Find DWI Records in Goliad County

Goliad County DUI and DWI records are filed with the District Clerk and County Clerk in Goliad, the county seat located in South Texas between San Antonio and Corpus Christi. Whether you need court case details, arrest information, or want to check the status of a DWI filing, this page covers the offices, procedures, and state tools available to find those records.

Goliad County District Clerk

The Goliad County District Clerk maintains felony DWI case records for the county. The 135th District Court serves Goliad County and handles felony-level charges including third or subsequent DWI offenses, intoxication assault, and intoxication manslaughter. These offenses are defined under Texas Penal Code Chapter 49 and carry third-degree or higher felony classifications depending on the charge.

Goliad County is a small rural county, so online record access is limited. To get a copy of a felony DWI case record, you will generally need to visit or mail a request to the courthouse. Standard document copies are $1.00 per page. Certified copies add a $5.00 fee per document. Attorneys file through the state's e-filing system at txcourts.gov. Records for criminal felony cases are retained permanently by the clerk's office.

Goliad County Clerk - Misdemeanor DWI Records

The Goliad County Clerk handles misdemeanor DWI case records. A first offense DWI under Penal Code Section 49.04 is a Class B misdemeanor. If the driver's BAC was 0.15 or above at the time of the test, the charge elevates to a Class A misdemeanor under the same code section. Both Class B and Class A misdemeanors are processed through the county court rather than a district court.

Misdemeanor DWI records in Goliad County include charges, pleas, hearing dates, sentences, and any probation or community supervision orders. Services are primarily available in person at the courthouse. Call ahead to confirm office hours and what information you need to provide to request a specific record. Copy fees are the same as the District Clerk: $1.00 per page, plus $5.00 for certified copies.

The Texas DPS Crime Records Service provides a state-level source for conviction data that complements what is available locally in Goliad County.

Texas DWI Law Applied in Goliad County

All DWI cases in Goliad County are prosecuted under the same state law that applies throughout Texas. Under Penal Code Chapter 49, a person is intoxicated if they have a blood or breath alcohol concentration of 0.08 or above, or if they lack the normal use of mental or physical faculties by reason of alcohol, a controlled substance, or any combination thereof. This definition applies to any vehicle operator on public roads in the county.

The penalties increase significantly based on prior convictions and circumstances. A first DWI has a range of 72 hours to 180 days in jail. A second offense requires a minimum of 30 days in jail. A third offense becomes a third-degree felony, carrying 2 to 10 years in state prison. DWI with a child passenger under 15 is a state jail felony regardless of prior history. These distinctions determine which court the case lands in and which clerk's office holds the records.

Crash-related DWI cases in Goliad County may also have a CR-3 crash report on file with Texas Department of Transportation. Standard copies are $6 and certified copies are $8. These reports are ordered through TxDOT's CRIS Request system. Reports are kept for 10 years.

Note: DWI with a child passenger under 15 under Section 49.045 is a state jail felony, meaning it carries a sentence of 180 days to 2 years in a state jail facility, separate from county jail.

Administrative License Revocation in Goliad County

A DWI arrest anywhere in Goliad County triggers the Texas Administrative License Revocation process. This is handled by Texas DPS and runs separately from the criminal case. The officer confiscates the physical license and provides a 40-day temporary permit at the time of arrest. The driver has exactly 15 days to request a hearing. If no hearing is requested, the suspension starts automatically after the temporary permit expires.

Refusing a chemical test on a first offense leads to a 180-day suspension. A first-offense failure at 0.08 BAC or above results in a 90-day suspension. If a driver has an ALR suspension within the prior 10 years, both of those periods double. These proceedings are governed by Transportation Code Chapter 524. Winning or losing the ALR hearing does not impact the criminal DWI case directly, and vice versa.

After any suspension period ends, a $125 reinstatement fee must be paid to DPS before a new license is issued. Driving records can be ordered through dps.texas.gov. Fees range from $4 to $22. The Type 3A certified complete history is often the version needed for legal or court purposes.

State Resources for Goliad County DWI Records

Several state agencies hold records that may be relevant to DWI cases in Goliad County. Texas DPS accepts public information requests for records it maintains through its public information portal. This can include DPS-level conviction data, sex offender registry records, and driver-related records.

For impaired driving data and enforcement statistics across the state, the TxDOT impaired driving page compiles crash reports and fatality data from counties including Goliad. This data comes from peace officer crash reports submitted after DWI-involved collisions. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission at tabc.texas.gov deals with alcohol sales violations and underage alcohol cases, which can appear in county records alongside DWI charges when minors are involved under Alcoholic Beverage Code Chapter 106.

Nearby Counties

Goliad County is surrounded by several South Texas counties, each with its own court system handling local DWI cases.