Terrell County lies along the Rio Grande between Del Rio and the Big Bend, and Sanderson, an unincorporated town, is the county seat where the courthouse on East Hackberry Street sits. Because the county has no incorporated cities, there is no municipal court; Class C cases go to the single justice of the peace, and the County Judge hears Class A and B misdemeanors in the constitutional county court. Felonies are tried in the 63rd District Court, whose judge is based in Del Rio and serves Val Verde County as well. The Terrell County Attorney prosecutes misdemeanors and the 63rd District Attorney, also in Del Rio, prosecutes felonies. The county jail is very small, so arrested adults are often held at another county's facility.
- Terrell County Courthouse (County Judge, County Court, County Attorney, District and County Clerk, 63rd District Court sessions), 105 E. Hackberry St., Sanderson, TX 79848, (432) 345-2421
- Terrell County Attorney (misdemeanors), Sanderson, (432) 345-2914
- 63rd District Attorney (felonies), Del Rio, (830) 775-0505
- 63rd District Court, judge's office at 100 E. Broadway, 2nd Floor, Del Rio, TX 78840, (830) 774-7523
- Terrell County District and County Clerk, Sanderson, (432) 345-2391
- Terrell County Sheriff's Office, Sanderson, (432) 345-2525
- Terrell County Jail, Sanderson (an eight-bed jail; the Sheriff confirms whether a prisoner is held here or elsewhere), (432) 345-2525
Which court hears your case. Class C misdemeanors, which carry only a fine (a speeding ticket on U.S. 90, public intoxication, theft under $100 or an assault with no injury), are filed in the Justice of the Peace court in Sanderson; with no incorporated town in the county, there is no municipal court. Class A and B misdemeanors, a first DWI among them, go to the Terrell County Court, presided over by the County Judge. A felony starts with magistrate warnings and a bail decision, then moves to the 63rd District Court once a Terrell County grand jury indicts.
Where pretrial inmates are held. The Sheriff runs the county's detention operations, but the Texas Commission on Jail Standards lists the Terrell County jail at only eight beds, and its January 2022 report showed no one housed there. In practice, people arrested in the county may be held for a short time locally and then moved to a larger jail under an agreement with another county. Call the Sheriff's Office at (432) 345-2525 to learn where a person is and how release works; cases are still heard in Sanderson.
- Local courts in Terrell County (justice of the peace, municipal and county courts)
- Misdemeanor (for example, theft, a first DWI, assault causing bodily injury, criminal trespass)
- Felony (for example, burglary, felony theft, drug possession or delivery, aggravated assault)
- Violent felony (for example, murder, sexual assault, aggravated robbery)
- Juveniles (under 17) arrested in Terrell County
- Federal cases (U.S. District Court) from Terrell County
Local courts in Terrell County (justice of the peace, municipal and county courts)
Terrell County is one of the least populated counties in Texas, and its local court system is correspondingly small: one justice of the peace and the County Court, both in Sanderson. The justice of the peace also serves as the usual magistrate, reading warnings to people arrested in the county and setting bond.
Justice of the Peace court
- Terrell County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1 (countywide), Sanderson, TX 79848, (432) 345-2341
Municipal courts
- None. Sanderson and Dryden are unincorporated, so every Class C citation written in the county, whether by a deputy, a state trooper or a game warden, is filed in the justice court.
County court
- Terrell County Court (constitutional county court; Class A and B misdemeanors and appeals from the justice court), Terrell County Courthouse, 105 E. Hackberry St., Sanderson, TX 79848; County Judge (432) 345-2421; District and County Clerk (432) 345-2391
Most justice court cases are traffic citations from U.S. 90 and State Highway 349. A person who gets a citation can pay it, ask about a driving safety course or deferred disposition, or plead not guilty and set a trial before a six-person jury or the judge. Offices in Sanderson keep limited hours, so call before making the trip. A defendant unhappy with a justice court judgment can usually appeal to the County Court for a new trial within 10 days.
Misdemeanor (for example, theft, a first DWI, assault causing bodily injury, criminal trespass)
An arrest for a Class A or B misdemeanor in Terrell County begins with booking by the Sheriff's Office, either at the small Terrell County Jail or at a contract jail elsewhere. Within 48 hours a magistrate, usually the justice of the peace, explains the charge and the right to a lawyer.
Getting out
The magistrate sets bail, which may be posted in cash, through a licensed bondsman, or by a personal bond on the defendant's written promise to appear. Because travel distances are long, conditions such as reporting by phone are sometimes used. If the State is not ready for trial, a jailed defendant generally must be released on a personal bond or a reduced amount after 30 days on a Class A charge or 15 days on a Class B.
In the County Court
The Terrell County Attorney decides whether to file an information. The County Judge hears the case, and a jury, if requested, has six members who must agree unanimously. Defendants who cannot afford a lawyer can ask the magistrate or the County Judge's office at (432) 345-2421 for appointed counsel; the county appoints private attorneys under its indigent defense plan filed with the Texas Indigent Defense Commission, and in a county this size the lawyer may come from Del Rio, Fort Stockton or Alpine.
What the charges carry
- Theft of $100 to $750 is Class B (up to 180 days and $2,000); $750 to $2,500 is Class A (up to a year and $4,000).
- Assault causing bodily injury is Class A, and a family-violence finding can affect gun rights and future charges.
- Criminal trespass is ordinarily Class B; it becomes Class A at a home or with a deadly weapon. Trespass on ranch land is a common local charge.
- A first DWI is Class B with 72 hours to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $3,000; a breath or blood result of 0.15 or more raises it to Class A, and an open container sets a six-day minimum. License suspension and DWI education usually follow, and an ignition interlock may be ordered.
Outcomes include dismissal, pretrial diversion, deferred adjudication, probation, fines or jail time. A case usually takes two to six months; some people later qualify for an order of nondisclosure.
Felony (for example, burglary, felony theft, drug possession or delivery, aggravated assault)
Felony cases from Terrell County are prosecuted by the 63rd District Attorney's Office in Del Rio and heard by the 63rd District Court, which holds sessions in Sanderson on a set schedule. Highway stops on U.S. 90 produce many of the county's drug cases.
- Booking and warnings. The Sheriff books the defendant at the Terrell County Jail or a contract jail. A magistrate gives the article 15.17 warnings within 48 hours and sets bail after a public safety report is prepared.
- A lawyer. The 63rd District Court appoints private counsel for defendants who cannot afford one. Ask at magistration or call the District and County Clerk at (432) 345-2391.
- Indictment. A Terrell County grand jury hears the evidence. If a jailed defendant's case is not ready within 90 days, the law generally requires release on personal bond or a lower bail, with exceptions for violent offenses.
- Resolution. Most felonies end in a plea agreement. Otherwise a 12-member jury decides guilt unanimously, and the defendant may elect to have the jury set punishment.
Sentencing ranges
- State jail felony: 180 days to 2 years in a state jail.
- Third degree: a Sanderson jury or judge can assess 2 to 10 years.
- Second degree: 2 to 20 years, which covers home burglary and the usual aggravated assault charge.
- First degree: anywhere from 5 years to 99 or life; at every felony level a fine of as much as $10,000 may be added.
Drug charges depend on the penalty group and weight, and quantities found in a vehicle can quickly reach first-degree levels. Prior felonies can raise the range. Deferred adjudication or probation is a frequent offer for someone with no record. Prison inmates are usually parole-eligible after about a quarter of the sentence, but "3g" offenses require half, with a two-year minimum. Because the district judge rides circuit from Del Rio, a typical felony here runs six to eighteen months.
Violent felony (for example, murder, sexual assault, aggravated robbery)
Serious violent crime is uncommon in a county of under a thousand residents. When it happens, the Sheriff's Office typically brings in the Texas Rangers, the 63rd District Attorney handles the prosecution, and the defendant is usually held outside the county, since the Terrell County Jail is not built for long pretrial stays.
A personal bond is not allowed for a violent offense under the 2021 Damon Allen Act, and bail is usually set high. On top of that, a 2025 constitutional amendment approved by Texas voters lets judges deny bail outright in some violent-crime cases.
- Capital murder: life without parole, or the death penalty if the State seeks it.
- Murder: a first-degree felony, punished by 5 to 99 years or life.
- Sexual assault: second degree, 2 to 20 years; aggravated sexual assault: first degree, with a 25-year minimum for certain young victims.
- Aggravated robbery: first degree, with parole eligibility only after half the term.
Appointed lawyers in these cases must meet state qualification standards, and capital cases draw on specialized counsel. Victims have the rights listed in article I, section 30 of the Texas Constitution. A violent felony often takes one to three years, and a change of venue is sometimes sought when a case is well known in the community.
Juveniles (under 17) arrested in Terrell County
In Terrell County, as across Texas, juvenile court handles offenses committed by children aged 10 through 16. Someone who was 17 at the time of the offense is charged as an adult in the courts described above.
Juvenile court and intake. The county's juvenile board designates the juvenile court, which in Terrell County is typically the County Court or the 63rd District Court. A juvenile probation officer serving the county handles intake, notifies parents and decides whether to release the child or refer the case for a petition, which the prosecutor (generally the County Attorney) files.
Detention. Terrell County has no juvenile detention center. A youth who must be held is typically taken to a regional facility under contract, such as a detention center in Del Rio or another West Texas city. A judge holds a detention hearing within two working days. Juveniles do not post bail; the judge decides whether release to a parent is safe.
Outcomes. Many cases end with deferred prosecution or probation. Repeat or serious cases can lead to placement outside the home or commitment to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD), and determinate sentencing for grave offenses can carry a term that continues in adult prison.
Adult certification. After a hearing, the court may waive jurisdiction and send a case to adult court, generally only for a youth 14 or older charged with a capital felony, a first-degree felony or certain aggravated drug felonies, or 15 or older for any other felony. Youths have a right to an attorney, appointed if necessary. Records of juvenile cases stay confidential, and many of them qualify for sealing later.
Federal cases (U.S. District Court) from Terrell County
Terrell County is a border county, and federal cases are far more common here than its population suggests. Under federal law it belongs to the Del Rio Division of the Western District of Texas, so cases are heard at the federal courthouse in Del Rio, about 120 miles east of Sanderson.
- U.S. District Court, Del Rio (clerk's office), 111 E. Broadway, Room L100, Del Rio, TX 78840, (830) 703-2054
- U.S. Attorney's Office, Del Rio, 111 East Broadway, Room A306, Del Rio, TX 78840, (830) 703-2025
- Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Texas (it has a Del Rio office), or a private lawyer appointed from the Criminal Justice Act panel
Immigration, human smuggling and drug trafficking cases dominate. Many begin with Border Patrol arrests along the Rio Grande or at checkpoints, and typical charges include illegal reentry after removal, transporting people who entered unlawfully, and possession of narcotics with intent to distribute. Firearms cases also arise.
After an arrest, the defendant goes before a federal magistrate judge, who can appoint counsel. No commercial bail bond is used in federal court: under the Bail Reform Act the judge either releases the defendant on conditions monitored by Pretrial Services or orders detention after a hearing that usually takes place within three court days. When a case begins by complaint, the grand jury must indict within 30 days, and trial is due within 70 days under the Speedy Trial Act unless time is excluded. Most defendants plead guilty. Trial juries have 12 members and must be unanimous. Probation officers prepare a presentence report, and the judge then applies the advisory Guidelines and any mandatory minimum. There is no federal parole; prisoners serve about 85 percent of the term in the Bureau of Prisons, then supervised release. Appeals are heard by the Fifth Circuit.
Families trying to locate a federal prisoner from Terrell County can use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator and search by name or register number. A pretrial detainee held in a county jail under a Marshals contract may also show up on that jail's roster. Juvenile cases are rarely brought in federal court.
This guide summarizes how criminal cases move through the courts serving Terrell County and is not legal advice. Court dates and procedures change, so confirm details with the clerk. A person who cannot afford a lawyer can request one at magistration, or by calling the County Judge at (432) 345-2421 for a misdemeanor or the District and County Clerk at (432) 345-2391 for a felony.