Find a negligent security lawyer in Dallas: what owners must do and what proof lasts
Dallas City Code sets real security rules for apartments and convenience stores, including lighting and 30 days of store video. Texas lets you sue an owner only when crime on the property was unreasonable and foreseeable. You generally have 2 years to sue. Ask for video first.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (29)
When can I sue a Dallas property owner after an attack?
An attack alone is not enough. Texas asks whether the owner should have seen the danger coming. The state Supreme Court looks at how close, how recent, how frequent and how similar past crimes were, and how public they were. A landlord can be responsible when it keeps control of security.
That makes Dallas police records the heart of the case. DPD posts a crime dashboard that is updated daily. Its public portal lets you look up arrest and offense records from June 2014 on, but it warns that the data should not be used for statistics. A lawyer can ask for call histories for the address, which often say more than a dashboard.
What security does Dallas require at apartments, stores and bars?
| Place | What Dallas or Texas requires | Proof to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Apartments | Overall exterior lighting of four footcandles, kept dusk until dawn on paths, parking and stairwells | Maintenance logs, city inspections |
| Apartment doors | Security devices required by the Texas Property Code, including a keyless bolt and door viewer | Repair requests. A landlord must fix a device when told |
| Convenience stores | Surveillance cameras, alarms, drop safes and safety training | Video, kept at least 30 days |
| Store parking lots | Lights on all sides, parking and fuel islands from sunset to sunrise | Photos at night |
| Bars and clubs | Must report a shooting, stabbing or serious injury to TABC within 24 hours | TABC report |
Dallas says it has 1,800 convenience stores. Breaking a code rule does not automatically win a case. It is strong evidence that the owner knew what was expected.
What should I do first after an assault at a Dallas property?
- Get medical care and call 911 so a police report exists. The Texas fund confirms the crime was reported.
- Ask for the service number and ask DPD Victim Services for an advocate at 214-671-3584.
- Send the owner a written request to keep video the same day. Thirty days goes fast.
- Go back in daylight and at night, with a friend, and take photos of broken lights, gates and locks.
- Report poor lighting at an apartment to 311 at (214) 670-5111 and save the service number.
- Write down what staff said, who was on duty and any earlier incidents neighbors told you about.
Can the Dallas owner blame the person who attacked me?
Yes, and this is the hard part of these cases. A defendant in Texas can name an unknown criminal as a responsible party. A defendant usually pays only its own percentage. A jury that puts most of the fault on the attacker can shrink what the owner pays. If you are found more than 50 percent responsible, you recover nothing.
Who pays? Usually the owner's or management company's liability insurer, and sometimes a security contractor's. Ask for the name of every company on the property, including the one that hired the guards.
Where can crime victims in Dallas get money and help now?
- The Texas crime victims' fund can pay up to $50,000, and you must apply within 3 years of the crime. It pays after other sources.
- DPD Victim Services helps with that application and with safety planning at 1400 Botham Jean Blvd.
- The District Attorney's Victim Services is at 133 N. Riverfront Blvd., (214) 653-3600.
- DPD says it will complete U visa certification for eligible victims, at no cost.
If the attack happened on public property, such as a city building, written notice is due within six months to the City of Dallas. Texas limits these claims, so talk to a lawyer early.
Questions
How long do I have to sue for negligent security in Dallas?
Generally 2 years. A claim against the city needs notice within six months.
How long do Dallas convenience stores keep video?
At least 30 days under city code.
Is a Dallas apartment required to have security guards?
We did not find a Dallas rule requiring guards. City code does require lighting and security devices.
Do I need a police report for the crime victim fund?
Yes. Texas confirms the crime was reported.
Attacked because of poor security in Dallas? See if you are owed money.
A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.
See if I’m owed moneySources (29)
- Dallas City Code § 27-11(h), checked 2026-11-09. “An owner shall maintain overall illumination of four footcandles for exterior lighting on the premises”
- Dallas City Code ch. 12B, checked 2026-11-09. “All digital video recordings must be maintained for at least 30 days.”
- Texas Supreme Court, Timberwalk Apartments v. Cain (1998), checked 2026-11-09. “A duty exists only when the risk of criminal conduct is so great that it is both unreasonable and foreseeable.”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
- Texas Attorney General, checked 2026-11-09. “You're applying within 3 years of the crime”
- Texas Supreme Court opinion, No. 15-0197, checked 2026-11-09. “proximity, recency, frequency, similarity, and publicity”
- Texas Supreme Court, Timberwalk Apartments v. Cain (1998), checked 2026-11-09. “retains control over the security and safety of the premises”
- Dallas Police Department, Crime Reports, checked 2026-11-09. “This is the new Dashboard that is updated daily.”
- Dallas Police Public Data Viewer, checked 2026-11-09. “This data should not be used for statistical purposes as it only represents data that is releasable to the General Public.”
- Dallas City Code § 27-11(h), checked 2026-11-09. “An owner shall maintain illumination from dusk until dawn: (i) along pedestrian pathways; in plazas, courtyards, building entrances, parking areas, including carports and driveway areas; and other outdoor spaces commonly used.”
- Dallas City Code § 27-11(j), checked 2026-11-09. “shall provide and maintain security devices in each dwelling unit as required by Sections 92.153, 92.154, and 92.155 of the Texas Property Code”
- Texas Property Code 92.153, checked 2026-11-09. “a keyless bolting device and a door viewer on each exterior door of the dwelling”
- Texas Property Code 92.158, checked 2026-11-09. “a landlord shall repair or replace a security device on request or notification by the tenant”
- Dallas City Code ch. 12B, checked 2026-11-09. “requirements relating to surveillance camera systems, video recording and storage systems, alarm systems, drop safes, security signs, height markers, store visibility, safety training programs, and trespass affidavits”
- Dallas City Code § 12B-22, checked 2026-11-09. “Exterior lighting that illuminates all sides of the main building, parking areas, and fuel pump islands must be provided and maintained.”
- TABC, Public Safety and Enforcement FAQs, checked 2026-11-09. “A shooting, stabbing, murder or incident involving seriously bodily injury should be reported no later than 24 hours from the time of the incident.”
- City of Dallas, Convenience Store Registration flyer, checked 2026-11-09. “A convenience store is defined as a business with less than 10,000 square feet of retail space that sells food, household items, tobacco products, over the counter medication and gasoline. There are 1,800 convenience stores within the City of Dallas.”
- Texas Attorney General, checked 2026-11-09. “We confirm that a crime happened and that it was reported to law enforcement.”
- Dallas Police Department, Victim Services, checked 2026-11-09. “Our advocates work with victims of sexual assault, robbery, assault, traffic crimes and families of homicide victims.”
- Dallas Police Department, Victim Services, checked 2026-11-09. “Crimes Against Persons Division: Main Number - 214-671-3584”
- City of Dallas Code Compliance, Multi-Tenant Inspection Program, checked 2026-11-09. “You may report any of the above violations by dialing (214) 670-5111 (3-1-1 City Services)”
- Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 33.004, checked 2026-11-09. “an unknown person committed a criminal act that was a cause of the loss or injury”
- Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 33.013, checked 2026-11-09. “only for the percentage of the damages found by the trier of fact equal to that defendant's percentage of responsibility”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, checked 2026-11-08. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”
- Texas Attorney General, checked 2026-11-09. “The CVC Program can help cover costs up to $50,000”
- Texas Attorney General, checked 2026-11-09. “this program is meant to pay only as a last option”
- Dallas County District Attorney, Victim Services, checked 2026-11-09. “Frank Crowley Courts Building - 133 N. Riverfront Boulevard, LB 19, Dallas, TX 75207 Telephone: (214) 653-3600”
- Dallas Police Department, Victim Services, checked 2026-11-09. “The Dallas Police Department is willing to assist victims with the U Visa (U Nonimmigrant Status) by completing the U Visa certification.”
- Dallas City Charter, Chapter XXIII, Section 1, checked 2026-11-08. “within six months after the injury was received”