Denton County Court Records

Denton County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas, and its court system has kept pace with that growth. Courts spread across the region from the city of Denton south through Lewisville, Flower Mound, Frisco, and parts of Carrollton. The county runs ten district courts, two county courts at law, five county criminal courts, two statutory probate courts, six justice of the peace courts, a magistrate court, and a network of municipal courts — all generating records that document the progress and resolution of legal disputes. Custodial responsibility is split between two offices: the District Clerk handles district court records covering felonies, high-value civil suits, and family law, while the County Clerk maintains records for probate, misdemeanor, juvenile, and county-level civil cases, as well as vital statistics and real property filings.

If you need to find Denton County court records, you can search through official clerk offices, online case inquiry tools, public access terminals at the courthouse, and state-level databases. The Denton County Records Inquiry portal provides free electronic access to many case types. For statewide court data, TexasStateCourts.us can help you identify publicly available court case information across Texas counties, including Denton.

How to Look Up a Court Case in Denton County?

Start by identifying which clerk office holds the records you need. The District Clerk's Office maintains all records for Denton County's district courts, which cover felony criminal cases, civil disputes above county court thresholds, and family law matters including divorce and child custody. The County Clerk's Office is the official keeper of misdemeanor court records, probate court records, juvenile court records, county-level civil cases, real property records, and vital statistics.

Online Case Search

The Denton County Records Inquiry portal is your best free electronic starting point. You can search case records by entering a party name, case number, attorney name, or filing date range. The portal covers case records, court calendars, and Sheriff jail and bond records. Search results show case summaries, party information, court events, and orders. The county's Judicial and Law Enforcement Records Search page links directly to this portal as well as the Texas Convictions Database and the registered sex offender search.

For real property documents and vital records, the County Clerk maintains the Official Records Search portal, which covers deeds, liens, mortgages, plats, and marriage license records.

In-Person Access

Both clerk offices are located at 1450 East McKinney Street in Denton, TX 76209. Public access terminals inside the courthouse allow self-service case research, and staff at both offices can assist you with locating records during business hours.

District Clerk's Office
Address: 1450 E. McKinney Street, 1st Floor, Denton, TX 76209
Mailing: P.O. Box 2146, Denton, TX 76202
Phone: (940) 349-2200
Additional Phone: (972) 434-8822
Fax: (940) 349-5754
Email: dcrecords@dentoncounty.gov
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

County Clerk's Office
Address: 1450 E. McKinney Street, Denton, TX 76209
Phone: (940) 349-2012
Fax: (940) 349-2013
Courts Division Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Wednesday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The County Clerk operates six locations throughout the county for vital records and recording services:

Location	Address	Phone
Denton (Main)	1450 E. McKinney Street, Denton, TX 76209	(940) 349-2012
Carrollton	1029 W. Rosemeade Parkway, Carrollton, TX 75007	(972) 434-7170
Cross Roads	1400 FM 424, Suite 105, Cross Roads, TX 76227	(940) 349-4400
Flower Mound	6200 Canyon Falls Drive, Suite 700, Flower Mound, TX 76226	(972) 434-3950
Frisco	5533 FM 423, Suite 301, Frisco, TX 75036	(972) 434-3900
Lewisville	400 N. Valley Parkway, Suite 2094, Lewisville, TX 75067	(972) 434-4790

Requesting Copies by Mail, Fax, or Email

To get copies of district court records, complete the Records Request Form and submit it in person, by mail to P.O. Box 2146, Denton, TX 76202, by fax to (940) 349-5754, or by email to dcrecords@dentoncounty.gov. No request will be processed without a completed form. Allow up to 10 business days for processing.

Copy and Search Fees (District Clerk)

Service	Fee	Statute
Search fee (per name/search)	$5.00	GC 51.318(b)(3)
Certified paper copy certificate and seal	$5.00	GC 51.318(b)(7)
Certified paper copy per page	$1.00	GC 51.318(b)(7)
Non-certified paper copy per page	$1.00	GC 51.318(b)(8)(A)
Non-certified electronic copy (up to 10 pages)	$1.00	GC 51.318(b)(8)
Non-certified electronic copy (11+ pages)	$0.10/page	GC 51.318(b)(8)
Certificate of name change (divorce)	$10.00	TFC 45.106

All credit card transactions carry a processing fee of 2.75% with a minimum of $1.00 per transaction.

Are Court Records Public in Denton County?

Court records in Denton County are generally open to the public. While many Texas government records fall under the Texas Public Information Act, court records are primarily shaped by common law principles and specific court rules. Rule 76a of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure sets the framework for public access: unfiled discovery materials exchanged between parties may be sealed only on a showing of specific interests, while filed court records carry a strong presumption of openness.

Certain records are restricted from public access in Denton County:

Sealed records — Cases sealed by court order under Rule 76a or other authority are not available for public inspection.
Juvenile records — Texas law limits the release of juvenile criminal records, particularly for misdemeanor offenses and non-felony matters. Juvenile court files maintained by the County Clerk carry additional confidentiality protections.
Adoption records — Adoption proceedings are sealed and accessible only to authorized persons.
Information classified as confidential by statute — Records containing Social Security numbers, certain financial identifiers, and information that could compromise law enforcement investigations or judicial proceedings may be redacted or withheld.
Birth and death records — Under Texas Government Code Section 552.115, birth records remain confidential for 75 years and death records for 25 years from the date of the event.

When the clerk's office provides copies of court records, staff may redact personal identifiers or other confidential information before releasing the documents. If you need access to sealed or restricted records, you will generally need a court order first.

Denton County Criminal Court Records

Criminal cases in Denton County are split between the district courts, which handle felonies, and the county criminal courts, which handle Class A and B misdemeanors. The District Clerk maintains felony case records, while the County Clerk handles misdemeanor court records. The county operates five county criminal courts, all located at 1450 East McKinney Street, Denton, TX 76209.

Online Criminal Case Searches

You can search criminal court records through the Denton County Records Inquiry portal by defendant name, case number, citation number, attorney name, or filing date. Results show charges, court events, party information, and disposition details. The county's Judicial and Law Enforcement Records Search page also links to Sheriff jail and bond records, the Texas Convictions Database, and the Texas IVSS (Integrated Victim Services System).

Arrest Records and Criminal History

The Denton County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records, offense reports, and criminal history information. Requests for these records must be submitted under the Texas Public Information Act using one of the following methods:

Online submission through the Denton County electronic request portal
Email to the Sheriff's Office records division
In-person delivery to the Records Division
Mail via USPS to:

Denton County Sheriff's Office Records Division
127 North Woodrow Lane
Denton, TX 76205
Phone: (940) 349-1600
Criminal Investigations: (940) 349-1660
Jail Records: (940) 349-1630

Each request should include the subject's name, incident date, location, and any known case or incident numbers. Identification and processing fees may be required.

For a statewide criminal history check, the Texas Department of Public Safety offers an online criminal history search at $3 per search.

County Criminal Court Locations

Court	Address	Phone
County Criminal Court 1	1450 E. McKinney St., Suite 1419, 1st Floor	(940) 349-2160
County Criminal Court 2	1450 E. McKinney St., 1st Floor	(940) 349-2170
County Criminal Court 3	1450 E. McKinney St., Suite 2400, 2nd Floor	(940) 349-2180
County Criminal Court 4	1450 E. McKinney St., Suite 2306, 2nd Floor	(940) 349-2380
County Criminal Court 5	1450 E. McKinney St., Suite 2315, 2nd Floor	(940) 349-2190

Denton County Civil Court Records

Civil matters in Denton County are spread across the district courts for general jurisdiction cases, the county courts at law for disputes up to their jurisdictional limits, and the justice of the peace courts for small claims, evictions, and minor civil actions. The District Clerk maintains civil records from district court proceedings, and the County Clerk handles county court at law civil records.

Searching Civil Records

The Denton County Records Inquiry portal lets you search civil case records for free by party name, case number, or filing date. The District Clerk's forms page also provides a Case Record Search Form for formal requests. Property-related records — deeds, mortgages, liens, and plats — are searchable through the County Clerk's Official Records Search, and property tax and appraisal data can be found through the Denton Central Appraisal District Property Search.

Requesting Copies

To get copies of civil records from the District Clerk, complete the Records Request Form and submit it in person, by mail, fax, or email. Standard fees apply: $1.00 per page for non-certified copies, $5.00 certificate and seal plus $1.00 per page for certified copies, and $5.00 per name for clerk-conducted searches. The miscellaneous fees schedule provides a full breakdown of all applicable charges.

For county court civil records, contact the County Clerk's Courts Division at (940) 349-2012.

County Courts at Law

County Court at Law 1
Address: 210 South Woodrow Lane, Charlie J. Cole Building, Denton, TX 76205
Phone: (940) 349-2525

County Court at Law 2
Address: 1450 E. McKinney Street, Suite 2510, 2nd Floor, Denton, TX 76209
Phone: (940) 349-2120

Justice of the Peace Courts

Denton County runs six justice of the peace courts across the county, handling small claims, evictions, and debt cases. Each justice court keeps its own records. The courts are located in precincts spanning Denton, Frisco, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Cross Roads, and Carrollton — full contact details are listed on the county courts page.

Denton County Family Court Records

Denton County does not have a standalone family court. Divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, adoption, protective orders, and termination of parental rights cases are all handled by judges within the county's district courts. All ten district courts sit at 1450 East McKinney Street, Denton, TX 76209, and the District Clerk maintains all family law case records.

Searching Family Court Records

Family case records are searchable through the Denton County Records Inquiry portal by party names, case numbers, or filing dates. Most family court case information is publicly viewable online, but records involving minors, adoption proceedings, or cases with sealing orders may be restricted.

Divorce Records

Dissolution of marriage records from Denton County's district courts are kept by the District Clerk. To get copies, complete the Records Request Form and include the names of the parties, the case number if you have it, and the specific documents you need. Submit the form with applicable fees in person, by mail (P.O. Box 2146, Denton, TX 76202), by Fax: ((940) 349-5754), or by email (dcrecords@dentoncounty.gov). Processing typically takes several business days to two weeks.

At the state level, the DSHS Vital Statistics Section maintains Texas divorce records from 1968 forward and offers a searchable marriage and divorce index. Verification letters — which are not substitutes for certified decrees — cost $20 and can be ordered by mailing a completed application form with a photocopy of valid ID to DSHS-VSS, P.O. Box 12040, Austin, TX 78711-2040.

Marriage Records

The Denton County Clerk issues marriage licenses and maintains marriage records. Licenses are available at all six County Clerk locations Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Both applicants must appear in person. You can submit an online application in advance, but both parties must still show up in person within three days.

Marriage License Fee	Cost
Standard license (without premarital education certificate)	$81
With state-approved premarital education certificate	$21
Declaration of informal marriage	$46
Duplicate marriage license	$3

A 72-hour waiting period applies after the license is issued (waived with a premarital education certificate). The license is valid for 90 days and may be used anywhere in Texas.

The County Clerk's Online Marriage License Index allows free searching of marriages registered in Denton County. Certified copies of a marriage license cost $16 plus $1 per page. Non-certified copies are $1 plus $1 per page. You can submit requests using the Marriage Record Copy Request Form.

Birth and Death Records

The County Clerk's Office registers Denton County births and deaths. You can apply for certified copies online, by mail, or in person at any County Clerk location. Only individuals who meet the statutory qualifications — including the registrant, parents, spouse, siblings, grandparents, children, legal guardians, or authorized representatives — may obtain certified copies.

Record Type	Fee
Birth certificate (search and copy)	$23
Additional birth certificate copies	$23 each
Death certificate (search and first copy)	$21
Additional death certificates (same request)	$4 each
Birth/death verification search	$17

Denton County Probate Court Records

Denton County has two statutory probate courts, both sharing the same location. These courts handle the probate of wills, intestate succession, guardianships for incapacitated persons and minors, involuntary mental health commitments, eminent domain cases, and lawsuits involving a decedent's estate or a ward's interests.

Probate Court No. 1
Address: 3900 Morse Street, Suite 100, Denton, TX 76208
Phone: (940) 349-2036
Judge: Honorable David W. Jahn

Probate Court No. 2
Address: 3900 Morse Street, Suite 100, Denton, TX 76208
Phone: (940) 349-2260

The County Clerk is the official keeper of probate court records in Denton County. For questions about filings, fees, and case status, contact the County Clerk's Courts Division at (940) 349-2012.

Searching Probate Records

Probate case records can be searched online through the Denton County Records Inquiry portal by party name, case number, or filing date range. In-person research is also available at the County Clerk's office during business hours.

Probate Forms and Documents

The county publishes an extensive library of probate documents and forms on its website, including the Small Estate Affidavit, affidavit templates for wills probated after four years, the Texas Descent and Distribution Chart, the Personal Representative Information Sheet, and various orders for dependent and temporary administration. Guardianship documents and forms — covering guardianship establishment, referral forms, annual reports on the condition and well-being of a ward, and physicians' certificates — are also available for download.