DWI Records in Foard County

Foard County DUI and DWI records are maintained by the District Clerk and County Clerk in Crowell. This small northwest Texas county uses the 50th Judicial District for felony DWI cases and the County Court at Law for misdemeanor charges. Both clerk offices are located at 101 S. Main Street in Crowell. In-person visits or written mail requests are how records are typically accessed here.

Foard County District Clerk

The Foard County District Clerk handles all felony DWI records processed through the 50th District Court. The 50th Judicial District is a shared court that covers multiple counties in the region. When the court sits in Crowell, it handles felony cases from Foard County. Felony DWI offenses include a third or higher DWI conviction, DWI with a child passenger, intoxication assault, and intoxication manslaughter.

The District Clerk's office is at 101 S. Main Street, Crowell, TX 79227. Phone is (940) 684-1365. Copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies carry a $5.00 extra fee. E-filing is available for attorneys through eFileTexas.gov. Online access is very limited. Most record requests from this small county courthouse require an in-person visit or a written mail request. Call ahead to confirm office hours.

Foard County Clerk - Misdemeanor Records

The Foard County Clerk maintains misdemeanor DWI records for first and second offense cases heard in the County Court. Under Texas Penal Code Section 49.04, a first DWI is a Class B misdemeanor with a minimum 72-hour jail sentence and fines up to $2,000. A second DWI is a Class A misdemeanor with a 30-day mandatory minimum. Both are tried in the County Court, not the district court.

The County Clerk's office is at 101 S. Main Street as well, phone (940) 684-1366. Records include charge type, bond information, case dates, plea, and final outcome. Standard copy fees apply. In-person access is the norm for this small county. Misdemeanor DWI convictions are permanent public records and do not expire from the file.

For a statewide search that includes Foard County convictions, Texas DPS Crime Records provides a central database that covers all Texas counties and is accessible online.

How to Access Foard County DWI Records

Foard County does not have a public online case search portal. Record access requires a visit to the courthouse in Crowell or a written mail request. Crowell is a small town in northwest Texas about 90 miles north of Abilene. If you're traveling a distance, call ahead to verify the office is open and to confirm what you'll need to bring to locate the case.

For broader statewide records that cover Foard County and other Texas counties, Texas DPS Crime Records is a reliable source. DPS holds conviction and deferred adjudication data reported from courts statewide. Dismissed cases and arrests without charges are not included. You can also submit a public information request through the DPS online portal.

Crash reports from DWI accidents in Foard County are available through TxDOT's CRIS system. These are separate from court records and document what the responding officer observed at the scene. Standard copies are $6 and certified copies are $8. All requests go through the CRIS online portal.

Note: The 50th Judicial District serves several counties including Foard. If you know a felony DWI case exists but can't locate it in Foard County files, it's worth checking whether proceedings moved to another county in the district.

DWI Laws and Charges in Foard County

Foard County prosecutes DWI under Texas Penal Code Chapter 49. To sustain a DWI conviction, the state must prove the person operated a motor vehicle on a public road while intoxicated. Intoxication means a BAC of 0.08 or higher or the loss of normal mental or physical faculties due to alcohol, drugs, or both.

A BAC of 0.15 or more at the time of arrest raises a first offense to Class A misdemeanor under Section 49.04(d). The third DWI conviction is a third-degree felony under Section 49.09. That means a potential sentence of 2 to 10 years in prison and fines up to $10,000. Section 49.045 makes DWI with a child passenger a state jail felony on any offense number.

Texas law does not allow deferred adjudication for DWI. Every DWI case in Foard County ends in either a conviction or a dismissal. Conviction records are permanent. The Texas Office of Court Administration provides oversight of all state courts including the 50th District Court that serves this county.

For alcohol-related licensing and enforcement matters that sometimes accompany DWI cases, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission at tabc.texas.gov is the relevant agency.

License Suspension After a DWI Arrest

When someone is arrested for DWI in Foard County, Texas DPS begins an Administrative License Revocation. The officer takes the physical license at the time of arrest and gives a temporary 40-day permit. The driver has 15 days to request a hearing or the suspension kicks in automatically once the permit expires.

Refusing a breath or blood test leads to 180 days of suspension on a first offense. Failing the test at 0.08 or above brings 90 days. Prior ALR actions within 10 years can double those periods. The governing statute is Transportation Code Chapter 524. The ALR process is entirely separate from the criminal DWI case and must be challenged on its own timeline.

Once the suspension ends, a $125 reinstatement fee is owed to DPS before driving privileges are restored. Driving records showing suspension history can be ordered from dps.texas.gov for fees ranging from $4 to $22 depending on the record type.

Texas DPS Public Information

Statewide DWI records covering Foard County cases can be requested through the Texas DPS public records portal.

When local courthouse records aren't easily accessible, DPS state-level records provide an alternative source for DWI conviction history and license suspension data.

Nearby Counties

Foard County is in northwest Texas near the Oklahoma state line. DWI cases in neighboring counties go through their own courts.