What to Expect When in Tarrant County Criminal Courts
If you have been arrested for a felony or a non-traffic misdemeanor offense, your case will be heard in one of the criminal courts in downtown Fort Worth. All Tarrant County criminal courts at the County and District levels are located inside the Tim Curry Justice Center at 401 W. Belknap Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76102.
Tarrant County Misdemeanor Courts (2025)
The following County Criminal Courts handle misdemeanor cases in Tarrant County:
County Criminal Court Number One (CCC1)
Judge David Cook
5th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-1337
County Criminal Court Number Two (CCC2)
Judge Carey F. Walker
6th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-1338
County Criminal Court Number Three (CCC3)
Judge Bob McCoy
7th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-1374
County Criminal Court Number Four (CCC4)
Judge Deborah Nekhom
5th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-1426
County Criminal Court Number Five (CCC5)
Judge Bradley L. Clark
8th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-2726
County Criminal Court Number Six (CCC6)
Judge Randi Hartin
8th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-2745
County Criminal Court Number Seven (CCC7)
Judge Eric Starnes
7th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-2773
County Criminal Court Number Eight (CCC8)
Judge Charles “Chuck” Vanover
7th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-3400
County Criminal Court Number Nine (CCC9)
Judge Brian Bolton
8th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-3410
County Criminal Court Number Ten (CCC10)
Judge Trent Loftin
6th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-3420
Tarrant County Felony Courts (2025)
The following District Courts handle felony cases in Tarrant County:
Criminal District Court Number One (CDC1)
Judge Elizabeth H. Beach
5th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-1351
Criminal District Court Number Two (CDC2)
Judge William A. Knight
6th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-1347
Criminal District Court Number Three (CDC3)
Judge Douglas A. Allen
7th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-1356
Criminal District Court Number Four (CDC4)
Judge Andy Porter
8th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-1362
213th District Court
Judge Chris Wolfe
8th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-1529
297th District Court
Judge Amy Allin
5th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-1908
371st District Court
Judge Ryan Hill
6th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-2985
372nd District Court
Judge Julie Lugo
6th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-2990
396th District Court
Judge Vincent Giardino
7th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-2768
432nd District Court
Judge Ruben Gonzalez
6th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-884-2935
485th District Court
Judge Steven Jumes
8th Floor
Court Coordinator: 817-212-7143
What to Expect When You Go to Criminal Court
Going to court for the first time can be nerve-wracking. Taking a few minutes to familiarize yourself with what to expect will help you feel more at ease when your court date arrives.
If you have never been to court on a criminal case before, you might imagine that a court setting means you will be in front of a judge with the State calling witnesses against you, possibly even having a trial. Generally, a case will have several settings before it reaches trial. This section will help set expectations for what happens during your first court appearance.
What Time Should I Be in Court?
The last thing you want to do is get off to a bad start with your judge. Be aware that it may be difficult to find parking near the courthouse. The time on your court notice is when you are expected to be present in the courtroom, not parking or walking into the courthouse.
Plan to arrive at least thirty minutes before your scheduled court time. This ensures that even if you encounter traffic, delays getting through security, or elevator issues, you will still arrive on time.
What Happens When I Get to My Courtroom?
When you arrive outside your assigned courtroom, go inside and check in with the bailiff if the courtroom is unlocked. If you arrive early, the courtroom will likely be closed and you will need to wait outside. Once you are allowed into the courtroom, the bailiffs will give you instructions on whether you should check in with them or have a seat and wait for the judge to formally call the docket.
Docket call is the court taking attendance to ensure all defendants scheduled to be there are present. When the bailiff or judge calls the docket, be sure to answer out loud. You want to make sure the court knows you are present; otherwise, a warrant can be issued for your arrest.
The average docket can last two to three hours, depending on the volume of cases set. Much of your time in court may be spent waiting. When your attorney arrives, he or she will speak to the prosecutor on your behalf. There are generally two to four prosecutors and 50 to 100 defense attorneys waiting to speak to them. Attorneys must appear in any felony courts first, then make any misdemeanor appearances they have.
The discussion will include the circumstances and evidence in your case, the likelihood of a plea offer, and any special issues such as eligibility for a diversion program. Many of these discussions also take place before court. Once your attorney has assessed the State’s position on your case, he or she will discuss your options.
You will have three options for how to proceed with your case:
- Accept the plea offer being extended to you
- Reject the offer and move toward a trial
- Ask for another court date so that either side can gather more information
The number of times a case can be rescheduled depends on the reason for the reset and the individual judge’s discretion regarding how quickly they expect cases to be resolved.
Being informed and having realistic expectations will help make the process of handling your case less stressful. If you arrive on time, are prepared to be patient, and maintain good communication with your attorney, you will have taken significant steps toward having a productive day in court.
Need Legal Representation?
If you have been arrested for a criminal offense in Tarrant County and need a criminal defense attorney, call Varghese Summersett at (817) 203-2220.
