Dallas County, Texas: CPS Courts, Court Records, DFPS Offices and Free Legal Help

This page is for families in Dallas County, Texas. It gives you official local contacts for CPS cases: the courts, the clerk who keeps court records, the DFPS offices, and free or low-cost legal help. This is legal information, not legal advice.

The short answer

Dallas County's website calls the 304th and 305th District Courts its Juvenile District Courts Dallas County, Texas, 304th Juvenile District Court Dallas County, Texas, 305th Juvenile District Court. The county's Public Defender says its Child Protection Division is appointed by the judges of these two courts to handle child-related cases there, mostly cases of children removed from their homes by CPS Dallas County Public Defender, Our Services: Civil Defense (Child Protection Division). Both courts are at 2600 Lone Star Drive, 3rd Floor, Dallas Dallas County, Texas, 304th Juvenile District Court. DFPS (the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Texas DFPS, Contact Us, the state agency whose programs include Child Protective Services Texas DFPS, Office of Consumer Affairs) lists Dallas County in its Region 3 Texas DFPS, Counties in DFPS Regions and Districts.

Courts that handle CPS cases in Dallas County

The 304th and 305th Juvenile District Courts handle child-related cases, including cases of children removed by CPS Dallas County Public Defender, Our Services: Civil Defense (Child Protection Division). The county's Public Defender says its Child Protection Division is appointed by the 304th and 305th District and Associate Judges to handle child-related cases in those courts Dallas County Public Defender, Our Services: Civil Defense (Child Protection Division). Its lawyers mainly serve as attorney ad litem or guardian ad litem (a lawyer or advocate appointed for a child) for children removed from their homes by CPS because of abuse or neglect Dallas County Public Defender, Our Services: Civil Defense (Child Protection Division). The division may also be appointed to represent parents who can't afford a lawyer in CPS cases Dallas County Public Defender, Our Services: Civil Defense (Child Protection Division).

The county's District Attorney describes two more places where CPS cases come up:

• Family (domestic relations) courts. These courts hear divorce, custody and child support cases. When one of those cases includes claims of child abuse or maltreatment, CPS becomes involved, and District Attorneys assigned to those courts represent it Dallas County District Attorney, Juvenile Division.
• Child Protection and Permanency Court. This is a specialized court. It oversees cases where CPS has been given permanent custody of the children Dallas County District Attorney, Juvenile Division.

The District Attorney represents CPS in cases with and without a removal, from the first removal hearings through trial and appeal Dallas County District Attorney, Juvenile Division. Its Juvenile Division is in the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center at 2600 Lone Star Dallas County District Attorney, Juvenile Division.

Where the courts are (as the county publishes them):

• 304th Juvenile District Court: Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Building, 2600 Lone Star Drive, 3rd Floor, Dallas, Texas 75212. Court administrator: (214) 698-4936 Dallas County, Texas, 304th Juvenile District Court.
• 305th Juvenile District Court: Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Building, 2600 Lone Star Drive, 3rd Floor, Dallas, Texas 75212. Court administrator: (214) 698-4924 Dallas County, Texas, 305th Juvenile District Court.

The juvenile courts and their clerk's offices are open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The clerk's offices close from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Dallas County District Clerk, Civil, Family and Juvenile Locations and Hours. Court clerks may not give legal advice Dallas County District Clerk, Legal and Financial Assistance. Ask a lawyer instead (see below).

Getting court records

The Dallas County District Clerk is the custodian of record (the official keeper of the files) for the civil and family district courts Dallas County District Clerk, Family Court Records. It also has a Juvenile Courts Section at the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center Dallas County District Clerk, Juvenile Court Records. A clerk is the office that files court papers and keeps the official record of each case.

Juvenile court records (304th and 305th)

• Location: Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center, 2600 Lone Star Drive, 3rd Floor, Dallas, TX 75212 Dallas County District Clerk, Civil, Family and Juvenile Locations and Hours.
• Clerk phone for both juvenile courts: (214) 698-4917 Dallas County District Clerk, Contact Us: Civil, Family and Juvenile Court Section. Juvenile Courts Record Clerk: (214) 698-4903 Dallas County District Clerk, Contact Us: Records Information Office.
• These records are not open to the general public without the juvenile district court's approval. The clerk lets only the attorneys of record or the litigants (the parties in the case) view or get copies Dallas County District Clerk, Juvenile Court Records.
• Juvenile court records are not online. The juvenile section does not usually mail records. All requests are handled in person Dallas County District Clerk, Juvenile Court Records.
• The juvenile section takes only cash, in-state checks or money orders. It does not take credit cards Dallas County District Clerk, Juvenile Court Records.

Family court records

• The District Clerk's Civil, Family and Juvenile Section is at the George L. Allen, Sr. Courts Building, 600 Commerce Street, Suite 103, Dallas, TX 75202. Phone: (214) 653-7307 Dallas County District Clerk, Contact Us: Civil, Family and Juvenile Court Section.
• The Civil & Family Records Desk is in the same building, on the Basement "B" Floor West. It is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Phone: 214-653-6076 Dallas County District Clerk, Family Court Records.
• Online access to family court records is suspended. The clerk says the easiest way to get copies is to email its records request form to [email protected]. Staff will then give you a cost estimate Dallas County District Clerk, Family Court Records.
• Records that are sealed by a court order, or kept confidential by law, are not online and generally need a court order to see Dallas County District Clerk, Family Court Records.

Court records are different from DFPS's own case records. To ask DFPS for its records, see How to Get Your CPS Case Records in Texas.

DFPS in Dallas County

DFPS lists Dallas County in DFPS Region 3 Texas DFPS, Counties in DFPS Regions and Districts. The Region 3 headquarters is at 1200 E. Copeland Road, Arlington, TX 76011 Texas DFPS, Region 3.

DFPS's office list shows these locations in Dallas County Texas DFPS, Region 3 Office Locations:

• 1111 W. Ledbetter, Ste. 150, Dallas, Texas 75224. Phone: (214) 372-8700. Programs: CCI, CPI, CPS, SWI.
• 5351 Samuel Blvd., Dallas, Texas 75228. Phone: (214) 319-1700. Program: CPS.
• 5455 Blair Rd., Dallas, Texas 75231. Phone: (214) 750-4619. Programs: CPI, CPS.
• 8700 N. Stemmons Fwy., Dallas, Texas 75247. Phone: (214) 951-7902. Programs include APS, CPI, CPS and SWI.
• 801 S. State Hwy. 161, Grand Prairie, Texas 75051. CPS phone: (972) 795-6556. APS phone: (972) 795-6550. Programs: APS, CPI, CPS.
• 600 W. Pioneer Dr., Irving, Texas 75061. Phone: (972) 721-6580. DFPS's list does not name the programs here.

In DFPS's list, APS means Adult Protective Services, CCI means Child Care Investigations, CPI means Child Protective Investigations, CPS means Child Protective Services and SWI means Statewide Intake Texas DFPS, Region 3 Office Locations.

If you have a question or complaint about your own case, DFPS says to contact its Office of Consumer Affairs Texas DFPS, Questions and Complaints. Its contact details are under "Statewide numbers" below.

Free and low-cost legal help

TexasLawHelp.org lists five free legal aid groups for Dallas County under Child Protective Services (CPS) TexasLawHelp.org, Legal Help Directory (Dallas County, Child Protective Services). Here are four of them:

• Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program gives free civil legal help to low-income Dallas County residents. Phone: (214) 243-2236 TexasLawHelp.org, Legal Help Directory (Dallas County, Child Protective Services).
• Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas gives free civil legal help to low-income residents of Northwest Texas. Phone: (888) 529-5277 TexasLawHelp.org, Legal Help Directory (Dallas County, Child Protective Services). It lists a Dallas office at 1515 Main St., Dallas, TX 75201, phone 214-748-1234 Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, Office Locations. You can apply by phone or online. It suggests calling your local office if your problem has a deadline, if you have been served with a lawsuit, or if it involves child custody, visitation or family violence Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, How to Apply.
• Texas Foster Youth Justice Project gives free legal help to current and former foster youth in Texas. Phone: (877) 313-3688 TexasLawHelp.org, Legal Help Directory (Dallas County, Child Protective Services).
• Texas Free Legal Answers lets Texans with low or modest incomes work online with a volunteer lawyer for free TexasLawHelp.org, Legal Help Directory (Dallas County, Child Protective Services).

Can the court give you a lawyer? In some CPS cases, yes. If DFPS sues to end your parental rights or to be named your child's conservator (the person or agency the court gives legal custody), the court must appoint a lawyer for a parent who is indigent (can't afford a lawyer) and who opposes the case Tex. Fam. Code §107.013(a). If you don't have a lawyer the first time you appear in court in that kind of case, the court must tell you about your right to a lawyer and, if you are indigent and oppose the case, your right to a court-appointed one Tex. Fam. Code §107.013(a-1). Learn more in Your Right to a Lawyer in a Texas CPS Case.

Lawyer referral (to hire a lawyer): For Dallas County, the State Bar of Texas sends people to its list of certified local referral services State Bar of Texas, Lawyer Referral & Information Service. The State Bar certifies referral services run by local bar associations and other nonprofit groups State Bar of Texas, Certified Lawyer Referral Services.

• Dallas Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service: (214) 220-7444 State Bar of Texas, Certified Lawyer Referral Services. It helps Dallas County and Collin County residents find a lawyer to hire TexasLawHelp.org, Legal Help Directory (Dallas County, Child Protective Services).
• North Dallas Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service: (972) 980-0472. It helps Dallas residents find a lawyer to hire TexasLawHelp.org, Legal Help Directory (Dallas County, Child Protective Services).

Statewide numbers

• Emergency: DFPS says to call 9-1-1 Texas DFPS, Contact Us.
• Texas Abuse/Neglect Hotline: 1-800-252-5400, or report online at www.txabusehotline.org. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week Texas DFPS, Hotlines.
• DFPS Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA): (800) 720-7777, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Texas DFPS, Office of Consumer Affairs. The OCA handles complaints about specific cases that involve DFPS program policy. You can also use its online question and complaint form, or write to OCA/DFPS, PO Box 149030, MC: Y946, Austin TX 78714-9030 Texas DFPS, Office of Consumer Affairs.
• The OCA also does formal reviews when a CPS investigation concludes that a person abused or neglected a child Texas DFPS, Office of Consumer Affairs. See How to Ask for an ARIF (Administrative Review of CPS Findings) in Texas and CPS Investigation Findings in Texas: Reason to Believe, Ruled Out and More.
• The OCA does not review what courts or law enforcement do or order Texas DFPS, Office of Consumer Affairs.
• Texas Parent Helpline: 1-833-680-0611. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Texas DFPS, Hotlines.
• DFPS Records Management Group (to ask for a DFPS record): 1-877-764-7230. Open 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday Texas DFPS, Hotlines.

Guides that apply in Dallas County

• The Texas CPS Investigation Process, Step by Step (Family Code §§261.301–261.302)
• Your Rights When Texas CPS Contacts You (Family Code §261.307)
• CPS Investigation Findings in Texas: Reason to Believe, Ruled Out and More
• Family-Based Safety Services (FBSS) in Texas: What Families Should Know
• Court-Ordered Services in Texas CPS Cases (Family Code §264.203)
• CPS Drug Testing in Texas: What DFPS Policy Says
• Your Right to a Lawyer in a Texas CPS Case
• How to Get Your CPS Case Records in Texas

Information verified against official sources on 2026-10-02. Call ahead; hours and locations can change.