Madison County DUI Records Search
Madison County DUI and OWI records are filed with the county clerk and are available to the public through Indiana's MyCase court portal and in person at the Madison County Government Center in Anderson. This page covers how to find and access OWI case records in Madison County, what Indiana law governs these charges, what happens to your license after an OWI arrest, and where to find legal help in this east-central Indiana county.
Madison County Quick Facts
Madison County Circuit Court Clerk
The Madison County Circuit Court Clerk maintains all official court records for the county, including OWI and DUI filings. The clerk's office is located at the Madison County Government Center, 16 E 9th St, Anderson, IN 46016. You can call the clerk at 765-641-9443. The office is the official repository for charging documents, case histories, sentencing orders, and other records generated by OWI cases processed through the county's circuit and superior courts.
Madison County covers east-central Indiana and includes Anderson as its primary city. The county court system handles a mix of felony and misdemeanor OWI cases. Cases from Anderson and other municipalities in the county are filed with the county clerk and processed through the local court system. If you need a copy of a specific case document, the clerk can provide plain copies or certified copies for a fee. Call ahead to confirm current fees and hours before making the trip.
The Madison County government website offers access to county services, office directories, and general information about court operations in the county.
The Madison County homepage shown below connects residents to county government services including the clerk's office and court system resources.
The Madison County government site provides links to the clerk's office, court system, and other county agencies involved in OWI case processing and records access.
How to Search Madison County OWI Records
Start with MyCase, Indiana's free public court search portal. You can search by name, partial name, cause number, or attorney. Results show the case type, charge description under IC 9-30-5, filing date, assigned judge, and upcoming hearings. Most cases filed in Madison County in recent years appear in the system quickly after filing.
Older cases that predate electronic filing may not show in MyCase. For those, contact the clerk at 765-641-9443. Staff can search paper files by name or case number. Written requests by mail are also accepted for document copies. The Indiana courts public records page at in.gov/courts/public-records/ explains what records are public across all Indiana courts.
Court records in Madison County are public unless restricted by court order. OWI case records are generally open. Juvenile records and some sealed or expunged files have access limits. If you're not sure whether a record is public, the clerk can advise you.
OWI Laws Governing Madison County Cases
Indiana law uses OWI, not DUI. The main statute is IC 9-30-5. A first OWI with a BAC at or above .08% is a Class C misdemeanor. If the BAC reaches .15% or higher, it becomes a Class A misdemeanor. Those two levels carry different maximum penalties -- 60 days versus one year in jail. The difference matters when the prosecutor and defense are negotiating a case.
A second OWI offense within seven years of the first conviction is charged as a Level 6 felony. In Madison County, felony OWI cases go through the full felony court process, with arraignment, pre-trial conferences, and eventually either a plea or trial. The sentencing range for a Level 6 felony is six months to two and a half years. Judges have discretion within that range based on the facts and the defendant's record.
More serious OWI cases -- those involving an accident with injury or a death -- carry Level 5 or Level 4 felony charges. These cases take longer to resolve and carry sentences measured in years. A driver who causes a death while operating a vehicle with a BAC above .08% faces some of the most serious felony charges in Indiana's traffic law statutes.
Administrative license suspension under IC 9-30-6 is a separate process from the criminal case. A driver who fails or refuses a chemical test faces a BMV suspension that starts before any criminal conviction. This is an administrative action, not a criminal penalty, and it runs on its own timeline.
Driver Records and License Actions
Madison County residents can check their official Indiana driver record at the BMV driver record portal for $4. The record shows all active suspensions, past OWI-related license actions, and habitual traffic violator status under IC 9-30-9. Habitual violators face a 10-year license suspension for repeat OWI offenses.
If your license is suspended after an OWI in Madison County, you can petition the court for specialized driving privileges under IC 9-30-10. These let you drive to work, medical appointments, and school during the suspension. The petition must be filed with the court that handled your case. The Indiana Self-Service Legal Center has petition forms and step-by-step instructions. If the petition is important to keeping your job, it's worth getting an attorney to help file it correctly.
Expunging OWI Records in Madison County
Indiana's Second Chance Law at IC 35-38-9 gives people the option to petition the court to restrict public access to certain criminal records. For a misdemeanor OWI conviction in Madison County, the wait is five years. For a Level 6 felony OWI, the wait is eight years. The petition is filed with the local court. The Madison County prosecutor must receive notice and can object before the judge rules.
Expungement restricts public access but does not fully delete the record. Courts and law enforcement retain access. Most people seek expungement to remove the record from public databases and standard searches. The eligibility rules are detailed, and mistakes in the petition are common. Getting help from Indiana Legal Services or a private attorney makes the process smoother and improves the odds of approval.
Legal Resources in Madison County
Indiana Legal Services covers this region and provides free civil legal help to qualifying low-income residents. They can help with expungement and post-conviction matters. The Indiana State Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service that connects people with private criminal defense attorneys in Anderson and Madison County. For people who prefer to handle their own paperwork, the Indiana Self-Service Legal Center offers forms, guides, and step-by-step instructions for common court procedures including OWI-related petitions.
Cities in Madison County
Madison County includes one qualifying city above the population threshold. OWI cases from Anderson and all other municipalities in the county are processed through Madison County courts.
Nearby Counties
Madison County borders several other Indiana counties. If you need OWI records from an adjacent county, these pages have the relevant information.