Search Porter County DUI Records
Porter County DUI and OWI records are filed at the Porter County Government Center in Valparaiso and are accessible to the public through Indiana's MyCase portal and through the county's own online resources. This page covers where to find OWI case filings in Porter County, how the Clerk's office and Prosecutor's office handle criminal records, what Indiana law says about operating while intoxicated, and what steps are available for people dealing with OWI charges or older convictions in this northwestern Indiana county.
Porter County Quick Facts
Porter County Government and OWI Records
Porter County operates its official site at portercountyin.gov. The county completed a domain transition to this .gov address in January 2025, moving from the older @porterco.org domain for enhanced security. The new .gov domain covers all county departments, including the Clerk, courts, and Prosecutor's office. If you encounter old links to porterco.org resources, use portercountyin.gov instead.
The county website links to court departments, the Clerk's office, and public records resources — a useful starting point before searching MyCase for a specific OWI case.
The Porter County Clerk's Office
The Porter County Clerk's office at portercountyin.gov/clerk handles all court records, including OWI criminal case filings. The Marriage and Records Division is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. New case filings are processed until 4:15 p.m. daily. If you are filing a new case or submitting documents, plan to arrive before that cutoff.
The Clerk's office is the official custodian of all Porter County court records. For certified copies of OWI case documents, this is where you go — either in person at 155 Indiana Ave, Valparaiso, or by submitting a written request by mail.
Porter County requires attorneys to e-file all pleadings. Self-represented individuals may still file paper documents at the Clerk's office. Protective orders are available online (the Clerk recommends this method) or through paper forms, and they are processed until 4:00 p.m. daily. These procedures apply to civil matters, but they show how the Clerk's office operates — the same staff handles criminal record requests and copy orders for OWI cases.
Porter County Prosecutor and OWI Prosecution
The Porter County Prosecutor's office at portercountyin.gov/prosecutor handles all criminal OWI charges in the county. Prosecutor Gary Germann has led the office since 1978 and again from 2018 through 2022. The office has operated with full-time prosecutors since 1991. It has jurisdiction over the entire 67th Judicial Circuit, which covers all of Porter County.
The Prosecutor's office also operates a Victims Assistance program for people affected by OWI crashes and other crimes. If you need to speak with the Prosecutor's office about the status of an OWI case or to report victim impact, contact them through the county website.
Searching DUI Records Through MyCase
Indiana's public case search portal at mycase.in.gov covers Porter County courts. Search by name or case number to find OWI case records. Results show the specific charges, filing date, court dates, and disposition. Porter County has multiple courts — Circuit Court, Superior Court divisions — and MyCase searches all of them simultaneously.
Porter County is one of the more populous counties in Indiana, which means a higher volume of OWI cases than in smaller rural counties. Searching by full name is the most efficient approach. If the name is common, adding a birth year or approximate filing date narrows results. The state's public records portal explains what information is available and what restrictions apply under Indiana law.
For records not visible in MyCase — sealed or older cases — the Porter County Clerk at 219-465-3450 or 155 Indiana Ave, Valparaiso is the next step. Certified copies are available for a fee that the Clerk can confirm when you call or visit.
Indiana OWI Law in Porter County
Indiana uses OWI rather than DUI in its criminal code. The core statute is IC 9-30-5. A first OWI with BAC below .15% is a Class C misdemeanor. At .15% or higher, it becomes a Class A misdemeanor. A second OWI within seven years escalates to a Level 6 felony. Felony OWI cases are handled by the Porter County Circuit Court. Misdemeanors may be assigned to Circuit or Superior Court depending on case assignment procedures in place at the time of filing.
Porter County's location along Interstate 94, US 6, and US 30 means significant OWI enforcement activity by Indiana State Police and the Porter County Sheriff. The 67th Judicial Circuit handles all OWI prosecutions in the county. When you see an OWI case in MyCase from Porter County, the case number format identifies which court it was assigned to. The Prosecutor's office decides what charges to bring based on the evidence the arresting officer presents.
License Actions and BMV Records
A Porter County OWI conviction triggers a BMV license suspension under IC 9-30-6. Suspension length depends on offense level and prior history. Chemical test refusal carries its own administrative suspension. Both can stack, meaning the total time without a license can exceed what either action alone would require. The BMV driver record portal lets you request an Official Driver Record for $4, showing current suspension status and reinstatement requirements.
Under IC 9-30-9, repeat OWI offenders may receive habitual traffic violator status, which brings a 10-year suspension. Drivers with HTV suspensions can petition for specialized driving privileges under IC 9-30-10. The petition goes to the Porter County court that handled the underlying OWI case, and if granted, the order is part of the public case file and visible in MyCase.
Expungement Under Indiana's Second Chance Law
Indiana's expungement statute at IC 35-38-9 allows people with qualifying OWI convictions to seal their records. For misdemeanor OWI, the waiting period is five years from the conviction date. For Level 6 felony OWI, it is eight years. Cases involving death or serious bodily injury to another person are not eligible for expungement under any timeline.
Once a Porter County court grants expungement, the case disappears from MyCase. People searching public records will not find it. Law enforcement retains access. If you cannot find a Porter County OWI case you know existed, expungement may explain the gap. Forms and instructions for expungement petitions are at in.gov/courts/selfservice. Indiana Legal Services assists income-qualifying Porter County residents with the petition process.
Legal Resources in Porter County
The Indiana State Bar Association at inbar.org has a referral service for finding criminal defense attorneys in Porter County. The county's proximity to Chicago means a number of attorneys practice here who are also licensed in Illinois, which can be useful if an OWI case crosses jurisdictions in some way. For straightforward Indiana OWI defense, a local Valparaiso attorney familiar with Porter County courts and the 67th Judicial Circuit is typically the most practical choice.
Indiana Legal Services at indianalegalservices.org provides civil legal assistance to qualifying residents. They handle expungement petitions and may help with civil consequences of an OWI conviction — like housing or other matters — but do not handle the criminal defense phase of an active OWI case. The Indiana courts trial courts directory has current contact information for all Porter County courts.
Indiana State Police Records
The Indiana State Police District covering Porter County is active on I-94 and US 30, both major corridors through the county. ISP troopers file OWI arrests in Porter County courts after every stop in the county. ISP also maintains statewide certified criminal history records for people who need official documentation of Indiana OWI convictions across multiple counties.
ISP records are different from MyCase records in that they compile data from multiple agencies statewide. For Porter County-specific court records, MyCase and the Porter County Clerk remain the primary sources. ISP certified records are more appropriate for legal proceedings or situations requiring a statewide criminal history check.
Cities in Porter County
Other cities and towns in Porter County file DUI cases at the same courthouse in Valparaiso. Communities like Chesterton, Duneland, Burns Harbor, and Portage Park all use the Porter County Government Center at 155 Indiana Ave for criminal case filings.