Search Madison County DUI Records

Madison County DUI records are held by the 3rd Judicial Circuit Court in Edwardsville, the county seat located just east of the Metro East region along the Missouri border. DUI enforcement in Madison County involves the Sheriff's office, Illinois State Police along Interstate 55 and Interstate 270, and police departments in communities from Alton in the north to Granite City and Collinsville in the south. This page covers how to access Madison County DUI court records, where arrest records are maintained, how driving history connects to the Secretary of State, and which state-level resources apply to DUI cases in Madison County.

Madison County Circuit Clerk

Circuit Clerk Patrick McRae maintains all court records for the 3rd Judicial Circuit at the Madison County Courthouse in Edwardsville. The clerk's office at 155 N Main Street is the official holder of DUI case files from across Madison County, including charging documents, court orders, plea agreements, supervision records, and final case dispositions. The Madison County Circuit Clerk website provides online access to case information and office resources.

DUI cases in Madison County follow the same Illinois statutory framework as every other county. A first or second offense is typically a Class A misdemeanor. A third DUI conviction triggers felony charges under 625 ILCS 5/11-501 and moves into the criminal division. The clerk handles all of these case types. Under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2, DUI convictions in Illinois cannot be expunged or sealed, meaning Madison County conviction records are permanent once a court enters them.

For document copies, visiting the Edwardsville courthouse in person is the most reliable approach. Some case lookup functionality may be available through the clerk's website, but full case file access typically requires a written request or an in-person visit to the clerk's office at 155 N Main Street.

Madison County Sheriff and Arrest Records

The Madison County Sheriff's Office at 405 Randle Street in Edwardsville handles law enforcement in unincorporated Madison County and operates the county jail. When a DUI arrest happens in unincorporated areas, the arrest report and booking records are generated and held by the Sheriff's office. The Sheriff also covers highway patrol on county roads and participates in state-funded DUI enforcement campaigns throughout the year.

The Madison County Sheriff's Office website provides contacts, department information, and details on services including inmate records. The inmate search tool confirms custody status following a DUI arrest in unincorporated Madison County.

The Sheriff's site shown above is the starting point for arrest-level records generated by Sheriff's deputies in unincorporated Madison County. For DUI arrests by municipal police in Alton, Granite City, Edwardsville, Collinsville, or other incorporated areas, contact those departments directly. Illinois FOIA (5 ILCS 140) requires agencies to respond to records requests within 5 business days.

Illinois DUI Law and Madison County Enforcement

Illinois DUI law is set out in 625 ILCS 5/11-501. The legal standard is a BAC of 0.08 or higher, or impairment by any substance that affects safe driving. Cannabis, prescription drugs, and other substances are covered by the same statute. Officers can charge based on observed impairment without a BAC reading.

Penalties in Madison County follow the statewide schedule. A first DUI is a Class A misdemeanor. A second DUI is also a Class A misdemeanor but with mandatory minimum jail time of 5 days or 240 hours of community service. A third DUI is a Class 2 felony with a sentencing range of 3 to 7 years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines. Aggravating factors, including a passenger under age 16, injury to another person, or driving through a school zone, raise the charge level further.

A Statutory Summary Suspension also kicks in after most DUI stops. Under 625 ILCS 5/11-501.1, failing a breath or blood test on a first offense results in a 6-month license suspension. Refusing the test carries a 12-month suspension. The suspension starts 46 days after the officer issues notice and runs through the Secretary of State, separate from any court-imposed penalties in the Madison County case.

Driving Records Through the Secretary of State

The Illinois Secretary of State's Driver Analysis Section in Springfield maintains the official driving record for every Illinois-licensed driver. A Madison County DUI arrest, conviction, and any resulting suspension or revocation all appear on the driving abstract. The driving record is a state-level document, kept separate from the court file at the Madison County Circuit Clerk's office in Edwardsville.

The cost for a driving abstract is $20. You can order it online through the SOS at ilsos.gov, by mail, or in person at any SOS facility. The Driver Analysis Section handles record questions at 217-782-2720.

A DUI conviction in Madison County leads to license revocation under 625 ILCS 5/6-205. Getting driving privileges back requires a formal reinstatement hearing with the Secretary of State. This is not automatic. Defendants must petition the SOS, attend a hearing, and demonstrate compliance with evaluation and treatment requirements. The SOS administrative hearings page at ilsos.gov/departments/administrative-hearings.html lays out the process and what documents are required.

ISP Criminal History and Statewide Records

Madison County DUI convictions are reported to the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification in Joliet. When a conviction is entered at the Edwardsville courthouse, it is added to the statewide criminal history database tied to that individual's fingerprints. The ISP covers all 102 Illinois counties and is the authoritative state source for DUI conviction records from Madison County.

To request criminal history records, start at the ISP Bureau of Identification website at isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification. The bureau's phone is 815-740-5160. If you want to check your own Madison County DUI record, use the ISP My Record tool at isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification/MyRecord. For broader criminal history requests, go to isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification/CriminalHistory.

The ISP Bureau of Identification shown above processes requests from individuals seeking their own records as well as from authorized agencies needing background check data. Authorized agencies access the system through the ISP CHIRP system. The Illinois Courts website has jurisdiction and contact information for the 3rd Judicial Circuit serving Madison County.

DUI Evaluation and Treatment in Madison County

Illinois law requires all DUI defendants to complete a substance abuse evaluation with a SUPR-licensed provider before the court can finalize sentencing or supervision terms. In Madison County, this step is taken seriously. The evaluation determines the appropriate level of intervention: a 10-hour DUI risk education course for first-time offenders with no underlying substance issues, or a full treatment program for those with more serious use patterns.

Madison County defendants can choose any SUPR-licensed evaluator in the area, which includes providers in Edwardsville, Alton, Granite City, and Collinsville. Courts may recommend specific providers but do not restrict choice to a single agency. The evaluation must be completed at a licensed facility, and the written report goes to the court. Courts use it when deciding on supervision terms, fines, and whether treatment is part of the sentence.

For those facing license revocation after a Madison County DUI conviction, evaluation and treatment compliance are also required for reinstatement. The Secretary of State reviews these records at a formal administrative hearing. Showing up to the SOS hearing without proof of evaluation completion means the reinstatement request will be denied. Madison County defendants should complete the evaluation quickly and keep all documentation for the future SOS hearing.

Cities in Madison County

No Madison County cities meet the population threshold for individual city pages. DUI cases from all communities in Madison County are filed through the 3rd Judicial Circuit Court in Edwardsville.

Alton, Edwardsville, and Granite City are among the larger communities in the county. Alton sits along the Mississippi River in the north, Granite City is in the south near the St. Louis metro border, and Edwardsville is the county seat in the center. None of these cities have standalone city pages, but DUI cases from all three are handled at the Edwardsville courthouse through the same Madison County procedures.

Nearby Counties

Madison County sits in southwestern Illinois and borders several surrounding counties. DUI cases are filed in the county where the traffic stop took place, so county boundaries matter when stops happen near a line.