Carrollton Divorce Decree Records
Carrollton divorce decree records are held at the county level, not the city. Carrollton spans parts of Dallas, Denton, and Collin counties, which means where your divorce decree was filed depends on which county you lived in when you filed. Most Carrollton residents file with the Dallas County District Clerk. You can search for divorce decrees online through each county's public portal. For a certified copy of a Final Decree of Divorce, you contact the District Clerk in the county where the case was originally filed.
Carrollton Overview
Which County Handles Carrollton Divorce Records
Carrollton is unusual because it crosses three county lines. The part of Carrollton in Dallas County is the largest portion. The north part of the city falls in Denton County. A smaller section sits in Collin County. Your divorce decree goes to the District Clerk of whichever county you lived in at the time you filed.
If you aren't sure which county covers your address, check a county boundary map or call the Carrollton city offices at (972) 466-3000. The Dallas County District Clerk is the most common choice for Carrollton residents. The Dallas County offices are at 600 Commerce Street in downtown Dallas.
| Primary County | Dallas County (most of Carrollton) |
|---|---|
| Dallas District Clerk | 600 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75202 |
| Dallas Phone | (214) 653-7421 |
| Denton District Clerk | 1450 E. McKinney St., Denton, TX 76209 |
| Denton Phone | (940) 349-2200 |
| Collin District Clerk | 2100 Bloomdale Rd., McKinney, TX 75071 |
| Collin Phone | (972) 548-4180 |
| Hours (all offices) | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
Dallas County's District Clerk website is at dallascounty.org/departments/districtclerk. Denton County's clerk is at dentoncounty.gov. Collin County's is at collincountytx.gov/DistrictClerk.
Search Carrollton Divorce Decrees Online
Each county that covers Carrollton has its own online court records portal. Dallas County uses the Tyler Technologies Odyssey portal at portal-txdallas.tylertech.cloud. Denton County's public access portal is at justice.dentoncounty.gov. Collin County's case search system is at cijspub.co.collin.tx.us.
You can also search all three counties at once using the statewide re:SearchTX system. That portal pulls case records from participating Texas courts. Search by name, case number, or date range. Results show party names, case status, and docket entries. Document images typically require payment through the portal.
If you aren't sure which county has the case, the statewide search is a good place to start. It can tell you which court filed the case and give you the cause number. Once you have the cause number, you can go straight to the right county for copies.
Note: Call ahead before driving to any courthouse to confirm the office hours and what you need to bring. Policies and hours can change.
Fees for Carrollton Divorce Decree Records
Copy fees are similar across the three counties that serve Carrollton. Plain copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies are $1.00 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee. Staff-conducted name searches run $5.00 per name per 10-year period in both Dallas and Collin counties.
Dallas County's filing fee for a divorce without children is around $350. With children, the fee is higher, usually around $365. Denton and Collin counties have similar but slightly different fee schedules. You should call the relevant District Clerk to get the exact current amounts before you file.
All three counties accept cash, check, money order, and credit card. Dallas County does not accept personal checks for some services. Collin County's checks should be made payable to the Collin County District Clerk. If you mail a records request, include a self-addressed stamped envelope for certified copies.
If paying fees is a hardship, you can file a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs. Forms are available at each courthouse or on the Texas Courts website. Each county's court decides whether you qualify based on income and circumstances.
Divorce Decree Process in Carrollton
Carrollton residents follow the same Texas divorce law as the rest of the state. The core statutes are in Texas Family Code Chapter 6. Before filing, at least one spouse must have lived in Texas for six months and in the county where you plan to file for at least 90 days. This comes from Texas Family Code Section 6.301.
The most common ground for divorce in Texas is insupportability under Texas Family Code Section 6.001. That just means the marriage can't be fixed due to conflict or discord, and no one has to be at fault. Fault grounds are an option but not required.
After the petition is filed, there is a mandatory 60-day waiting period before the divorce can be final. The process also includes serving the other spouse, negotiating any agreed terms, and attending hearings if needed. When the judge signs the Final Decree of Divorce, that document becomes the official record. It gets filed with the District Clerk and is available to the public. Efiling is required for most cases under Texas rules and is done through efile.txcourts.gov.
What a Carrollton Divorce Decree Includes
A divorce decree in Carrollton is a district court order signed by a judge. It formally ends the marriage and spells out the terms both parties must follow. The decree names both spouses, gives the date the marriage ended, and states the grounds used.
Property division terms are part of the decree. Texas is a community property state, and the decree sets out how marital assets and debts are split. Separate property is generally not divided. If spousal maintenance was awarded, the decree covers the terms under Texas Family Code Chapter 8.
When children are part of the case, the decree or an attached order covers conservatorship, a possession and access schedule, and child support. Child support is calculated under state guidelines in Texas Family Code Chapter 154. These orders are enforceable by the court and can be modified later if circumstances change. The Texas Attorney General's child support division handles enforcement.
Legal Help for Carrollton Divorce Cases
Carrollton residents can find legal aid through several local and state resources. Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas serves the Dallas and Denton county areas and helps people with low income. Their phone number is (888) 529-5277 and their site is lanwt.org.
The TexasLawHelp.org website is a free resource that covers divorce, custody, and other family law topics. It has plain-language guides, step-by-step instructions, and downloadable forms. The Texas State Law Library divorce guide is another useful resource for understanding the rules and court process.
The State Bar of Texas referral service can connect you with a family law attorney in the Carrollton or Dallas area. Call (800) 252-9690 or search at texasbar.com. Dallas County also has a law library inside the courthouse that is open to the public during business hours.
The Texas Courts website provides statewide case search access through re:SearchTX and links to each county's District Clerk portal, including all three counties that cover Carrollton: Dallas, Denton, and Collin.
Carrollton divorce decree records go to Dallas, Denton, or Collin County depending on your address. The county where you lived at the time of filing is where the case was filed and where the records are kept.
Dallas County Divorce Records
Most of Carrollton falls in Dallas County, and Dallas County handles the majority of Carrollton divorce decrees. Visit the Dallas County divorce records page for full details on the courthouse, fees, and search options.
Nearby Cities
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