Fulton County DUI Records

Fulton County DUI records are filed and maintained by the 9th Judicial Circuit Court in Lewistown, Illinois, and the Circuit Clerk is the official source for case filings, court orders, and final dispositions. This page explains how to find Fulton County DUI records, which offices hold them, and what state systems can show you about arrest history, convictions, and driving record actions tied to DUI cases in the county.

Fulton County Circuit Clerk

Charlene Markley serves as the Fulton County Circuit Clerk. Her office at P.O. Box 152 in Lewistown is the official keeper of every DUI case filed in Fulton County. The clerk holds charge documents, hearing records, plea entries, sentencing orders, and final dispositions. If you need to know what happened in a DUI case in this county, the circuit clerk's office in Lewistown is the right place to start.

The circuit clerk's website has office hours, contact details, and information on how to access court records. Most complete DUI case files require an in-person visit or a written request sent to the Lewistown office. Staff can look up a specific case by name or case number and tell you what records are available in the public file.

The Fulton County Circuit Clerk office at fultoncountyil.gov/circuit-clerk covers all DUI cases heard in the county. Fulton County is part of the 9th Judicial Circuit. All cases filed here, whether misdemeanor or felony DUI under 625 ILCS 5/11-501, go through the courthouse in Lewistown. The clerk can confirm whether a case exists and what stage it reached.

The image below shows the Fulton County Circuit Clerk website, which is the starting point for finding local DUI court records in Lewistown.

The circuit clerk's office is the right first stop when you need actual case documents, not just a name search result. They can tell you what is in the file and how to get copies.

Fulton County Sheriff and Arrest Records

The Fulton County Sheriff's Office is at 268 W. Side Square in Lewistown. The sheriff handles DUI enforcement in the unincorporated parts of Fulton County and keeps arrest records that are separate from the court files held by the circuit clerk. Depending on what part of the DUI process you are looking into, you may need to contact both offices.

Arrest record requests from the Fulton County Sheriff's Office go through the Illinois Freedom of Information Act process. Under FOIA, the office must respond within five business days. Records related to closed DUI cases are generally public. Records tied to active investigations may be withheld for a time. The sheriff's site at fultoncountysheriff.com has contact details for submitting a request.

Keep in mind that an arrest record is not the same as a court record. The sheriff has arrest data. The circuit clerk has what happened in court. You may need both depending on what you are trying to find out about a Fulton County DUI case.

Illinois State Police and Fulton County DUI Data

When a DUI case in Fulton County ends in a conviction, the circuit court reports that result to the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification. The ISP holds this as a permanent part of the person's criminal history. Under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2, DUI convictions in Illinois cannot be expunged or sealed. This applies to every Fulton County DUI conviction in the state system, no matter how old the case is.

The ISP criminal history system is built on fingerprints. When someone is arrested for DUI in Fulton County, a fingerprint submission links the arrest to their statewide record. After conviction is reported, the ISP connects that outcome to the fingerprint file. This creates a full record that includes arrests and convictions from every Illinois court that has reported data to the ISP. Fulton County DUI records are part of this statewide picture.

Conviction data is public under the Uniform Conviction Information Act. The ISP criminal history page at isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification/CriminalHistory explains how to request a criminal history that covers Fulton County DUI data. Individuals can also view their own record through the ISP My Record portal to see what the state has on file.

The CHIRP portal at chirp.isp.illinois.gov gives authorized users online access to Illinois criminal history records, including DUI conviction data from Fulton County. Individuals checking their own records and employers with proper certification can use CHIRP for faster access than mailing a request.

Driving Record and License Actions in Fulton County

A DUI conviction in Fulton County leads to mandatory license revocation under 625 ILCS 5/6-205. The Illinois Secretary of State runs this as a separate process from the criminal case. Reinstatement requires a formal SOS hearing. Waiting periods and conditions depend on how many prior DUI convictions the driver has. The SOS handles all of this independent of what happens in the Lewistown courthouse.

The Statutory Summary Suspension under 625 ILCS 5/11-501.1 can kick in before a case is resolved. If a driver in Fulton County fails or refuses a chemical test during a DUI stop, the suspension starts 46 days after the officer issues the notice. On a first offense, refusing the test means a 12-month suspension. Failing it means a 6-month suspension. Drivers can challenge through an SOS administrative hearing at ilsos.gov/departments/administrative-hearings.html.

Driving record abstracts from the Secretary of State cost $20 and show DUI convictions, summary suspensions, revocations, and other license actions. You can order one at ilsos.gov. This is a useful way to see the full picture of DUI-related license actions for someone who has cases in Fulton County or anywhere else in Illinois.

DUI Charges and the Fulton County Court Process

Under 625 ILCS 5/11-501, DUI in Illinois covers impairment from alcohol, cannabis, prescription drugs, controlled substances, intoxicating compounds, and methamphetamine. Fulton County DUI cases filed under this statute can involve any of these substances. The circuit clerk's records show the specific charge type for each case filed in the county.

Charge level depends on the driver's prior DUI history. A first offense is a Class A misdemeanor with up to one year in jail and up to $2,500 in fines. A second offense stays a misdemeanor but carries longer minimums. The third DUI becomes a Class 2 felony. Each prior conviction from any Illinois court counts when the 9th Judicial Circuit determines the charge level for a new Fulton County DUI case.

Some circumstances can push a charge higher even on a first offense. A DUI with a minor in the vehicle, one that causes a crash with serious injury, or one that occurs in a school zone may result in elevated charges. The clerk's records show every count filed, any amendments, and the final outcome for each case.

The Illinois Courts website at illinoiscourts.gov/courts/circuit-court covers how the 9th Judicial Circuit works and how DUI cases move through the system. It is worth reviewing before contacting the Fulton County Circuit Clerk or speaking with a local attorney about a case.

Cities in Fulton County

No cities in Fulton County meet the population threshold for individual DUI records pages. Lewistown is the county seat where the circuit court handles all DUI cases filed in the county. Records for DUI cases from Lewistown and all other Fulton County communities are kept by the Circuit Clerk at the courthouse in Lewistown.

Nearby Counties

Fulton County is in west-central Illinois. Each neighboring county has its own circuit court for DUI cases filed within its borders.