About the Denton County District Clerk
The Honorable David Trantham serves as the Denton County District Clerk. The office is an elected one. The clerk is chosen for a four-year term. The District Clerk supports the district courts and is the registrar, recorder, and custodian of all court pleadings, instruments, and papers that are part of any cause of action in any civil or criminal district court. In plain terms, this office holds the official file for district court cases.
The clerk also keeps the case moving on paper. The office files documents, manages the court record, and tracks each cause as it goes. Denton County District Clerk has supported electronic filing since 2012. E-filing is open to self-represented parties, attorneys, mediators, court liaisons, and others through eFileTexas resources. For a full look at the courts this office serves, see the Denton County District Court page.
Denton County District Clerk
District Clerk: David Trantham
1450 E McKinney Street, 1st Floor
Denton, TX 76209
Mailing: P.O. Box 2146, Denton, TX 76202
940-349-2200
Additional: 972-434-8822
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
What the Denton County District Clerk Handles
The District Clerk works with district court matters only. District courts hear felony criminal cases, family and divorce cases, and larger civil suits. Every pleading, motion, order, and judgment in those causes flows through this clerk. The office is where the official file lives, so a request for a certified district court document starts here. Smaller and different record types route to other offices.
- Felony criminal case files filed in the district courts.
- Family law cases, including divorce, custody, and protective orders.
- Civil suits filed at the district court level.
- E-filing support through eFileTexas for parties and attorneys.
For family and divorce file detail, the marriage and divorce records page breaks down what the district courts keep. Broader case-search help sits on the court records page.
What the District Clerk Does Not Keep
This office has clear limits. The District Clerk maintains records for the District Courts of Denton County and does not maintain records for other county departments. It does not keep City of Denton records such as zoning, permitting, site plans, developments, fire-code violations, or certificates of occupancy. So a builder chasing a permit file or a site plan will not find it with the court clerk.
The County Clerk is the office for the rest. The County Clerk is the official record keeper for Real Property, Vital Statistic, Civil Court, Misdemeanor Court, Probate Court, and Juvenile Court records in Denton County. County Clerk Juli Luke leads that office. For misdemeanor, probate, marriage, and recorded property records, use the Denton County County Clerk page instead. Knowing which clerk holds the file saves a wasted trip.
Note: The District Clerk keeps district court files only; misdemeanor, probate, and recorded property records go to the County Clerk, not this office.
How to Request a Certified Copy from the District Clerk
A certified copy is an official document with the clerk's seal. Courts, agencies, and other states accept it as proof. The District Clerk will not perform a request, or do research on a request, without a completed Record Request Form. So the form is the first step, not an afterthought. Gather the cause number or party name before you start, since those help the clerk find the file fast.
- Find the cause number or the full party name for the case.
- Fill out the District Clerk Record Request Form, including the document title and copy type.
- Submit it in person at 1450 E McKinney Street, by mail to P.O. Box 2146, Denton, TX 76202, by fax to 940-349-5754, or by email to dcrecords@dentoncounty.gov.
- Pay the fee by cash, money order, or card; personal checks are not accepted.
- Pick up in person or wait for mail or email; allow up to 10 business days.
Paper copies go out by regular USPS first-class mail unless you pick them up in person. Electronic copies are emailed, and only one email address is allowed per request. Exemplified copies are paper only and may take more time.
Denton County District Clerk Record Request Form Fields
The Record Request Form asks for who you are, how to reach you, and which document you want. Some fields are always required. Others depend on whether you want a mailed copy or an emailed one. The table lists the main fields and what each one is for. Fill it out fully so the clerk does not have to call you back.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Yes | Date of the request |
| Requestor | Yes | Name of the person asking for the record |
| Email Address | Yes for email delivery | Only one email address per request for electronic copies |
| Mailing Address | Yes for paper delivery | Used for first-class mail of paper copies |
| Case / Cause # | Strongly recommended | The case identifier; speeds up the search |
| Party Name | Yes if no cause number | Person or entity tied to the case |
| Copy type | Yes | Certified paper, certified electronic, plain paper, plain electronic, or exemplified |
| Qty | Yes | Quantity under each selected copy type |
| Document Title | Yes | Repeated for each document requested |
| Date Document Filed | Optional but helpful | Used to locate the exact filing |
| Payment authorization | Yes if paying by card | Authorize an amount not to exceed a set limit |
You can pull the form straight from the county forms hub. The image below shows the District Clerk forms and additional information page.
The Denton County District Clerk forms and additional information page hosts the request form and related documents.
From that page you can download the Record Request Form, fill it in, and send it by your chosen method.
Denton County District Clerk Record Fees
Searching a case online is free. An official copy is not. The fee depends on the copy type and the page count. Cash, money order, and debit or credit cards are accepted. Cards carry a 2.25% fee with a $1 minimum, and personal checks are not accepted. Allow up to 10 business days for the office to finish and mail a request.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Certified paper copy | $5 certification plus $1 per page |
| Certified electronic copy | $5 plus $0.10 per page ($1 minimum) |
| Plain paper copy | $1 per page |
| Plain electronic copy | $0.10 per page ($1 minimum) |
| Exemplified copy | $5 plus certified paper copy cost |
| Felony case record search | $5 per search and certificate |
Sealed documents will not be provided unless the law permits it. The minimum on electronic copies covers the first few pages, so a short document still meets the $1 floor. Plan for the card fee if you do not pay by cash or money order.
Denton County Felony Case Record Search
The District Clerk also offers a felony case record search. It checks this office's felony files for a named person. The fee is $5 per search and per certificate. You must show current valid state-issued ID or a driver license at the time of the request. The form asks for the subject's full name and at least one identity element, such as a date of birth or driver license number, and it warns that too little identifying information can result in rejection.
This search has a limit worth stressing. It is a search of Denton County District Clerk records only. It is not a comprehensive background check of all county, state, or federal records. Payment may be cash, money order, or card, with the same 2.25% card fee and $1 minimum. Personal checks are not taken. Allow up to 10 business days for the search and certificate to be done and mailed.
Note: The felony case search covers Denton County District Clerk files only and is not a statewide or national background check.
E-Filing With the Denton County District Clerk
Many district court filings now go in online. The Denton County District Clerk has supported electronic filing since 2012. E-filing runs through eFileTexas, the state e-filing system. It is open to self-represented parties, attorneys, mediators, court liaisons, and others. Filing online can save a trip to the County Courts Building, though some requests, like certified copies, still use the Record Request Form.
E-filing covers the documents that start and move a district court case. A new petition, a motion, or a response can be filed from a computer. The clerk then stamps and records the filing the same way a paper one is handled. For the case-search side after a document is filed, the court records page walks through the county portal.
AI Standing Order in Denton County District Courts
The District Clerk posted a new rule on the use of artificial intelligence. A "Standing Order Regarding Use of Artificial Intelligence" is effective October 20, 2025. The order is required for civil and family cases. It was announced through a District Clerk alert posted on October 22, 2025. Parties and attorneys filing civil or family matters should read it before they submit AI-assisted work.
This is not the only recent order to know. The District Clerk page also lists a Denton County Standing Order Regarding Children, Property and Conduct of the Parties effective February 27, 2025, which shapes family-law cases. Both orders touch the kinds of files this clerk keeps, so check the official District Clerk page for the current text before a filing.