Subpoenas

The Department of Public Safety (“Department”) does not have a single custodian for all records it maintains.  The Department maintains a wide variety of records in multiple divisions and all records related to a single person may not be stored in a single location.

The Department is no longer the custodian for Crash Records. This function was transferred from DPS to the Texas Department of Transportation (“TXDOT”) on October 1, 2007, pursuant to S.B. 766 from the 80th Legislative Session.

You may contact TXDOT directly at (512) 486-5780 about locating the crash records.

TXDOT will likely only have the Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report, but only if the investigating law enforcement agency forwarded a copy to DPS or TXDOT.

With regard to crashes investigated by DPS officers, accident investigation information (witness statements, measurements, photos, videos, etc.) is maintained in the office of the trooper who investigated the accident and not the Office of General Counsel.

The trooper is typically the custodian of documents such as the witness statements, measurements and the field notes.  The identity of the investigating officer usually may be found on the crash report. The trooper’s sergeant is the custodian of photographs and negatives.  Therefore, subpoenas and depositions upon written questions for this kind of material should be directed to the individual trooper and/or the sergeant. 

If you will direct a subpoena to a specific section of the Department from which you wish to obtain information, this will expedite the process since the Department personnel with responsibility for the records at issue will respond directly to said subpoena.

For your information you may direct inquires for Department records as follows:

 

For Copy of Driver Records
Texas Department of Public Safety
Driver Records Bureau
ATTN:  Louisa Cruz
P.O. Box 4087
Austin, Texas  78773-0360
(512) 424-2006

For Copy of Accident Investigation
Texas Department of Public Safety
Texas Highway Patrol
ATTN:  (Trooper’s Name)
Street Address
City, State & Zip Code
(512) 424-2006

 

For Driver License Suspensions & Revocation
Texas Department of Public Safety
Driver Improvement Bureau
ATTN:  Sherrie Zgabay
5805 N. Lamar Blvd., Bldg. A
Austin, Texas  78752-0320
(512) 424-5727

For Copy of Accounting & Payroll Records
Texas Department of Public Safety
Accounting Department
ATTN:  Oscar Ybarra
5805 N. Lamar Blvd., Bldg. A
Austin, Texas  78752-0130
(512) 424-2061

 

For Copy of Criminal History
Texas Department of Public Safety
Crime Records Service
ATTN:  Don Farris, Jr.
5805 N. Lamar Blvd., Bldg. G
Austin, Texas  78752-4143
(512) 424-2078

For Copy of Personnel Files
Texas Department of Public Safety
Human Resources Department
ATTN:  Norma Cortez
5805 N. Lamar Blvd., Bldg. C
Austin, Texas  78752-0251
(512) 424-5900

 

For Copy of Crime Lab Information
Texas Department of Public Safety
Crime Lab
ATTN:  (Supervising Forensic Scientist)
Street Address 
City, State & Zip Code

For Copy of Texas Ranger Reports & Investigations
Texas Department of Public Safety
Texas Rangers
ATTN:  (Ranger’s Name)
Street Address
City, State & Zip Code

 

For Copy of Vehicle Inspection Records
Texas Department of Public Safety
Vehicle Inspection Bureau
ATTN:  Robert Emerson
5805 N Lamar Blvd, Bldg G1
Austin, Texas 78752-0542
(512) 424-2653

For Copy of License & Weight Records
Texas Department of Public Safety
Motor Carrier Bureau
ATTN:  Captain Steven J. Rundell
6200 Guadalupe, Bldg. P
Austin, Texas 78752-0520
(512) 424-2053

 

For Copy of DPS Dispatch Tapes and 911 Tapes
Texas Department of Public Safety
Communications Service
ATTN:  (Regional Supervisor)
Street Address 
City, State & Zip Code

For Copy of Training Materials
Texas Department of Public Safety
Training Academy
ATTN:  Captain Jason Hester
5805 N Lamar Blvd, Bldg C
Austin, TX 78752-0252
(512) 424-5784

 

The investigative files for each ranger are maintained in the office of the ranger who conducted the investigation.  Therefore, subpoenas and depositions upon written questions for the investigative files should be directed to the individual ranger.

You can also obtain the criminal history record information online through the Crime Records Service.

You can also obtain a certified copy of the following by mail: 

  1. Certified Abstract of an Operating Record (list of each reported motor vehicle moving violation that resulted in a traffic law conviction and each motor vehicle accident in which the person received a citation within the last three years); and
  2. Other available records. 

To obtain the available records by mail, please complete the application forms which can be found online at http://www.texas.gov.


**Please note that the above listings show the departments that regularly receive subpoenas and depositions upon written questions.  If there are other areas from which you require records, or if you have any further questions, please feel free to contact our office at (512) 424-2890.