Fayette County DUI Records Lookup
Fayette County DUI records are filed with the Fayette County Circuit Court Clerk in Connersville, Indiana. This east-central Indiana county handles OWI cases through its circuit court, and those records are available to the public through Indiana's online case search system or by visiting the courthouse in Connersville. If you need to look up a specific DUI or OWI case in Fayette County, this guide walks you through the process, explains the relevant law, and points to resources that can help.
Fayette County Quick Facts
Fayette County Circuit Court Clerk
The Fayette County Circuit Court Clerk manages all court records in the county, including OWI and DUI filings. The office is at the Fayette County Courthouse, 401 N Central Ave, Connersville, IN 47331. Call 765-825-1813 to reach the clerk. Staff can search for a case by name or cause number and help you request copies of documents.
Under IC 9-30-5, OWI charges are filed in the county where the arrest took place. For Fayette County arrests, that means the Connersville courthouse. Once filed, the case is a public record. Certified copies of documents cost more than plain copies. If you're just trying to confirm whether a case exists, a quick online search through MyCase may be all you need before going to the courthouse.
Mail requests work too. Send the defendant's name, approximate filing date if you have it, and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the courthouse address. The clerk will respond with whatever the office can pull from its records.
Searching Fayette County OWI Records Online
The MyCase portal is Indiana's free public court case search tool. It lets you look up Fayette County DUI records by name or cause number. The system shows the charges filed, hearing dates, and how the case ended. No account is needed. Results are generally current, and most OWI cases from roughly 2005 to the present are available online.
For older cases, or if you need something not showing in MyCase, a trip to the Connersville courthouse or a written request to the clerk is the next step. The Indiana Courts public records page has details on the full scope of public access and how to request records that may not appear in the online system.
The Indiana trial courts directory lists Fayette County's circuit court and contact details, which can help if you need to confirm the court's current phone number or mailing address before making a formal request.
Indiana OWI Charges and Penalties
Indiana law uses OWI, not DUI. The main statute is IC 9-30-5. A first OWI with a BAC between .08% and .14% is a Class C misdemeanor. If the BAC hits .15% or more, or if someone was endangered, the charge becomes a Class A misdemeanor. Both involve possible jail time and fines, but the Class A version carries heavier penalties.
A second OWI within seven years of a prior conviction becomes a Level 6 felony. This is handled in the same Fayette County court but with much higher stakes. A Level 6 felony conviction can mean time in an Indiana state facility, not local jail. Habitual traffic violator status under IC 9-30-9 can result from a pattern of OWI convictions and leads to extended or permanent license suspension.
License Suspension and Specialized Driving Privileges
An OWI arrest in Fayette County can trigger an administrative suspension from the Indiana BMV separate from any criminal penalty. Under IC 9-30-6, the BMV can act on a license before the criminal case is resolved. This administrative process has its own rules and timelines. You can view a driver's current license status through the Indiana BMV driver record portal.
Specialized driving privileges under IC 9-30-10 may allow a suspended driver to drive for limited purposes, such as getting to work or medical appointments. A Fayette County court must authorize these privileges, and there are conditions attached. Anyone looking into this should consult an attorney or review the Indiana Self-Service Legal Center for general guidance.
Expungement of Fayette County DUI Records
Indiana allows certain OWI convictions to be expunged under IC 35-38-9. Misdemeanor OWI convictions require five years from the conviction date. Level 6 felony OWI convictions require eight years. All fines and costs must be paid and no new criminal charges can occur during the waiting period.
Once an expungement order is granted, the record won't appear in public searches. Most standard searches, including MyCase, will show nothing. That said, some agencies can still access sealed records under defined legal conditions. The Indiana Self-Service Legal Center provides forms and guides for the process. Indiana Legal Services may be able to help those who qualify based on income.
Indiana County Courts Directory
The Indiana courts directory page lists all county trial courts across the state, including Fayette County, along with their contact details.
Indiana county courts directory for Fayette County DUI records
This directory can help you confirm the current contact information for the Fayette County Circuit Court before making a formal records request.
Legal Help in Fayette County
Indiana Legal Services offers free civil legal assistance to qualifying low-income residents across Indiana, including those in Fayette County. For people who need to hire an attorney, the Indiana State Bar Association has a referral service. The Indiana Self-Service Legal Center provides free resources for people handling court matters on their own.
The Indiana State Police covers Fayette County roads and makes OWI arrests. ISP arrest records are separate from court records. To get the full history of a case, including what charges were filed and how the case ended, check MyCase or the clerk's office in addition to any arrest records from ISP.
Cities in Fayette County
Connersville is the county seat and largest city in Fayette County. No cities in Fayette County meet the population threshold for individual city pages. All OWI and DUI cases involving Connersville residents and others in the county are handled through the Fayette County Circuit Court in Connersville.
Nearby Counties
Fayette County is bordered by several other Indiana counties. Use these links for OWI and DUI records in neighboring areas.