As the clerk of county courts the county clerk is responsible for maintaining the records of the criminal courts. Dallas County has eleven (11) county criminal courts that hear Class A and B misdemeanor offenses and two (2) criminal courts of appeals that hear appeals from both justice of the peace courts and city municipal courts.
The criminal division, which is the largest of the county clerk’s office processes approximately 32,500 cases each year and have approximately 72,000 cases pending.
In accordance with the Texas Penal Code, a Class A misdemeanor shall be punishable by:
- a fine not to exceed $4,000;
- confinement in jail for a term not to exceed one year; or
- both such fine and confinement.
Class B misdemeanor shall be punishable by:
- a fine not to exceed $2,000;
- confinement in jail for a term not to exceed 180 days; or
- both such fine and confinement.
Class C misdemeanor shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed $500.
