Dallas County Family Law Courts: A Complete Guide to All 14 District Courts

Dallas County Family Law Courts: Overview

Dallas County has 14 family law district courts, making it one of the largest family court systems in Texas. For family law attorneys practicing in the Dallas area — including those based in Plano, Richardson, Garland, Irving, and surrounding cities — understanding the differences between these courts is essential for efficient practice.

All Dallas County family law cases are filed at the George Allen Sr. Courts Building at 600 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75202. Cases are randomly assigned to one of the 14 family district courts at the time of filing.

The 14 Dallas County Family Law District Courts

255th Judicial District Court

Family law jurisdiction. Cases in the 255th JDC are captioned "In the 255th Judicial District Court, Dallas County, Texas." The court handles divorce, custody, child support, enforcement, and modification matters.

256th Judicial District Court

Family law jurisdiction. Caption format: "In the 256th Judicial District Court, Dallas County, Texas."

257th Judicial District Court

Family law jurisdiction. Caption format: "In the 257th Judicial District Court, Dallas County, Texas."

301st Judicial District Court

One of the busiest family law courts in Dallas County. The 301st JDC handles a high volume of enforcement and modification matters. Caption: "In the 301st Judicial District Court, Dallas County, Texas."

302nd Judicial District Court

Family law jurisdiction. Caption: "In the 302nd Judicial District Court, Dallas County, Texas."

303rd Judicial District Court

Family law jurisdiction. Caption: "In the 303rd Judicial District Court, Dallas County, Texas."

304th Judicial District Court

Family law jurisdiction. Caption: "In the 304th Judicial District Court, Dallas County, Texas."

305th Judicial District Court

Family law jurisdiction. Caption: "In the 305th Judicial District Court, Dallas County, Texas."

306th Judicial District Court

Family law jurisdiction. Caption: "In the 306th Judicial District Court, Dallas County, Texas."

308th Judicial District Court

Family law jurisdiction. Caption: "In the 308th Judicial District Court, Dallas County, Texas."

309th Judicial District Court

Family law jurisdiction. Caption: "In the 309th Judicial District Court, Dallas County, Texas."

330th Judicial District Court

Family law jurisdiction. Caption: "In the 330th Judicial District Court, Dallas County, Texas."

199th Judicial District Court

Family law jurisdiction. Caption: "In the 199th Judicial District Court, Dallas County, Texas."

Dallas County Caption Format for Enforcement Motions

Every motion filed in a Dallas County family law district court must use the correct caption format. For an enforcement motion, the caption should appear as follows:

Note the Dallas County cause number format: DC followed by the two-digit year and a five-digit case number (e.g., DC-23-12345). Using the wrong cause number format is a common clerk rejection reason.

NOTICE OF SENSITIVE DATA — Required for All Dallas County Family Filings

Pursuant to Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 9.2, any filing involving a child must prominently include the NOTICE OF SENSITIVE DATA header. Dallas County clerks enforce this requirement strictly. The notice must appear before the body of the motion.

Certificate of Conference in Dallas County

Dallas County family law judges expect a compliant Certificate of Conference on enforcement motions. The certificate should state that you conferred or made a good-faith attempt to confer with opposing counsel before filing, and describe the result of that conference or explain why conference was not possible.

eFileTexas in Dallas County

All Dallas County district court filings are submitted through eFileTexas. Accepted file formats include text-searchable PDF (required) and Word documents in some limited circumstances. Always submit motions as text-searchable PDFs meeting JCIT Technology Standards.