Find DUI Records in Sangamon County
Sangamon County DUI records are filed and maintained at the Circuit Clerk office in Springfield, the seat of Illinois state government. All DUI cases from Springfield and the surrounding county go through the 7th Judicial Circuit Court. You can search DUI case records in Sangamon County by name or case number through the clerk's office or through state online systems. This page covers what records exist, where to find them, and what state databases apply to Sangamon County cases.
Sangamon County Quick Facts
Sangamon County Circuit Clerk Office
Joseph B. Roesch serves as Circuit Clerk for Sangamon County. The clerk's office holds all DUI court records filed in the 7th Judicial Circuit. This includes every document from the initial filing through sentencing and any post-conviction motions. Staff can search records by name or case number and make certified or plain copies for a fee.
The Sangamon County Circuit Clerk office is located in the county courthouse at 200 South 9th Street in Springfield. Room 405 handles public records requests. The office is open standard courthouse hours on weekdays. For DUI records that go back many years, in-person visits tend to be more reliable than online searches since older files may not be digitized. The clerk's website has case search tools for more recent filings.
| Circuit Clerk | Joseph B. Roesch |
|---|---|
| Address | 200 South 9th Street, Room 405, Springfield, IL 62701-1299 |
| Phone | 217-753-6674 |
| Fax | 217-747-5108 |
| Website | sangamoncountycircuitclerk.com |
Sangamon County DUI Cases and the Law
Illinois law defines DUI under 625 ILCS 5/11-501. A driver is guilty of DUI in Sangamon County if they operate a vehicle with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or higher, while under the influence of drugs, or while under a combined influence of alcohol and drugs that impairs driving ability. A first offense is a Class A misdemeanor. Most first DUI cases in Sangamon County resolve through the misdemeanor court track.
Second DUI in Sangamon County brings mandatory minimums. State law requires either 5 days in jail or 240 hours of community service for a second offense. Third DUI is a Class 2 felony, which means the case moves to the felony division of the 7th Judicial Circuit. The Sangamon County State's Attorney handles prosecution for all DUI cases in the county, both misdemeanor and felony. Records for both types are at the Circuit Clerk office.
Under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2, DUI convictions cannot be expunged or sealed in Illinois. Once a DUI conviction is entered in Sangamon County, it stays on the record. This differs from some other criminal offenses where sealing is possible after time passes. Anyone checking a criminal history will see a Sangamon County DUI conviction through the ISP criminal history system.
Note: Sangamon County is the seat of Illinois state government, and DUI enforcement here includes state agency patrols on government campus roads as well as city and county law enforcement.
State DUI Record Systems for Sangamon County
The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification at isp.illinois.gov maintains the state criminal history repository. All DUI convictions from Sangamon County are reported here after the court enters a final disposition. This is the authoritative source for conviction records statewide.
The ISP Bureau of Identification processes both name-based and fingerprint-based criminal history requests, with fingerprint checks providing more accurate results for Sangamon County cases where names may be common.
To get your own DUI record from any Illinois county, use the ISP My Record system online. This is a self-request option that returns your complete state criminal history at no cost. The CHIRP system is the portal used by licensed agencies and employers to request conviction records on others. CHIRP access requires an authorized account. Under 20 ILCS 2635/1, only conviction data is released through CHIRP, not arrests that did not result in conviction.
The Illinois Secretary of State administers driving records for all Sangamon County drivers. A DUI arrest triggers a Statutory Summary Suspension under 625 ILCS 5/11-501.1. For a first-time offender who fails the breath test, the suspension runs six months. Refusing the test on a first offense means 12 months. Driving record abstracts can be purchased through the Secretary of State's website. These records show suspensions and revocations tied to DUI charges in Sangamon County.
Sangamon County Sheriff and DUI Enforcement
The Sangamon County Sheriff's Office patrols unincorporated areas of the county and handles DUI arrests outside Springfield city limits. The sheriff's office is at 1 Sheriff's Plaza in Springfield and can be reached at 217-753-7117. Their website is at sangamoncountysheriff.com.
DUI arrest records from the sheriff are subject to Illinois FOIA requests. Under 5 ILCS 140, the sheriff must provide arrest reports within 72 hours of receiving a written request. Once those arrest cases go through the Circuit Court, the full case file becomes available at the clerk's office. Illinois State Police also patrol Sangamon County roads and contribute DUI arrest reports that become part of the Circuit Court file in Springfield.
After a DUI conviction in Sangamon County, license revocation is mandatory under 625 ILCS 5/6-205. Reinstatement requires a formal hearing through the Secretary of State. Details on that process are at ilsos.gov/departments/administrative-hearings.html. The hearing is not automatic and must be requested by the driver.
7th Circuit Court and Sangamon County DUI Cases
The Illinois Circuit Court system places Sangamon County in the 7th Judicial Circuit. This circuit covers several counties in central Illinois, but the main courthouse for Sangamon County is in Springfield. All DUI cases filed in the county, whether from Springfield police, the sheriff, or state police, are heard here.
Court dates, case numbers, and dispositions are all part of the public record at the Sangamon County Circuit Clerk. For older cases, you may need to visit in person and submit a written request. The clerk can search by the defendant's name, date of birth, or case number. If you only have one of those, name plus approximate year of the offense is usually enough to locate a case.
Illinois circuit courts report DUI dispositions to the Secretary of State and the ISP, so a Sangamon County conviction will appear in both the court record and the state criminal history system.
DUI records in Sangamon County are public under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. You do not need to be a party to the case to request them. Court records are open to the public unless sealed by a judge, and DUI convictions cannot be sealed under Illinois law.
Cities in Sangamon County
Sangamon County includes Springfield and several smaller communities. DUI cases from all of them are filed at the 7th Judicial Circuit Court in Springfield. Springfield is the only city in Sangamon County above the qualifying population threshold.
Other communities in Sangamon County include Auburn, Chatham, Riverton, Sherman, and Williamsville. DUI cases from these areas are filed in Springfield at the Sangamon County courthouse.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Sangamon County. If you have a DUI case that crosses county lines or you are not sure which county handled an arrest, check the county listed on the citation or court filing.