Search Randolph County DUI Records

Randolph County DUI records are filed and maintained by the 20th Judicial Circuit Court in Chester, Illinois, where the Circuit Clerk keeps case records for every DUI charge prosecuted in the county. This page covers the local court clerk, the Sheriff's Office, and the state-level systems where Bureau County DUI data flows after a case closes, giving you a clear path to the records you need.

Randolph County Circuit Clerk

Julie A. Carnahan is the Randolph County Circuit Clerk. Her office at #1 Taylor Street, Room 302, Chester is the official keeper of all DUI case records filed in the county. The records held here include the original charge documents, all motion filings, hearing transcripts, plea entries, verdicts, sentencing orders, and final dispositions. If you need to verify how a Randolph County DUI case resolved or get copies of court documents, this is the right office to contact.

The Randolph County Circuit Clerk's website at randolphcountyil.gov/circuit-clerk lists office hours, forms, and contact information for the Chester courthouse.

The 20th Judicial Circuit covers Randolph, Monroe, Perry, St. Clair, and Washington counties. DUI cases from Chester, Red Bud, Sparta, and other Randolph County communities are heard at the Chester courthouse. The clerk can search records by defendant name or case number. Most full case documents require an in-person visit or a written records request to the clerk's office.

Illinois DUI law under 625 ILCS 5/11-501 defines a DUI as driving with a BAC of 0.08 or higher, or while impaired by alcohol, cannabis, a controlled substance, or any combination. A first offense is a Class A misdemeanor. A third offense is a Class 2 felony. The Randolph County Circuit Clerk maintains case records for every charge level filed in this court.

Randolph County Sheriff DUI Arrests

The Randolph County Sheriff's Office at 155 S Main St in Chester handles DUI enforcement in unincorporated areas of the county. The Sheriff's Office can be reached at 618-826-5484. Arrest records held by the Sheriff are separate from the court case files maintained by the circuit clerk. Both may be relevant depending on what information you are researching.

The Sheriff's Office website at randolphcountysheriff.com provides contact details and agency resources for Randolph County.

Requests for arrest records from the Randolph County Sheriff are processed under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. A written FOIA request submitted to the Sheriff's Office must receive a response within five business days. Records tied to open or active cases may be temporarily withheld under the statute's exemptions, but closed case records are generally available to the public upon request.

Illinois State Police and Randolph County DUI Convictions

When a Randolph County DUI case ends in conviction, the circuit court reports that outcome to the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification. The ISP adds the conviction to the permanent statewide criminal history database. Under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2, DUI convictions in Illinois are not eligible for expungement or sealing at any point. A Randolph County DUI conviction stays in the ISP system permanently, regardless of when the case was filed.

The ISP criminal history system is built on fingerprint records. When someone is arrested for DUI in Randolph County, fingerprints are taken and associated with the arrest. Once the court reports a conviction, the ISP links that outcome to the fingerprint record. This is how the statewide system tracks DUI history across all 102 Illinois counties.

Conviction data is public under the Uniform Conviction Information Act at 20 ILCS 2635/1. Arrests that did not end in conviction have more limited access. The ISP criminal history page at isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification/CriminalHistory explains the request process and what information is available to members of the public versus what requires a law enforcement query.

License Revocation and Driving Records

A DUI conviction in Randolph County leads to mandatory license revocation under 625 ILCS 5/6-205. The Illinois Secretary of State handles this as an administrative action, separate from the criminal court case. Reinstatement requires a formal SOS hearing, and the conditions depend on the driver's offense history and the specific circumstances of the conviction.

The Statutory Summary Suspension under 625 ILCS 5/11-501.1 applies before the criminal case is resolved. When a driver fails or refuses a chemical test during a Randolph County DUI stop, the suspension activates automatically 46 days after the notice date. A first-offense refusal results in a 12-month suspension. Failing the test triggers a 6-month suspension. Drivers can contest a summary suspension through a SOS administrative hearing at ilsos.gov/departments/administrative-hearings.html.

Driving record abstracts are available through the Secretary of State at ilsos.gov. The abstract shows DUI convictions, summary suspensions, revocations, and other license actions. It costs $20 and is often needed for reinstatement hearings or when legal or insurance matters require documented driving history. The SOS Driver Analysis division can be reached at 217-782-2720.

DUI Statute and Randolph County Court Cases

The core DUI statute for Illinois is 625 ILCS 5/11-501. It covers driving under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances, cannabis, intoxicating compounds, methamphetamine, and combinations. The 0.08 BAC threshold applies to alcohol, but the statute also allows charges based on impairment at any BAC level if the driver's ability to operate the vehicle is affected. Randolph County DUI cases prosecuted under this statute span the range from first misdemeanor charges through repeat felony offenses.

Aggravating factors increase the severity of the charge. A DUI committed with a child under 16 in the vehicle is a more serious offense. A DUI causing great bodily harm to another person carries enhanced penalties. Prior DUI convictions from Randolph County or anywhere else in Illinois count toward the offense level for a new charge. The circuit clerk's case records show the specific charges and how they were resolved in each case.

For more on how the 20th Judicial Circuit handles DUI cases, the Illinois Courts website at illinoiscourts.gov/courts/circuit-court explains the circuit court system and how DUI cases move through the courts in southern Illinois. This is a useful resource before contacting the clerk's office directly.

Cities in Randolph County

No cities in Randolph County meet the population threshold for individual DUI records pages. Chester, Red Bud, and Sparta are the largest communities in the county. DUI cases from all Randolph County communities are processed through the circuit court in Chester.

Nearby Counties

Randolph County is in southwestern Illinois along the Mississippi River. Adjacent counties have their own circuit courts and clerks for DUI cases filed in those areas.