Morris County DUI and DWI Records

Morris County DUI and DWI records are maintained by the District Clerk and County Clerk in Daingerfield. This Northeast Texas county processes DWI cases through the 76th District Court for felony charges and the County Court at Law for misdemeanor offenses. Records can be accessed in person at the courthouse in Daingerfield or by contacting the clerk offices directly.

Morris County District Clerk

The Morris County District Clerk maintains all felony DWI records in Daingerfield. The 76th District Court handles third or higher DWI offenses, intoxication assault, and intoxication manslaughter cases filed in Morris County. Under Texas Penal Code Chapter 49, a third DWI is a third-degree felony with 2 to 10 years in prison and fines up to $10,000. DWI with a child passenger under 15 under Section 49.045 is a state jail felony with 180 days to 2 years. Felony DWI records are permanent.

Online access to Morris County district court records is limited. Most searches require a visit in person or a written request by mail. Call ahead to confirm business hours since staffing may be limited in a smaller courthouse. 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. If you do not have the case number, the clerk can search by name.

Morris County Clerk - Misdemeanor DWI Records

The Morris County Clerk holds all misdemeanor DWI records for the County Court at Law. A first DWI under Texas Penal Code Section 49.04 is a Class B misdemeanor with a minimum 72-hour jail sentence and a fine of up to $2,000. A BAC of 0.15 or above makes it a Class A with up to one year in jail. A second DWI under Section 49.09 is a Class A misdemeanor with a mandatory 30-day minimum jail term. Records are kept permanently and include the charge, BAC result, plea entered, and final court outcome.

The county clerk office is at the Daingerfield courthouse. In-person visits are the standard way to get records. Mail requests are accepted. Bring photo ID and the full legal name of the person. A rough time period for the case helps the clerk pull the right file. Standard copy fees apply for all documents. Older records may require additional retrieval time but are all still on file.

The image below is from the Texas DPS Driver License Services portal, which oversees the license suspension process after every DWI arrest in Morris County and across the state.

Texas DPS administers the Administrative License Revocation program that applies to all DWI arrests in Morris County and every other Texas county.

Morris County Sheriff DWI Arrests

The Morris County Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement agency for the county's unincorporated areas. The sheriff's deputies make DWI arrests throughout the county and maintain those arrest reports, booking records, and jail logs separately from the court records held by the clerk offices. These records can be requested under the Texas Public Information Act by contacting the sheriff's office directly.

Arrest report copies are typically $5.00. Most requests take up to 10 business days. The reports include the deputy's written account of the stop, observations of driver impairment, standardized field sobriety test results, chemical test data, and the formal charge under Texas Penal Code Chapter 49. Body camera or dash camera footage can also be requested but may require separate processing time and fees.

Note: The city of Daingerfield has its own police department that handles DWI arrests within city limits. Their records are separate from the county sheriff but both sets of cases go through the same Morris County court system.

Driver License Suspension After DWI Arrest in Morris County

Every DWI arrest in Morris County activates the Texas DPS Administrative License Revocation process immediately. The arresting officer takes the physical driver's license and gives a 40-day temporary driving permit. The driver must file an ALR hearing request within 15 days of the arrest. If no request is filed, the suspension becomes final when the temporary permit runs out. The ALR is a civil proceeding governed by Transportation Code Chapter 524 and runs on a completely separate track from the criminal DWI case in the Morris County courts.

For adults on a first offense, refusing a chemical test leads to 180 days of suspension. Failing the test at 0.08 or above results in 90 days. A prior ALR suspension within 10 years doubles each period. The reinstatement fee is $125 and must be paid to Texas DPS before a license is restored. Even a dismissed criminal case does not automatically end the ALR suspension. Driving records can be ordered from dps.texas.gov for $4 to $22.

DWI Law in Morris County

Morris County DWI cases are prosecuted under Texas Penal Code Chapter 49. The first offense under Section 49.04 is a Class B misdemeanor. Having an open container of alcohol in possession at the time of the arrest raises the mandatory minimum from 72 hours to six days even on a first offense. A high BAC reading of 0.15 or above makes the first offense a Class A misdemeanor. The second DWI is always Class A. A third DWI is a felony. Prior DWI convictions from any Texas county count toward enhancement.

Crash reports for DWI accidents in Morris County are filed with and held by TxDOT. Peace officer crash reports (CR-3) cost $6 for a regular copy and $8 for a certified version. All requests must go through the CRIS Request online system. TxDOT stopped taking mail subpoena requests as of January 2025. Records are retained for 10 years plus the current year.

Statewide conviction records including DWI history from Morris County are searchable through the Texas DPS Crime Records Service. This database includes conviction and deferred adjudication data and is the most efficient way to check prior DWI history when the case is in Northeast Texas courts.

Nearby Counties

Morris County is in Northeast Texas near the Arkansas border. DWI cases in neighboring counties are handled by their own courts.