Leon County DUI and DWI Records

Leon County DUI and DWI records are maintained by the District Clerk and County Clerk in Centerville. This East Texas county processes DWI cases through the 12th District Court for felony charges and the County Court at Law for misdemeanor offenses. Records are available by visiting the courthouse on East Saint Mary's Street or by calling the clerk offices.

Leon County District Clerk

The Leon County District Clerk handles all felony DWI records in Centerville. The 12th District Court covers Leon County and hears all third-offense or higher DWI cases, as well as intoxication assault and intoxication manslaughter charges. Under Texas Penal Code Chapter 49, third DWI is a third-degree felony with 2 to 10 years in prison and fines up to $10,000. All felony DWI records are kept permanently.

Online access to Leon County district court records is very limited. Most searches require an in-person visit to the courthouse at 129 E. Saint Mary's Street in Centerville. Written mail requests are also accepted. When searching, have the defendant's full legal name ready. A case number speeds up the process considerably. Documents cost $1.00 per page and certified copies add a $5.00 fee. E-filing is available for attorneys through the state eFileTexas system.

Leon County Clerk - Misdemeanor DWI Records

Misdemeanor DWI records for Leon County are held by the County Clerk at the County Court at Law. First DWI under Texas Penal Code Section 49.04 is a Class B misdemeanor with a minimum 72-hour jail term and fines up to $2,000. A BAC of 0.15 or above bumps it to a Class A misdemeanor with up to one year in jail and fines up to $4,000. A second DWI conviction under Section 49.09 is Class A with a 30-day mandatory minimum. The county clerk keeps these records permanently.

The county clerk office is located at the same courthouse address as the district clerk on East Saint Mary's Street. Records are available in person during business hours. Bring a valid photo ID and the full name of the person you are searching for. Standard copy fees apply. If you are searching an older case you may need to allow extra time for files to be retrieved from storage.

The image below is from the Texas DPS Driver License Services portal, which administers the license suspension program that applies to all DWI arrests including those made in Leon County.

Texas DPS manages driver license suspensions for every DWI arrest in Leon County through the Administrative License Revocation program.

Leon County Sheriff DWI Arrest Records

The Leon County Sheriff's Office handles DWI arrests in unincorporated areas of the county. The sheriff's office maintains arrest reports, booking records, and jail logs separate from the court filings at the clerk offices. Requests for these records can be submitted under the Texas Public Information Act. Include the full name of the arrested person, the approximate date of the incident, and your contact information in the request.

Arrest report copies are typically $5.00. Requests usually take up to 10 business days. The arrest report will include the deputy's narrative, field sobriety test observations, chemical test results, and the specific charge filed under Texas Penal Code Chapter 49. If body camera or dash camera footage exists it can be requested separately but may require additional processing time and fees.

Note: The 12th District Court also serves Madison County. Judges travel between Centerville and Madisonville to hear cases in both counties.

License Suspension After a Leon County DWI

A DWI arrest in Leon County starts the Administrative License Revocation process through Texas DPS. The arresting officer takes the driver's physical license and issues a 40-day temporary permit on the spot. The driver must request an ALR hearing within 15 days of the arrest date or the suspension becomes final without a hearing. The ALR process is a separate civil proceeding from the criminal DWI case and is governed by Transportation Code Chapter 524.

First offense refusal leads to 180 days of suspension. Failing the test at 0.08 or above leads to 90 days. Prior ALR history within 10 years doubles both periods. A $125 reinstatement fee must be paid to DPS before any new license is issued. Driving records showing suspension history can be ordered from dps.texas.gov for $4 to $22 depending on the record type.

DWI Charges and Leon County Courts

Leon County DWI prosecutions follow Texas Penal Code Chapter 49. The county court handles Class B and Class A misdemeanor DWI charges. The 12th District Court handles felony DWI. The charge level depends on prior convictions, BAC reading, and whether any aggravating factors were present. Having an open container in the car at the time of a first DWI bumps the mandatory minimum jail time from 72 hours to six days, even at low BAC levels.

Crash reports for DWI-related accidents in Leon County are held by TxDOT. The peace officer crash report (CR-3) costs $6 for a regular copy and $8 for a certified version. As of January 2025, TxDOT only accepts requests through the CRIS Request online system. Mail-in requests for subpoenas are no longer processed. TxDOT keeps crash records for 10 years plus the current year.

Statewide conviction history including DWI records is searchable through the Texas DPS Crime Records Service. This is particularly useful when determining if a current Leon County DWI defendant has prior convictions that would make the new charge a felony rather than a misdemeanor.

Nearby Counties

Leon County is in East Texas along Highway 79 between Bryan and Palestine. DWI cases in neighboring counties go through their own court systems.