Jefferson County DUI Records Search

Jefferson County DUI records are filed with the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. This page covers how to search those court records, get a criminal history from the Illinois State Police, order a driving abstract from the Secretary of State, and understand what each document contains. Jefferson County also has a local SOS Administrative Hearings office, which is a resource not available in many downstate counties.

Jefferson County Circuit Clerk

Randy Pollard Jr. serves as the Jefferson County Circuit Clerk. His office files and maintains all DUI court cases in the 2nd Judicial Circuit. When an officer charges a driver under 625 ILCS 5/11-501, the case goes to this office and gets a case number. All court dates, plea agreements, verdicts, and final orders are entered into the case file here.

Certified copies of DUI court documents are available from the clerk by request. These copies are often needed for attorney files, SOS reinstatement hearings, or personal review. In-person requests are handled at the Mt. Vernon courthouse. The office also takes mail requests, though turnaround time varies depending on volume.

The Jefferson County Circuit Clerk website lists current office hours and explains what types of records you can request. Check there first before making the trip or sending a mail request.

Jefferson County Sheriff FOIA Requests

Arrest records for DUI stops in unincorporated Jefferson County are held by the Sheriff's Office. These include the arrest report, booking details, and any field sobriety test documentation. Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, you can request these records from the Sheriff. The request must be in writing and submitted to the records division.

The Sheriff holds the arrest side of the record. The court outcome, charges, and sentence live with the Circuit Clerk. If you need both, contact each office separately. Combining both documents gives you the most complete picture of a DUI case from start to finish.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's website has contact information and may post FOIA request forms or instructions for records access.

The site lists office hours and the process for submitting a records request to the Jefferson County Sheriff's records division.

Illinois DUI Law and What It Means for Records

Illinois classifies DUI offenses on a scale that rises with each conviction. A first DUI under 625 ILCS 5/11-501 is a Class A misdemeanor. The second offense stays a misdemeanor but carries harsher penalties. By the third offense, the charge becomes a Class 4 felony, and from there each additional DUI can be charged as a Class 2 felony.

When a driver is arrested for DUI in Jefferson County, the Statutory Summary Suspension process under 625 ILCS 5/11-501.1 kicks in right away. Refuse chemical testing and the suspension runs 12 months. Fail the test and it is 6 months. The driver has 90 days to challenge the suspension in circuit court. If no challenge is filed, the suspension takes effect and shows up on the driving record.

Illinois law under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2 does not allow DUI convictions to be expunged or sealed. Once a DUI conviction is entered, it stays. The ISP criminal history will show it, and no legal process in this state can remove it. This is different from some other charge types that can be cleared after time has passed.

Secretary of State: Driving Records and Local Hearings Office

The Illinois Secretary of State maintains driving abstracts that show license status, suspensions, and DUI-related driving history. A standard driving abstract costs $20 and can be ordered at ilsos.gov. This document is separate from a criminal record but often needed alongside it for reinstatement or legal proceedings.

Jefferson County drivers whose licenses were revoked after a DUI conviction under 625 ILCS 5/6-205 have a local resource that many downstate counties lack. The Secretary of State Office of Administrative Hearings operates a Mt. Vernon location at 218 S. 12th St., Mt. Vernon IL 62864, and can be reached at 618-242-8986. This is where formal license reinstatement hearings are held for drivers in the area. Residents do not always need to travel to Springfield or Chicago for this step.

For general SOS questions about license status, the SOS Driver Analysis Section can be reached at 217-782-2720. More on the administrative hearings process is at ilsos.gov/departments/administrative-hearings.html.

ISP Criminal History and CHIRP Access

The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification keeps a statewide criminal history database that includes DUI convictions from all Illinois counties, including Jefferson. If you want to check your own record, the ISP My Record tool at isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification/MyRecord lets you view and print your own criminal history.

Authorized agencies and attorneys use the CHIRP system to access official ISP records. CHIRP stands for Criminal History Information Response Process. The ISP Bureau of Identification phone number is 815-740-5160, and their main page is at isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification. Because DUI convictions cannot be sealed, they stay in the ISP database permanently after entry.

DUI Risk Evaluations in Jefferson County

Illinois requires a DUI evaluation before a revoked driver can petition for license reinstatement. A licensed evaluator assesses the driver's risk level, and that assessment determines what treatment or education must be completed. In Jefferson County, licensed evaluators operate in and around Mt. Vernon. The Illinois Department of Human Services maintains the list of approved evaluators statewide.

The evaluation report is submitted at the SOS reinstatement hearing. For Jefferson County residents, that hearing can take place at the local Mt. Vernon administrative hearings office at 218 S. 12th St. Courts may also order an evaluation as part of the sentencing process before a case closes. Talk to your attorney or check with the 2nd Circuit Court for how this works in your specific case.

Cities in Jefferson County

Mt. Vernon is the county seat and the largest city in Jefferson County, home to the Circuit Clerk, Sheriff, and the local SOS Administrative Hearings office. Other communities in the county include Benton, Sesser, and Waltonville. None of these cities meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page, but all Jefferson County residents file DUI cases at the 2nd Judicial Circuit courthouse in Mt. Vernon.

Nearby Counties

Jefferson County is surrounded by several southern Illinois counties, each with its own circuit court and clerk office for DUI case records.