Amarillo’s County Divide Confounds Justice

By Zackary Mossbrooks, zmossbro@ttu.edu

Map of Amarillo, Texas.

Amarillo is one city on the map, but it’s split across two counties: Potter and Randall. This divide may not matter much to people on a daily basis, but for law enforcement, attorneys, and court officials, it causes real challenges. When someone gets arrested, is issued a citation, or is scheduled for court, the city where they are located can change the entire process.

People sometimes end up in the wrong county’s jail. Others pay a fine at the wrong court office or miss a scheduled court date. These are not rare mistakes. They happen because Amarillo’s legal system must juggle two sets of jail staff, court clerks, judges, and county records systems. And officials say that confusion, delays, and even extended jail stays are becoming more common as the city grows.

Sgt. Danny Whitfield with the Randall County Sheriff’s Office said issues often begin right at the moment of arrest.

“If someone is picked up close to the county line, we have to determine which county’s court is handling the charges,” Whitfield said. “If the paperwork doesn’t match the jail they’re taken to, then we have to start arranging a transfer.”

That transfer is not always quick. Whitfield said transporting someone from one county jail to another depends on multiple things. Jail space, available staff, and how many other transports are scheduled that day can all affect the timeline.

“We try to move people as soon as possible, but we can’t always do it immediately,” he said. “And when you have two counties responsible for one city, that overlap creates added steps.”

Whitfield said Amarillo’s county split isn’t something most people think about until they’re in the system.

“You could live on one street and be in Randall County, but drive a block and be in Potter,” he said. “People get surprised when they find out that matters.”

“They’re not criminals”

Judge Erica James, who handles cases in Amarillo’s municipal court, said she’s seen court proceedings stalled due to jail delays.

“There have been times when we were ready to handle a case, but the person was sitting in the wrong jail waiting to be moved,” James said. “We can’t do much until they’re in the right place, and that creates a backup.”

The same goes for court paperwork. James said that even routine records, like plea agreements or scheduled appearances, can get held up when the paperwork has to travel between counties.

“If a citation was issued in one county and the person shows up at the wrong courthouse, we have to redirect them,” she said. “That wastes time for the individual and the staff.”

James said the most frustrating part is that many people affected by these delays are dealing with minor offenses like traffic violations or low-level misdemeanors.

“They’re not criminals. They just made a mistake or didn’t know which office to go to,” she said. “And then they’re suddenly wrapped up in something much bigger.”

Defense attorney Mike Reyes said this confusion also affects legal teams trying to represent clients in both counties.

“We do our best to prepare people, but the two counties don’t use the same systems,” Reyes said. “So even something simple like checking a court date or verifying bond status can take extra time.”

Reyes said he’s had clients go to the wrong courthouse, pay the wrong clerk’s office, or appear on the wrong day because they were following outdated or unclear instructions.

“It’s not always their fault,” he said. “There’s no central site or system where you can check everything for both counties at once.”

“The current set up causes delays”

Amarillo’s county line cuts through homes, schools, shopping centers, and neighborhoods. Some people live in one county and work in another without realizing it. That becomes a problem when legal notices, warrants, or court orders depend on knowing your exact county of residence or violation.

GIS data from the City of Amarillo shows that the boundary between Potter and Randall counties weaves through dozens of residential blocks. For someone without legal experience, it can be hard to know which side of the line they’re on — and why it matters.

According to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, Potter County Jail has been operating at roughly 90 percent capacity for much of the past year. Randall County Jail has stayed closer to 75 percent. That imbalance can create even more cross-county housing, especially during busy times like holidays or large events.

Whitfield said there’s no shared jail database between the counties. That means jail staff must rely on phone calls, faxed documents, or email to coordinate.

“If the systems were connected, we could move people and process cases faster,” he said. “But we’re working with what we’ve got.”

Reyes believes that modernizing the record systems would make a big difference.

“Even if they don’t merge, the counties could set up a joint platform just for checking court and jail information,” he said. “It wouldn’t fix everything, but it would help.”

James agreed, saying the topic comes up often in conversations among judges and staff.

“We know the current setup causes delays,” she said. “But without funding and long-term planning, it’s tough to make that kind of change.”

“The goal is always to keep things fair”

Some solutions have been discussed at the city level, such as shared court orientation materials and clearer signage at court buildings. But so far, there hasn’t been a move to fully unify the two systems. Even proposed fixes, like cross-training staff or building a shared transport team, have been slow to develop.

In the meantime, those involved in the legal process must stay flexible.

“Sometimes we just have to be patient and make a lot of phone calls,” James said. “The goal is always to keep things fair, even when the system isn’t perfect.”

Reyes said it’s especially hard on first-time offenders who aren’t familiar with the court process.

“People who’ve never been in trouble before might get confused and scared when things don’t move quickly,” he said. “They feel like they’re doing everything right, but they still end up with a warrant or in jail.”

Whitfield said both sheriff’s offices care about getting it right, but are stretched thin.

“No one wants to see someone sit in jail over a technicality,” he said. “But it takes coordination, and we’re still working on improving that.”

As Amarillo continues to grow, legal experts say the county divide may become even more of a challenge. Without changes, the problems caused by two overlapping systems could increase, not just for those in trouble, but for everyone trying to keep the courts running smoothly.