Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. The jail figures are from the Vera Institute of Justice's Incarceration Trends data. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site on September 23, 2026.
Gaines County, Texas, has about 23,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A DWI arrest in Gaines County starts two cases, a criminal case (in the County Court at Law, or the District Court when it is charged as a felony) and a license case before the Department of Public Safety, and leaves three records. This guide follows the arrest from the roadside to the court file and the driving record.
This guide covers the law, the arrest, booking, the court case, the license case, the records and common questions.
Related guides: Gaines County public records, Gaines County arrest records, Gaines County warrants, Gaines County criminal records, Gaines County court records, Texas arrest records and Texas inmate search.
The DWI Law in Texas
Drunk driving is charged as DWI in Texas, at a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or more.
Driving in Texas is consent to a breath or blood test when an officer has cause to suspect DWI; the license case that follows a refusal or a failed test is run by the Department of Public Safety, separately from the criminal case.
Texas sets no time limit on prior offenses: every earlier conviction counts toward a repeat charge.
Who Makes DWI Arrests in Gaines County
The Gaines County Sheriff's Office and the agencies that report for Seminole and Seagraves make the DWI arrests in Gaines County.
Together, the two agencies in Gaines County with all twelve months of 2024 on file reported 391 arrests to the FBI that year, all offenses together; the FBI's count for Gaines County does not break DWI out.
Booking After a DWI Arrest in Gaines County
A driver arrested for DWI and kept in custody goes to the county jail, whichever agency made the arrest. The jail, run by the Gaines County Sheriff's Office, held about 57 people on an average day so far in 2026 by the Vera Institute of Justice's count.
The Court Case
A DWI charge from Gaines County is brought by the District Attorney in the County Court at Law, or the District Court when it is charged as a felony.
The District Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at co.gaines.tx.us/page/gaines.District.Attorney, phone (432) 758-5411.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at co.gaines.tx.us/page/gaines.dockets.
Texas has no single public index of every trial court case; each court's records are looked up through that court.
The License Case
The court case is only half the record. The Department of Public Safety runs a separate administrative case over the license, which can suspend it before the criminal case is decided, and the Texas Department of Public Safety keeps the driving record the conviction goes on.
The Records a DWI Leaves
- The arrest report: from the agency that made the arrest, under the Texas Public Information Act.
- The court file: from the County Court at Law, or the District Court when it is charged as a felony, kept by the District Clerk for district court cases and the County Clerk for county court cases.
- The driving record: from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
More on each: Gaines County arrest records, Gaines County police reports and Gaines County court records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DWI limit in Texas?
0.08 percent blood alcohol.
Where is a DWI case from Gaines County heard?
In the County Court at Law, or the District Court when it is charged as a felony, brought by the District Attorney. The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at co.gaines.tx.us/page/gaines.dockets.
Where is a person arrested for DWI in Gaines County held?
At the county jail, run by the Gaines County Sheriff's Office, if kept in custody.
Who handles the license after a DWI arrest in Texas?
The Department of Public Safety, in an administrative case separate from the court case.
How long does a DWI count as a prior in Texas?
There is no time limit; every prior conviction counts.
Is this the official Gaines County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.