Are Criminal Records in Collin County Publicly Accessible?

Yes, most criminal records in Collin County are publicly accessible. The Texas Public Information Act allows the general public to view and get copies of such records from designated public entities. The entities are legally required to release criminal records upon requests from interested parties. In turn, requesters must fulfill the agency's requirements for obtaining the records. Requirements may include information about the criminal record and proof of identification documents.

However, public entities have the right to redact or refuse access to records that violate the safety and privacy of concerned parties. Examples of non-public Collin County criminal records include the following:

• Information that is exempt from public view under state or federal statutes.
• Criminal information that is sealed or exempt due to a court order.
• Identification of witnesses or whistleblowers in a criminal investigation.
• Crime-related information shared between a defendant and their legal representative.
• Criminal data whose disclosure may interfere with a crime investigation and prosecution.

Who is Eligible to Access Collin County Criminal Records in Texas?

Generally, all persons and entities have the legal right to access most criminal records in Collin County. The state law does not restrict public record access based on the requester's location. Nevertheless, the law prevents public access to certain criminal records whose disclosure is not in the public's interest. Such records typically contain sensitive information and are only accessible to the following persons or entities:

• The record subject
• The record subject's legal representatives.
• Some local, state, and federal entities, such as criminal justice agencies and judicial entities.
• Persons directly affected by the criminal incident. This may include crime victims.
• Third-party requesters that have the record subject's written consent or authorization.
• Third-party requesters with a court order that empowers them to access the record.

Note: Legally eligible requesters are generally required to provide proof of identification when requesting confidential criminal records

How to Request Criminal Records in Collin County

Interested parties may request Collin County criminal records through these steps:

1. Find the agency in charge of maintaining the record
   Collin County criminal records are under the purview of local and state-level agencies. At the local level, the district clerk's office provides information on criminal cases filed in the county. However, the Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS) maintains a statewide access to criminal records.
2. Choose a preferred option for accessing the record
   The district clerk’s office allows online searches, mail-in, and in-person requests for criminal records. On the other hand, the TxDPS allows name- and fingerprint-based checks for records.
3. Order Collin County criminal records through the preferred request option.
   The district clerk’s online search platform allows online viewing of criminal records. Applicants must provide the case party’s name and number to use the platform. For mail-in or walk-in orders, applicants must send a completed request form and the required fees to the district clerk at:

Physical address
2100 Bloomdale Road
Suite 12132
McKinney, TX 75071
Phone: (972) 548-4106

Mail address
P.O. Box 578
McKinney, TX 75070
Email: dcrecords@co.collin.tx.us.

In contrast, applicants may access Collin County criminal records via the TxDPS’s criminal history conviction search portal. The agency also provides fingerprint-based searches for criminal records through a third-party vendor. To use this option, applicants must visit the nearest vendor location.

Pay the required fees.

Collin County district clerk’s office charges $1 for the first ten pages, while it costs $0.1 per page for orders above 10 pages. Mail-based payments must be in the form of money orders or checks made payable to the Collin County district clerk.

The district clerk may take up to ten business days to process email-based requests. In contrast, online searches and walk-in orders are usually instantaneous or processed within 24 hours.

Applicants may also look up Collin County criminal records through third-party search platforms like Texascourtrecords.us. These sites are generally easy to navigate and do not restrict out-of-state or country users from accessing the records. However, third-party sites operate outside government jurisdiction and, as such, are not reliable sources for finding criminal information.

What Information is Contained in Collin County Criminal Records?

Collin County criminal records may include the following information:

• The record subject’s personal data, including full name, gender, birth date, mugshot, and ethnicity.
• Arrest information, including the charges and booking date.
• Record subject’s complete set of fingerprints
• Criminal offense name and classification.
• Court disposition and conviction

Publicly available criminal records may not contain sensitive information, such as juvenile criminal data and crime victims’ identities.

Are There Restrictions on Accessing Criminal Records in Collin County?

Texas state laws generally place restrictions on criminal records that are classified as confidential under statutes or judicial orders. The law may also restrict public access to records whose disclosure will endanger the privacy and safety of concerned parties. For example, identities of crime victims or complainants are redacted to protect them from negative implications.

However, certain persons or entities are legally eligible to access restricted or limited criminal records in Collin County, Florida. These eligible parties may include the record subject, criminal justice agencies, courts, and entities like the state’s Department of Licensing and Regulation and the Medical Board.

What Happens if My Request for Criminal Records is Denied in Collin County?

If a public agency denies your request for Collin County criminal records, you must file a complaint with the Texas Office of the Attorney General’s Open Records Division (ORD) at:

1801 Congress Avenue
P.O. Box 12548
Austin, TX 78711

The complaint must contain a copy of the request form, the agency’s response, and other documents to support your case. Next, the ORD will review the case and determine whether to release the record or support the agency’s decision.

Record custodian agencies may deny requests for criminal records if:

• The request is ambiguous or does not contain enough search information.
• The record is sealed or exempt due to statutory reasons.
• The request record is no longer in the custody of the agency.

How to Expunge or Seal Collin County Criminal Records

In Collin County, you may expunge or seal criminal records by petitioning a local court of competent jurisdiction. The petition must contain:

• The petitioner’s personal information and physical-identifying features.
• The petitioner’s physical features, such as sex, height, and weight.
• Criminal charges
• Court information, including the trial court’s name and case number
• Names and contact information of all public and private entities that have access to the criminal information.
• A statement declaring a request for relief.

The court may approve the petition if the petitioner meets the following criteria:

• You were arrested but not convicted, and there was no court-ordered supervision.
• You were tried and later acquitted by the trial court.
• You were convicted of an offense committed before September 1, 2021, under Section 46.02 (a).
• You have not previously received an expungement for criminal records.
• The statutes of limitation on the alleged crime have elapsed.

Note: Offenders may expunge criminal records after the specific waiting period for the specific crime. For example, offenders are eligible to expunge felony convictions by waiting for three years after the arrest date.