Montague County DWI and DUI Records

Montague County DUI and DWI records are maintained by the District Clerk and County Clerk in the town of Montague. This North Texas county is served by the 97th Judicial District Court for felony DWI cases and the County Court for misdemeanor charges. Records can be searched in person at the courthouse or by contacting the clerk offices by phone or mail.

Montague County District Clerk

The Montague County District Clerk handles all felony DWI records for the county. The 97th Judicial District Court serves Montague County along with Archer and Clay counties. It hears all third or higher DWI charges, intoxication assault, and intoxication manslaughter cases. Under Texas Penal Code Chapter 49, a third DWI is a third-degree felony with 2 to 10 years in state prison. Intoxication manslaughter carries 2 to 20 years. Felony DWI records are permanent.

Online access to Montague County case records is limited. The primary method is an in-person visit to the courthouse in Montague or a written mail request. Bring the defendant's full legal name and the approximate year of the case. Copy fees are $1.00 per page. Certified copies add $5.00. E-filing is available for attorneys through the state eFileTexas portal. The clerk can search by name if you do not have a case number.

Montague County Clerk - Misdemeanor DWI Records

The Montague County Clerk holds misdemeanor DWI records for the County Court. 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 at testing time makes it a Class A with up to one year in jail and fines up to $4,000. Second DWI under Section 49.09 is a Class A with a mandatory 30-day minimum. Records are kept permanently and include charge, BAC result, plea, and outcome.

The county clerk office is at the same courthouse in Montague. In-person access during business hours is the standard way to retrieve records. Mail requests are also accepted. Bring photo ID and the full name of the person you are searching for. Standard copy fees apply. For older cases, allow extra time for the clerk to retrieve files from storage.

The image below is from Texas Transportation Code Chapter 524, the official statute governing the Administrative License Revocation process that applies to every DWI arrest in Montague County.

Transportation Code Chapter 524 governs the driver license suspension process triggered by every DWI arrest in Montague County.

Montague County Sheriff DWI Arrest Records

The Montague County Sheriff's Office handles DWI arrests throughout the unincorporated parts of the county. Arrest reports and booking records are held by the sheriff's office separately from the clerk offices. These records can be requested under the Texas Public Information Act. Submit your request in writing with the full name of the arrested person and the approximate date of the incident. Include your contact information so the sheriff's office can follow up if they need clarification.

Copies of arrest reports are typically $5.00. Most requests are fulfilled within 10 business days. The reports include the deputy's observations of the driver, field sobriety test results, chemical test data, and the specific charge under Texas Penal Code Chapter 49. Body camera and dash camera footage can also be requested but may take additional processing time and may carry separate fees.

Note: The city of Bowie is the largest city in Montague County and the Bowie Police Department handles DWI arrests within city limits. Their records are separate from the county sheriff's files but the same court in Montague handles all resulting cases.

License Suspension After a DWI in Montague County

A DWI arrest in Montague County triggers the Administrative License Revocation process through Texas DPS on the same day as the arrest. The officer takes the physical license and gives a 40-day temporary permit. The driver has just 15 days to request an ALR hearing. If the request is not filed in time, the suspension becomes automatic when the permit expires. The ALR process is governed by Transportation Code Chapter 524 and is completely independent of the criminal case.

On a first offense, refusing the chemical test leads to a 180-day suspension. Failing at 0.08 or above leads to a 90-day suspension. If there is a prior ALR suspension within the past 10 years, both periods double. The reinstatement fee is $125 and must be paid to DPS before a new license is issued. Driving records can be ordered from dps.texas.gov for $4 to $22 depending on the record type selected.

DWI Law and Montague County Court Cases

All DWI charges in Montague County are filed under Texas Penal Code Chapter 49. The 97th Judicial District Court shares jurisdiction among Montague, Archer, and Clay counties, so DWI hearings for Montague County defendants are held in the town of Montague. The county court handles misdemeanor levels while the district court handles felonies. Under Section 49.04, the first DWI offense is Class B. Under Section 49.09, the second is Class A and the third is a felony.

Montague County is in North Texas near the Oklahoma border, and the county's main city of Bowie serves as a regional hub. DWI enforcement on U.S. Highway 81 and State Highway 59 contributes to arrest volume. Crash reports related to DWI incidents are filed with TxDOT and can be purchased through the CRIS Request system for $6 regular or $8 certified. TxDOT no longer accepts mail subpoena requests as of January 2025.

Statewide DWI conviction records are searchable through the Texas DPS Crime Records Service. This database includes Montague County convictions and is useful for checking prior history when a person faces new DWI charges. Prior DWI convictions in any Texas county count toward elevating a current charge to felony level.

Nearby Counties

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