Search Dallam County Divorce Records
Dallam County divorce records are filed with the District Clerk in Dalhart, the county seat. Dalhart sits at the very top of the Texas Panhandle, making Dallam the northernmost county in the state. If you need to find a divorce case or get a certified copy of a decree filed in this county, the District Clerk is your starting point. The office handles all district court records and can search by name or cause number. Records go back many years, and older files may require extra time to retrieve.
Dallam County Overview
Dallam County District Clerk
The District Clerk's office in Dalhart keeps all divorce case records for Dallam County. The clerk handles new filings, stores documents, and processes copy requests. Staff can search by the name of either spouse or by the cause number. Certified copies of the Final Decree of Divorce are available from this office.
The county website at dallam.org provides county department contacts and an email directory for county officials. The site posts commissioners' court agendas before each Monday meeting. It also has transparency documents and subdivision regulations. To find the District Clerk's contact info, look under the Departments section or use the email listings on the site.
Dallam County is in the 69th Judicial District. The county borders New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north, making it the corner county of the Texas Panhandle. The county seat, Dalhart, is also partly in Hartley County, but the Dallam County courthouse is in Dalhart as well.
| Office | Dallam County District Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address |
Dallam County Courthouse Dalhart, TX 79022 |
| Judicial District | 69th Judicial District |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Website | dallam.org |
How to Find Dallam County Divorce Records
Call the District Clerk's office in Dalhart or visit in person to search for a specific divorce case. Have the full name of at least one party ready. The year of filing helps narrow things down. If you have a cause number, the lookup is instant. Staff can make plain copies or certified copies for you at the time of your visit.
The statewide re:SearchTX portal is worth trying first for recent cases. It pulls records from courts across Texas. Smaller panhandle counties may have limited coverage on the system, so if you do not get a result, call the clerk directly. For cases from several decades ago, physical records may need to be retrieved from off-site storage.
The Dallam County website offers county office information and email contacts for departments.
The county website at dallam.org lists departments and contacts, including the path to reach the District Clerk for divorce record requests.
For a statewide divorce verification, the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section keeps an index from 1968 onward at dshs.texas.gov/vital-statistics/marriage-divorce-verification. That confirms basic facts but does not provide the actual decree. For a full certified copy, contact the District Clerk in Dalhart.
Filing for Divorce in Dallam County
The residency requirement under Texas Family Code Section 6.301 requires that one spouse have lived in Texas for six months and in Dallam County for at least 90 days before filing. If you moved to the county recently and have not been there 90 days, you may need to wait or file in a county where you lived longer.
Texas no-fault divorce under Texas Family Code Section 6.001 is the most common type. Insupportability means the marriage has broken down beyond repair due to conflict. You do not have to prove the other spouse did anything wrong. If fault is relevant, Texas also allows divorce based on cruelty, adultery, felony conviction, abandonment, living apart for three or more years, or mental hospital confinement for at least three years.
Once you file the Original Petition for Divorce, the other spouse gets served. A 60-day waiting period then applies under Texas Family Code Section 6.702. No divorce can be finalized until those 60 days pass. If your case is uncontested and straightforward, you can finalize shortly after the 60 days. Contested cases take longer and may involve hearings before the judge.
Property division in a Dallam County divorce follows community property principles under Texas Family Code Chapter 7. The court divides marital property in a way it considers just and right. Separate property, meaning what you owned before marriage or received as a gift or inheritance, is not divided. Keeping separate property documented helps prove what is yours.
Note: If you qualify by income, a fee waiver is available under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 145. Ask the District Clerk for the Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs form.
What Is in a Dallam County Divorce Record
A Dallam County divorce case file at the District Clerk's office contains all documents submitted during the case. The Original Petition for Divorce opens the file. Subsequent documents include proof of service, the other party's response if filed, any agreed orders, financial affidavits, and the Final Decree of Divorce. If the case involved children, parenting plans and child support orders are also in the file.
The Final Decree of Divorce is the document most people need. It ends the marriage and states the court's orders on everything: property and debt division, child conservatorship, possession schedule, child support, and spousal maintenance if any was granted. A name change, if part of the decree, is stated there too. Certified copies of the decree are needed for name changes, proving marital status, or enforcing court orders.
Most records in a divorce file are public. Some attached financial exhibits may be sealed. Records involving minor children can have access restrictions in some cases. The clerk will tell you what is available without a special request and what needs a court order to release. Current copy fees can vary, so confirm the price before you request copies.
Legal Help in Dallam County
The State Bar of Texas referral service can connect you with a family law attorney at (800) 252-9690 or at texasbar.com. Attorneys in Amarillo and other Panhandle cities often take cases in smaller surrounding counties. Many will offer a first meeting at low cost.
Free resources include TexasLawHelp at texaslawhelp.org, which has guides and court forms for divorce cases in Texas. Official Supreme Court approved divorce forms are also at txcourts.gov/rules-forms. These forms are designed for self-represented filers. Lone Star Legal Aid serves parts of the Panhandle for people who qualify by income.
Note: The Dallam County website maintains an email directory for county departments at dallam.org, which is useful if you need to contact the District Clerk's office before visiting Dalhart in person.
Cities in Dallam County
Dalhart is the county seat and the main city in Dallam County. It also serves as a business hub for the surrounding Texas and New Mexico Panhandle region. All divorce filings and records requests for Dallam County go through the courthouse in Dalhart.
Texline is a small community near the New Mexico border, also in Dallam County. It does not have its own court. All district court matters, including divorce, are handled in Dalhart at the Dallam County Courthouse.
Nearby Counties
Dallam County is at the northwest corner of Texas. These are the counties that border it in the Panhandle region.