How do I find someone in the Dallas County jail?
Use the county's official inmate lookup at dallascounty.org — it searches by name, date of birth, and booking number and is available around the clock.
- Inmate search
- dallascounty.org/jaillookup — search by full legal name, date of birth, and/or booking number
- Case/court search
- courtsportal.dallascounty.org/DALLASPROD — free public access, no registration required
- By phone
- Inmate Information Line (214) 761-9025 — 24 hours a day
You'll usually need the person's full legal name and date of birth. The lookup shows charges, bond amount (once set), and current custody status. If a booking is very recent, allow a few hours for it to appear in the system. Not sure which county booked them? Our guide to all 9 county inmate searches links every DFW lookup in one place.
Where is the Dallas County jail and what happens after booking?
Full Dallas County Jail visitor guide — inmate search, visitation, money & bond →
Lew Sterrett Justice Center is a three-tower campus in downtown Dallas and one of the seven largest jail systems in the United States, with an average daily population over 6,000.
- Facility
- Lew Sterrett Justice Center (North Tower, West Tower, Suzanne Lee Kays Facility)
- Address
- 111 West Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75202
- Inmate Info (24/7)
- (214) 761-9025
- Sheriff's Office
- Dallas County Sheriff's Dept. · (214) 749-8641
| Tower | Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| North Tower | 3,292 | Built 1993; maximum security |
| West Tower | 1,530 | Mental health housing; multiple classifications |
| Suzanne Lee Kays Facility | 2,304 | First direct-supervision facility in the complex |
- Arrest & bookingThe person is booked at Lew Sterrett; property is logged and held. Garland jail holds Class B and higher charges locally before transferring to Dallas County once the case is filed.
- MagistrationMagistrates are on-site 24/7 at both Lew Sterrett and the Frank Crowley Courts Building. They review charges, advise the defendant of rights, and set a bond in writing — required under the Damon Allen Act (SB 6, 2021) for certain offenses.
- Bond postedOnce a bond amount is set, anyone can post it at the 24/7 bond desk at Lew Sterrett.
- ReleaseThe defendant is released from the Lew Sterrett facility after the bond clears. Bond refunds are processed by the County Clerk (misdemeanor) or District Clerk (felony), not the Sheriff's Office.
How does visitation work at the Dallas County jail?
Dallas County offers both in-person visits (scheduled by last name) and video visits through Smart Communications. Book video visits at least 72 hours ahead — and note that video visitation is closed every Wednesday.
Video visitation — Smart Communications
- Platform
- smartinmate.com (Smart Communications)
- Advance booking
- At least 72 hours before your visit; approvals typically within 72 hours
- Hours
- Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun — 8:00 AM to 8:30 PM · Closed Wednesdays
- Duration
- 20 minutes per session; unlimited off-site visits per week
- Requirements
- Must be at least 17; valid government-issued photo ID required
In-person visitation
- A–L last names
- Mondays & Thursdays, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (no entry after 8:30 PM)
- M–Z last names
- Tuesdays & Fridays, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (no entry after 8:30 PM)
- All inmates
- Saturdays & Sundays, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM (no entry after 1:30 PM)
- Limits
- Max 2 visits per calendar week per inmate; 20 min per visit; max 4 persons (no more than 2 adults + 2 minors)
- ID
- Valid government-issued photo ID required for anyone 18+
Dress code & rules
- Conservative dress required. Prohibited: revealing shorts, sundresses, halter tops, open-toed shoes, see-through garments, low-cut clothing, sleeveless shirts, khaki/green/military-style clothing.
- Sign-up begins 30 minutes before the visitation start time.
- Out-of-town visitors from 75+ miles away receive one 40-minute visit, then standard 20 minutes on subsequent visits.
- Prohibited items: cell phones, cameras, tobacco, electronic devices, bags, purses, weapons, outside food or drinks.
How do I put money on an inmate's books in Dallas County?
Dallas County uses Access Corrections for trust account deposits and Access Securepak (dallascountypackages.com) for commissary packages. No personal checks, money orders, or payroll checks have been accepted since February 14, 2022.
| Method | How | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Online | accesscorrections.com | As low as $2.95 |
| Phone | (866) 345-1884 — bilingual agents | As low as $3.95 |
| Kiosk | Located at each Lew Sterrett facility | Varies |
| Retail cash | CashPayToday.com — Dollar General, Kroger, CVS, etc. | $5.00 flat |
| Commissary packages | dallascountypackages.com (SecurePak) · (800) 546-6283 | Varies by package |
You'll need the inmate's full legal name and booking number for all deposit methods. Inmate phone call accounts are managed separately — contact the jail or smart communications platform for phone account setup.
What are the mail rules for Dallas County jail?
Standard inmate mail goes to a processing center in Seminole, Florida — not directly to the jail. Legal mail has its own separate address.
- Standard mail address
- [Inmate Full Name] #[Booking Number]
c/o Mail Processing Center
PO Box 9226
Seminole, FL 33775-9226 - Legal / attorney mail
- PO Box 660334, Dallas, TX 75266 — or via Smart Communications at smartinmate.com. Legal mail is opened in the inmate's presence.
Prohibited items in mail: Writing materials (stamps, pens, paper, envelopes), glue, staples, tape, two-sided letters, unsigned greeting cards, cards larger than 8"×10", photos larger than 8"×10", Polaroid photos, obscene or violent material, profanity on envelopes, tobacco, clothing, jewelry, books not from publishers or bookstores, items with glued surfaces.
How do I bond someone out of the Dallas County jail?
The bond desk at Lew Sterrett is open 24/7. New to bail? Start with our plain-English guide to how bail works in Texas, then come back for the Dallas-specific details.
| Bond type | Cost | Refundable? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | Full bond amount | Yes, after the case ends if the defendant appeared | Paid at the bond desk at Lew Sterrett; refund via County/District Clerk |
| Surety (bondsman) | Non-refundable fee | No | Must be licensed through the Dallas County Bail Bond Board |
| Pretrial release | $20 or 3% of bond, whichever is greater | No | For DFW residents on Class A/B misdemeanors and some felonies; Pretrial Services interview required |
- Bond desk
- Lew Sterrett Justice Center, 111 West Commerce Street, Dallas — open 24 hours
- Accepted
- Cash, cashier's checks (local DFW banks only), money orders (local DFW banks only). No debit cards, credit cards, CashApp, or Venmo.
- Bring
- Valid photo ID; proof of purchase for cashier's checks or money orders
- Bond administration
- (214) 653-2755
- Bondsmen
- Must be licensed through the Dallas County Bail Bond Board. Verify any company through the board before paying.
Where are the Dallas County courts and how do I find my court date?
All criminal cases go to the Frank Crowley Courts Building in downtown Dallas. Felonies are heard in 7 Criminal District Courts; misdemeanors in 11 County Criminal Courts at Law. One unified portal handles both.
- Courthouse
- Frank Crowley Courts Building, 133 N. Riverfront Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75207
- Felony courts
- 7 Criminal District Courts (floors 5–7) · District Clerk Criminal Section (214) 712-3088 · Felony Records Desk (214) 653-5950
- Misdemeanor courts
- 11 County Criminal Courts at Law (floors 3–4) · County Clerk (214) 653-7099
- JP courts
- 10 courts across 5 precincts — Class C, small claims; find your precinct
- Find your setting
- courtsportal.dallascounty.org/DALLASPROD — felony records back to 1975; documents for most cases filed after 2009
- Records email
- DCRecordsCriminal@dallascounty.org (felony) · clerk hours Mon–Fri 8 AM – 4:30 PM
To find a court date, open the Courts Portal, search by defendant name or cause number, and check the court setting tab. If you can't find your case, call the District Clerk (felony) or County Clerk (misdemeanor) with the cause number during business hours. For courts in the other DFW counties, see our full DFW court directory.
Worried about a warrant?
Missing a court date or an unpaid fine can trigger a bench warrant.
Checking for and clearing a warrant in Dallas County — bench, traffic, capias, or failure-to-appear — is covered in depth by our sister site. Don't walk into a court or jail with an active warrant before you understand your options.
City courts & jails in Dallas County
Class C tickets and city-ordinance cases are handled by each city's municipal court. Most cities transfer Class A/B misdemeanor and felony arrestees to Lew Sterrett.
All Dallas County city pages — municipal court, city jail, ticket payment & how to find someone in custody:
Addison · Balch Springs · Carrollton · Cedar Hill · Coppell · Dallas · DeSoto · Duncanville · Farmers Branch · Garland · Grand Prairie · Irving · Lancaster · Mesquite · Richardson · Rowlett · Sachse · Seagoville · Sunnyvale
"Which county am I in?" — the Grand Prairie trap
Some Dallas County cities cross a county line, which determines which jail and court you deal with.
Grand Prairie spans Dallas, Tarrant, and Ellis counties. Where your loved one ends up after arrest depends entirely on which part of Grand Prairie the arrest occurred:
- Dallas County portion → Lew Sterrett Justice Center, 111 W. Commerce St., Dallas
- Tarrant County portion → Tarrant County Jail, Fort Worth
- Ellis County portion → Ellis County Jail, Waxahachie
If you can't find someone in the Dallas County lookup, also check Tarrant County. If Grand Prairie bond has been set but the person hasn't transferred yet, call Dallas County at (214) 761-9025 or Tarrant County jail to confirm location.
Richardson also spans Dallas and Collin counties — arrest location determines which county jail receives the transfer. If you can't find someone in the Dallas lookup, check Collin County.
What to bring to court (and how to act)
- Bring: a photo ID, your citation or paperwork, any court notice, and proof of anything the court asked for (insurance, classes, payment).
- Dress: business casual — no hats, tank tops, shorts, or offensive graphics. Phones silenced.
- Arrive early: security, parking, and elevators at Frank Crowley take time; being late can mean a warrant or a reset.
- Don't guess: if you're unsure what a setting means (arraignment, plea, pretrial, examining trial), ask the court coordinator or talk to a lawyer first.
Quick glossary
- Magistration
- The first appearance before a magistrate after arrest, where you're read your rights and bond is set. Dallas has magistrates on-site 24/7 at both Lew Sterrett and Frank Crowley.
- Damon Allen Act (SB 6)
- A 2021 Texas law requiring magistrates to review a defendant's full criminal history before setting bond on certain offenses and document their reasoning in writing.
- Surety bond
- A bond posted by a licensed bondsman for a non-refundable fee, instead of paying the full amount in cash. In Dallas County, bondsmen must be licensed through the Dallas County Bail Bond Board.
- Pretrial release
- A low-cost bond alternative managed by Dallas County Pretrial Services — typically $20 or 3% of the bond, whichever is greater, for eligible DFW residents.
- Commissary
- The jail store; "money on the books" funds an inmate's account for snacks, hygiene, and phone time. Dallas County uses Access Corrections for deposits and dallascountypackages.com for packages.
- Booking number
- The unique ID assigned to a person when they're booked into Lew Sterrett — needed for deposits, mail, and lookup searches.
For more terms, see our complete jail, bond & court glossary.
Dallas County jail & court FAQ
How do I find out if someone is in the Dallas County jail?
Use the official inmate lookup at dallascounty.org/jaillookup — search by full legal name, date of birth, and/or booking number. If it's down or the arrest is very recent, call the 24-hour inmate information line at (214) 761-9025.
How fast can someone bond out of Lew Sterrett?
A magistrate must see the defendant within 48 hours of arrest (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 15.17). Dallas has 24/7 magistrates, so the bond amount is typically set faster. Once set, you can post the bond any time at the 24-hour bond desk. Actual release timing depends on how busy the jail is.
How do I put money on the books with a credit card?
You can deposit online at accesscorrections.com (fee as low as $2.95) or by phone at (866) 345-1884 (fee as low as $3.95). The jail itself does not accept personal checks, money orders, payroll checks, or similar instruments since February 14, 2022.
Do I need to book video visits in advance?
Yes — video visits through Smart Communications at smartinmate.com must be booked at least 72 hours in advance. The system is closed on Wednesdays. You must be at least 17 with a valid government-issued photo ID. In-person visits require no advance booking but follow a last-name schedule and sign-up begins 30 minutes before the session.
Does Dallas County have a published bail schedule?
Dallas County does not appear to publish a fixed public bail schedule. A magistrate sets each bond individually based on the offense, criminal history, flight risk, and community ties, as required by the Damon Allen Act. The bond amount appears in the inmate lookup once it's set.
Grand Prairie — which county jail?
Grand Prairie spans three counties. If arrested in the Dallas County portion, the person goes to Lew Sterrett. If arrested in the Tarrant County portion, they go to the Tarrant County Jail in Fort Worth. If arrested in the Ellis County portion, they go to the Ellis County Jail in Waxahachie. Call (214) 761-9025 (Dallas) or Tarrant County jail if you're not sure which one.
How do I send a letter to someone at Lew Sterrett?
Mail goes through a processing center — address it to: [Inmate Full Name] #[Booking Number], c/o Mail Processing Center, PO Box 9226, Seminole, FL 33775-9226. Do not send it to 111 W. Commerce St. Legal mail goes to PO Box 660334, Dallas, TX 75266. No stamps, pens, greeting cards, or photos on glossy paper.
Have a different question? See more DFW jail, bond & court FAQs.
Talk to a Dallas County defense lawyer
If you or a loved one is facing charges in Dallas or anywhere in Dallas County, L&L Law Group can review the case — free and confidential.