Perry County OWI and DUI Records
Perry County DUI and OWI records are filed and maintained at the Perry County courts in Tell City and are open to the public through Indiana's MyCase search system. This page covers how to find OWI case records in Perry County, what those records contain, how Indiana's operating while intoxicated laws apply in this southwestern Indiana county on the Ohio River, and what options exist for people dealing with old convictions or active cases.
Perry County Quick Facts
Finding OWI Records in Perry County
Indiana's public case search tool at mycase.in.gov covers Perry County courts. Enter a name or case number and you get a list of matching criminal case records. OWI cases appear as criminal filings and show the specific charges, filing date, court dates, and outcome. Perry County has a Circuit Court and Superior Court in Tell City, both accessible through a single MyCase search.
Tell City is the county seat and the only court location in Perry County. All criminal filings from every part of the county — Cannelton, Troy, Tobinsport, and rural townships — go through this courthouse. There is no separate municipal court. That makes searching straightforward: one courthouse, one search, all OWI records for the entire county.
For records not available through MyCase, contact the Perry County Clerk at 812-547-3741 or visit the courthouse at 2219 Payne St, Tell City. Certified copies are available for a fee that the Clerk's office can confirm. The state public records guide at in.gov/courts/public-records explains public access rules under Indiana law.
OWI Law as Applied in Perry County
Indiana's OWI statute is at IC 9-30-5. Indiana does not use the term DUI in its criminal code. A first-time OWI with BAC below .15% is a Class C misdemeanor. Above .15%, it becomes a Class A misdemeanor. A second OWI within seven years is a Level 6 felony. These distinctions show up directly in the case record and affect what penalties the court can impose.
Perry County's location on the Ohio River means some OWI enforcement involves watercraft, especially during summer months. Operating a watercraft while intoxicated is a separate offense under a different statute, but the cases still land in Perry County courts and are searchable through MyCase. Watercraft OWI cases sometimes attract less attention than road-based cases, but the court records are just as public.
Highway US 66 and SR 145 run through Perry County and see regular Indiana State Police patrol. ISP troopers file OWI arrests in Perry County courts regardless of which road the stop occurred on. The arresting agency's name appears in case documents but does not change which court handles the case.
Self-Service Legal Center
Indiana courts provide a self-service legal center for people who are navigating the court system without an attorney. The center is shown below:
The self-service center has forms and guidance for expungement petitions, specialized driving privilege requests, and other common needs that arise from OWI cases in Perry County and across Indiana.
License Suspensions and Driver Records
An OWI conviction in Perry County leads to a BMV-administered license suspension under IC 9-30-6. Suspension length depends on whether it was a first or repeat offense and whether the driver refused a chemical test. A test refusal triggers an administrative suspension that happens before the criminal case is resolved. Both the administrative and criminal suspensions can run and the total time off the road can be significant.
The BMV driver record portal lets you request an Official Driver Record for $4. This record shows the current suspension status, reinstatement requirements, and any habitual traffic violator flag under IC 9-30-9. HTV status means a 10-year suspension is possible. Drivers can petition for specialized driving privileges under IC 9-30-10 — this petition goes to Perry County Circuit Court and if granted creates a public court record.
Expungement Under IC 35-38-9
Indiana's Second Chance Law at IC 35-38-9 allows some people with OWI convictions to petition for expungement. The waiting period is five years for misdemeanor OWI and eight years for Level 6 felony OWI, measured from the conviction date. Cases involving a death or serious bodily injury to another person are excluded from expungement eligibility.
Once a Perry County court grants expungement, the case disappears from public searches — it will not appear in MyCase. If you are looking for a Perry County OWI record and cannot find it, expungement may have sealed it. Law enforcement can still access expunged records. The Indiana self-service legal center has expungement forms and step-by-step instructions. Indiana Legal Services may help qualifying Perry County residents with the petition process.
What an OWI Case Record Includes
A Perry County OWI case file contains the charging information document, which names the statute violated and states the alleged facts. It also contains the probable cause affidavit from the arresting officer, any pre-trial motions, the plea agreement or jury verdict, and the final sentencing order. The sentencing order is usually the most detailed document — it lists the sentence length, fine amount, probation conditions, required alcohol classes, and license suspension terms.
MyCase shows a summary of each entry in the case file. Actual documents require a visit to the Perry County Courthouse or a written copy request. If you are tracking an active case, MyCase updates are usually sufficient to know what stage the case is at. Certified copies are needed for legal proceedings, insurance purposes, or other situations where an official document is required.
Legal Help for Perry County OWI Matters
The Indiana State Bar Association at inbar.org runs a lawyer referral service. Perry County is small enough that local criminal defense attorneys may handle cases in several surrounding counties. The Indiana courts trial courts directory lists current judge assignments and clerk hours for Perry County courts.
Indiana Legal Services at indianalegalservices.org provides civil legal assistance to low-income Hoosiers. OWI cases are criminal, so Indiana Legal Services generally handles post-conviction matters like expungement rather than the criminal defense phase. If you need a criminal defense attorney for an active OWI case in Perry County, the Bar Association referral service is the better starting point.
The Indiana State Police at in.gov/isp handles certified criminal history record requests at the state level — useful when you need an official compilation of someone's full Indiana criminal record rather than records from a single county court.
Cities and Towns in Perry County
Perry County has no cities above the 100,000-population threshold. Tell City is the county seat and largest community. Cannelton and Troy are other notable towns. All OWI and DUI case filings from anywhere in Perry County are processed at the Perry County Courthouse at 2219 Payne St, Tell City. That courthouse handles all criminal case records for the entire county.