Eastland County DUI Records

Eastland County DWI records are maintained at the County Clerk and District Clerk offices in Eastland, Texas, the county seat. DUI and DWI cases in Eastland County go through county court for misdemeanor offenses and district court for felony charges. This West Texas county is part of the 91st Judicial District. If you need to find DWI records in Eastland County, start with the clerk's offices at the courthouse in Eastland.

Eastland County Clerk and District Clerk

The Eastland County Clerk handles misdemeanor DWI records. These cover first and second offense DWI cases that go through the county court. The District Clerk maintains felony DWI records for the 91st Judicial District Court, which handles third or more DWI offenses, intoxication assault, and intoxication manslaughter cases. Both offices are at the Eastland County Courthouse in Eastland.

Texas DWI is defined under Penal Code Chapter 49. A first offense is a Class B misdemeanor and second offense is a Class A misdemeanor. Third and subsequent DWI convictions are felonies of the third degree. Felony DWI convictions carry two to ten years in state prison and fines up to $10,000 under Penal Code Section 49.09. The 91st District Court also handles any cases involving intoxication assault or manslaughter.

Records requests can be made in person or by mail. Standard copy fees are $1.00 per page. Certified copies carry an additional $5.00 fee per document. Bring a valid ID and the defendant's name or case number when making a request.

How to Find DWI Records in Eastland County

Eastland County has limited online case access. The primary way to search DWI records here is in person at the courthouse or by mail. When making a request, provide the defendant's full name, the approximate year the case was filed, and a case number if available. For general guidance on Texas court records, the Texas Judicial Branch website offers statewide resources and information on accessing court files.

Texas DPS maintains driving records that show DWI history and license suspension data. You can order records online through the DPS Driver Record system or by mail using Form DR-1. A three-year history (Type 2) costs $4.00. A certified complete history (Type 3A) costs $10.00. Orders by mail take up to three weeks. Records are not available at DPS offices or by phone.

Crash reports involving DWI-related incidents in Eastland County are filed with TxDOT. Standard crash reports cost $6.00 and certified copies cost $8.00. All purchases must be made through the CRIS online system. TxDOT keeps crash reports for 10 years. The DPS Crime Records Division handles criminal history requests for conviction and arrest records statewide.

Note: Convictions for DWI are kept permanently in the court records. Dismissed cases are generally retained for five years before being purged from the active database.

DWI Charges and Consequences in Eastland County

All DWI charges in Eastland County follow Texas state law. The intoxication standard under Penal Code Section 49.01 is either a BAC of 0.08 or higher, or the loss of normal mental and physical faculties. Officers use standardized field sobriety tests and may request breath or blood tests to establish intoxication. Under Occupations Code Chapter 1701, officers must be trained and certified to administer sobriety tests.

Penalties increase with each offense. A first DWI conviction brings up to 180 days in county jail, a mandatory minimum of 72 hours, and a fine up to $2,000. The state adds additional surcharges at sentencing. A second DWI conviction requires at least 30 days in jail and carries a fine up to $4,000. The state surcharge is $4,500 for second offense. Third DWI is a felony with two to ten years in prison. Additional state fines of $6,000 apply at the felony level.

When an intoxicated driver causes serious bodily injury to another person, the charge is intoxication assault under Penal Code Section 49.07. This is a third-degree felony. If the victim dies, the charge is intoxication manslaughter under Penal Code Section 49.08, which is a second-degree felony with a range of two to twenty years in prison. Both of these cases are tried in the 91st District Court serving Eastland County.

For minors, Texas applies zero tolerance under Alcoholic Beverage Code Section 106.041. Any detectable amount of alcohol in a minor's system while driving is a DUI charge. A first DUI by a minor is a Class C misdemeanor with a fine up to $500, mandatory community service, and a required alcohol awareness program. The court may also require parents to attend the program for defendants under 18.

Driver's License Suspension After DWI in Eastland County

A DWI arrest in Eastland County activates the Administrative License Revocation program under Texas Transportation Code Chapter 524. The officer takes the driver's license at arrest and issues a temporary driving permit valid for 40 days. To contest the suspension, the driver must request an ALR hearing within 15 days of the arrest. This request goes to the Texas DPS, not to the local courthouse.

Suspension for failing a chemical test (0.08 or higher BAC) is 90 days for a first offense, or one year if there is a prior suspension within ten years. Refusing the chemical test results in a 180-day suspension for a first offense. A prior refusal within ten years extends that to two years. ALR hearings are civil proceedings held by the State Office of Administrative Hearings. The outcome of the ALR case does not affect the criminal DWI case, and both can proceed independently.

After serving the suspension, the driver must pay DPS a $125 reinstatement fee before a new license is issued. Check status and pay fees online at dps.texas.gov. For certain offenses, an ignition interlock device may be required as a condition for limited driving privileges during the suspension period.

The Texas DPS Driver License Division processes all administrative license revocations for DWI arrests in Eastland County and manages reinstatement records statewide.

Eastland County residents facing a DWI-related license suspension can check their status and initiate reinstatement through the DPS online portal.

Nearby Counties

Eastland County is in West Texas along the I-20 corridor. These neighboring counties may have related DWI case records.