are currently Saturday, 8:00 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
  • Schedule on-site visits at least 24 hours in advance.
  • The inmate must approve the scheduled visit.
  • Up to two free on-site visits per week are allowed when the inmate is not in disciplinary housing.
  • Maximum three visitors; no more than two adults at one kiosk.
Check current visitation rules

Remote visitation

Remote-home visits are available Sunday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m., subject to classification and housing restrictions.

Do not schedule a remote visit. The Sheriff states that remote visits are initiated by the inmate after the visitor registers and is logged in.

HomeWav support: 844-394-6639

Local entrance detail: public on-site video visitation has moved to the Pod Jail Public Entrance at 127 Woodrow Lane, Denton, TX 76205, on the southeast side of the jail complex just north of Troy Lagrone Lane. Visitors should arrive no earlier than 10 minutes before the appointment; when the visitation room is crowded, staff may ask visitors to wait in their vehicle.

Mail, commissary and phone money

Personal mail
Smart Communications / Denton County Jail
[Inmate Name] #[Booking/ID]
PO Box 9144
Seminole, FL 33775-9144

Regular mail is scanned and viewed by the inmate through the jail system.

Legal / privileged mail
Denton County Jail
[Inmate Name] #[Booking/ID]
127 North Woodrow Ln.
Denton, TX 76205

Do not send ordinary personal mail to the legal-mail address.

Commissary

CorrectPay is the current family deposit service.

Deposit help: 855-836-3364

If the inmate has more than $300 in the account, the Sheriff states that credit-card deposits are unavailable and only a cash deposit at the facility can be made at that time.

Phone-debit funds can be added through SmartInmate. Support: 727-349-1561.
Do not discuss case strategy on normal jail calls or social video visits. Treat ordinary inmate communications as non-confidential unless counsel confirms a protected attorney communication method.
Court-appointed counsel

What to do if the defendant cannot afford a lawyer

If the person is still jailed
  • Request appointed counsel when meeting with the magistrate.
  • If that did not happen, submit a request through the jail kiosk.
  • Eligibility is based on financial information supplied under oath and other circumstances.
If the person has been released
  • Try to hire private counsel if able.
  • If unable to afford counsel, apply through the Indigent Defense Office or request counsel at a required court appearance.
  • Bring documentation that supports the financial request.
Denton County Indigent Defense
1450 E. McKinney Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 2428
Denton, TX 76209
Phone: 940-349-1890
Monday–Thursday: 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Friday: 7:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
The County’s online indigent-defense page still displays an older poverty-guideline table. This article intentionally does not reproduce those outdated income numbers. Let the current Indigent Defense Office or judge determine eligibility.
Victims and custody notifications

Follow a case without repeatedly checking the jail page

Denton County Victims’ Assistance

The Criminal District Attorney’s Victims’ Assistance Division acts as a liaison for victims of violent crime and the criminal-justice process.

Open Victims’ Assistance
Texas IVSS-Counties

Texas transitioned county victim notifications from VINE to Texas IVSS-Counties effective September 1, 2025.

24/7 assistance: 866-268-8959

Denton County Criminal District Attorney
1450 E. McKinney Street, Suite 3100
Denton, TX 76209-4524
Phone: 940-349-2600
Local case vs statewide history

Know when Denton County Records Inquiry is not enough

Choose the database based on the question—not the keyword “criminal record”
Question
Best starting source
Why
Was there a Denton County misdemeanor case?
County Clerk / Records Inquiry
The County Clerk maintains misdemeanor court records.
Was there a Denton County felony case?
District Clerk / District Court search
The District Clerk maintains District Court criminal files.
Was the person booked into Denton County Jail?
Sheriff Jail Records
Custody history is different from court disposition.
What Texas criminal history is publicly reported statewide?
Texas DPS criminal-history search
A single county portal does not represent every Texas jurisdiction.
Where is a person serving a Texas prison sentence?
TDCJ Inmate Information
TDCJ covers people under state correctional supervision, not a new county-jail booking.
A statewide name match still needs identity verification. Use the date of birth and other available identifiers. Do not treat a same-name criminal-history result as proof that the record belongs to a particular person.
Errors and record clearing

Correct an inaccurate history before trying to clear an accurate one

Find wrong entry
Identify custodian
Get certified proof
Request correction
Evaluate legal relief
Save the exact case number and disputed field
Compare jail, court and DPS information
Obtain the signed dismissal, judgment or correction order
Send the correction to the office that owns the inaccurate record
Recheck downstream background databases afterward
Dispute private consumer reports separately when necessary

Expunction

Texas expunction can remove qualifying arrest records more completely, but eligibility is limited and depends on the precise procedural history.

Nondisclosure

An order of nondisclosure restricts public disclosure of an eligible record but does not erase the record from every governmental or authorised system.

Denton County’s District Clerk forms page includes expunction-related forms and information. The County Clerk criminal forms page also links to Texas nondisclosure resources. Start by obtaining the complete disposition for every charge arising from the arrest.
Common dead ends

Why a Denton County criminal-record search sometimes looks incomplete

You searched the wrong clerk

A misdemeanor search through the District Clerk or felony request through the County Clerk can send you in the wrong direction.

The charge is still unfiled

Recent arrest information may remain in jail or Magistrate records before reaching a trial court.

It is a municipal or JP matter

Fine-only Class C cases can sit outside the normal County Criminal Court or District Court lane.

The case is sealed

Denton County does not make court-sealed or statutorily sealed cases publicly viewable.

The name is common

A same-name result can be the wrong person. Match birth date, case number, filing date and other identifiers.

The portal is only a database view

The County itself warns that actual court records control when details conflict with online data.

Useful Denton County contacts

Call the office that can actually answer the question

County Clerk Administration
1450 E. McKinney Street
Denton, TX 76209

940-349-2012

Misdemeanor court-record custodian.

Criminal Misdemeanor Clerks

940-349-2014

County criminal case records and copies.

District Clerk
1450 E. McKinney Street, 1st Floor
Denton, TX 76209

940-349-2200

Felony and District Court criminal records.

Magistrate Court
1450 E. McKinney Street
Denton, TX 76209

940-349-1867

Denton County Sheriff
127 N. Woodrow Lane
Denton, TX 76205-6397

940-349-1600

Sheriff Records
127 N. Woodrow Lane
Denton, TX 76205

940-349-1630

so.orr@dentoncounty.gov

Jail Information

940-349-1700

Custody and inmate-service questions.

Indigent Defense
1450 E. McKinney Street, Suite 2428
Denton, TX 76209

940-349-1890

Criminal District Attorney
1450 E. McKinney Street, Suite 3100
Denton, TX 76209-4524

940-349-2600

Bail Bond Board
1 Courthouse Drive, Suite 3100
Denton, TX 76208

940-349-3230

Denton County Courts Building

Denton County Jail and Law Enforcement Center

Before driving: verify the specific office, suite, current business hours and whether the document can be handled online. The County Courts Building houses the County Clerk, District Clerk, five County Criminal Courts, District Courts, District Attorney and several related offices, so knowing the correct destination matters.
Local shortcuts

Denton County details that save unnecessary trips

Use the county gateway if Records Inquiry loops

The direct Justice1 portal can behave differently across browsers. The Denton County Judicial & Law Enforcement page is the safer stable starting point.

Do not call a judge for case information

Denton County court pages repeatedly warn against contacting a judge directly about a pending or potential case. Use the clerk or court administration instead.

Search the history before ordering copies

Identify the exact dismissal, judgment or order first. This prevents paying for unrelated pages.

Use the booking ID for jail services

Mail and family-service instructions depend on the inmate’s name and booking/ID number.

Do not assume one county search is a Texas history

Denton County records answer Denton County questions. Use DPS when the question is statewide.

Verify probable-cause affidavit routing first

Because two current county pages point to different clerks, a quick call can prevent a rejected or delayed request.

10 Denton County questions

Denton County criminal-record questions answered

Where can I search Denton County criminal records online?

Start with Denton County’s official Judicial & Law Enforcement Records Search and open Denton County Records. Use JP and County Court records for county misdemeanor and Justice Court matters, District Court Case Records and Calendar for felony District Court cases, and Sheriff Jail or Bond Records for custody and bond information. Denton County warns that online entries are subject to data-entry limitations, so important judgments and dispositions should be verified against the actual court record.

Who keeps misdemeanor criminal records in Denton County?

The Denton County Clerk is the official record keeper for misdemeanor court records. The Criminal Misdemeanor Clerks can be reached at 940-349-2014. The County Clerk’s Courts Division supports five County Criminal Courts.

Who keeps felony criminal records in Denton County?

The Denton County District Clerk maintains records for criminal cases filed in the District Courts. Search District Court Case Records and Calendar through the county Records Inquiry system. For copies or research requests, the District Clerk requires a completed Record Request Form.

Can I search a Denton County criminal case without the case number?

Yes. Begin in the appropriate Denton County Records Inquiry area and use the available party or name search when the cause number is unknown. Add a date range, court or other known detail to reduce same-name results. Once you find a likely case, verify the defendant, filing date, court, charge and case history before relying on it.

Does an online Denton County case status prove the final outcome?

No. Denton County specifically warns that displayed records are subject to limitations of data entry and that judgments and case information can only be verified by the actual court records on file. Read the register of actions and obtain the signed disposition, judgment or certified copy when the result matters.

How do I get a certified Denton County felony court record?

Submit the Denton County District Clerk Record Request Form in person, by mail, fax or email. The current form lists certified paper copies at a $5 certification charge plus $1 per page. The form allows requests for certified paper, certified electronic, plain paper, plain electronic and exemplified copies.

Where do I find Denton County jail and bond records?

Denton County Records Inquiry includes Sheriff Jail Records and Bond Records. For questions the online entry does not answer, Jail Information can be reached at 940-349-1700 and Jail Records at 940-349-1630. Use the county’s licensed bonding-company list before selecting a surety.

How do I request an arrest or offense report from the Denton County Sheriff?

The Denton County Sheriff’s Office accepts public-information requests by U.S. mail, email at so.orr@dentoncounty.gov, hand delivery to the Records Division at 127 N. Woodrow Lane in Denton, or through the Sheriff’s GovQA portal. If another police department created the report, request it from that agency instead.

How can someone request a court-appointed lawyer in Denton County?

A person may request appointed counsel when meeting with the magistrate after arrest. Someone who remains in jail can submit a request through the jail kiosk. A released person who cannot afford counsel may apply through the Denton County Indigent Defense Office at 1450 E. McKinney Street, Suite 2428. The office phone is 940-349-1890.

Can a Denton County criminal record be expunged or sealed?

Some Texas records qualify for expunction and others may qualify for an order of nondisclosure. Eligibility depends on the exact charge, disposition, waiting period, prior history and other facts. Obtain the complete Denton County case history and certified disposition first, then use current Texas court forms or TexasLawHelp guidance to evaluate the correct procedure.

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