Newton County OWI Records
Newton County DUI records are filed at the Newton County Circuit Court in Kentland and are available for public search through the state's MyCase system. This page explains how to find OWI case records in Newton County, what information those records contain, and what state law says about operating while intoxicated charges in Indiana.
Newton County Quick Facts
Searching Newton County DUI Records Online
The Indiana Supreme Court operates the MyCase public access portal, which lets anyone search court records across all 92 counties — including Newton County. Go to mycase.in.gov and enter a name or case number. Results show the case type, filing date, charges, court appearances, and current status. OWI cases appear under criminal case types. You can see whether a case is pending, dismissed, or resolved with a conviction.
Not every detail appears in MyCase. Sealed records and some older cases may not be visible. The state's public records portal explains what is available and what exceptions apply under Indiana law. For records not accessible online, contact the Newton County Circuit Court Clerk directly at 219-474-6081 or visit the courthouse at 201 N 3rd St, Kentland.
The Indiana State Police also maintains criminal history records. The ISP website has information about requesting certified records, which carry more weight in legal proceedings than a simple online printout.
What Indiana OWI Law Says
Indiana does not use the term DUI in its statutes. The state charges people under Operating While Intoxicated law, codified at IC 9-30-5. A first OWI offense with a blood alcohol level under .15% is a Class C misdemeanor. If the BAC is .15% or higher, the charge steps up to a Class A misdemeanor, which carries more serious penalties. A second OWI within seven years becomes a Level 6 felony — this is a significant escalation and the case record will reflect felony status.
Newton County sits in the 31st Judicial Circuit. The Circuit Court handles all felony OWI cases. Misdemeanor OWI charges may be heard in Circuit Court as well, since Newton County has only one court. That single-court structure means all case records are in one place, which makes searching simpler than in counties with multiple trial courts.
License matters are handled separately by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Suspension records and reinstatement status are governed under IC 9-30-6 and IC 9-30-9. Driver records from the BMV cost $4 through the online driver record service.
Court Records Versus BMV Records
These are two different records. A court record shows what happened in the criminal case — charges filed, plea entered, sentence imposed. A BMV driver record shows what happened to the person's license — suspension, reinstatement, specialized driving privileges. Both are relevant in an OWI situation but they come from different agencies and you request them differently.
Court records are public by default. The BMV driver record (called an ODR, or Official Driver Record) costs $4 per request. Some employers and insurers look at both. Under IC 9-30-10, courts can grant specialized driving privileges to allow limited driving during a suspension period. If such an order was granted, it would show up in the court file but may not be fully reflected in the BMV record right away.
Expungement of OWI Records in Newton County
Indiana's Second Chance Law, found at IC 35-38-9, lets some people ask the court to expunge their criminal records. For misdemeanor OWI convictions, the waiting period is five years from the date of conviction. For Level 6 felony OWI convictions, the wait is eight years. Not every OWI qualifies — offenses that caused death or serious bodily injury are generally not eligible.
Once granted, an expungement does not erase the record completely in all contexts. Law enforcement and courts can still see expunged records. But the record is sealed from most public searches, including MyCase. If you are looking for a record in Newton County and cannot find it, expungement may be the reason.
The self-service legal center at in.gov/courts/selfservice has expungement forms and instructions. Indiana Legal Services at indianalegalservices.org may be able to help low-income residents who qualify.
How Newton County OWI Cases Work
Most OWI arrests in Newton County begin with a traffic stop by a local officer or Indiana State Police trooper. After arrest, the person goes before a judge for an initial hearing. The case moves through pre-trial conferences, and most end in a plea agreement rather than a trial. The court record captures each step — each hearing date, each document filed, each order entered.
You can track a case in real time through MyCase. It updates when new filings appear. Hearings are listed with dates and times. If you need certified copies of any documents in a Newton County case, you must request them from the Circuit Court Clerk. There is usually a per-page fee for copies, though the Clerk's office can tell you the current rate.
The Indiana State Bar Association at inbar.org has a lawyer referral service if you need legal help with an OWI matter in Newton County.
Habitual Traffic Violator Status
Indiana's habitual traffic violator law, IC 9-30-9, applies to drivers who accumulate multiple serious traffic offenses including OWI. An HTV finding results in a 10-year license suspension in serious cases. This is separate from the criminal OWI penalty. The BMV tracks HTV status, and it appears on the driver's ODR. If someone in Newton County has HTV status, the court files that led to it are public record.
Drivers with HTV suspensions may petition for specialized driving privileges under IC 9-30-10. The petition goes to the court in the county where the underlying conviction happened. In Newton County, that means the Circuit Court in Kentland.
Public Records Law in Indiana
Court records are presumed public under Indiana law. The Access to Public Records Act and Indiana Rule of Court Access establish the framework. Some records are restricted — juvenile cases, mental health evaluations used in sentencing, and certain victim information may be sealed or redacted.
The Indiana courts public records page at in.gov/courts/public-records lays out what is available and how to request it. Newton County does not have a separate online portal, so MyCase and direct Clerk requests are the two main options for anyone searching DUI records in the county.
The Indiana courts trial courts directory has contact info for every court in the state, including Newton County Circuit Court, if you need to reach the court directly.
The state's public records portal shows how Indiana handles access requests. For more detailed searches, the court's case management records via MyCase remain the fastest route for most people.
Indiana Public Records Portal
The state maintains a centralized public records portal that covers court access policies across all counties. You can see the portal below:
This portal links to MyCase and explains the rules for accessing court records statewide, including Newton County.
Cities and Towns in Newton County
Newton County has no cities above the 100,000-population threshold for dedicated record pages. The county seat of Kentland is the main population center. All OWI and DUI cases from Kentland, Lake Village, Morocco, Brook, and other communities in Newton County are filed at the Newton County Circuit Court at 201 N 3rd St, Kentland. That courthouse handles all criminal filings for the entire county.