Washington County DUI Records

Washington County DUI records are maintained by the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court in Nashville, Illinois (not Nashville, Tennessee), where the Circuit Clerk is the official source for all DUI case filings, court orders, and final dispositions. This page explains how to find DUI records in Washington County, which offices hold them, and how to use state systems to access conviction data, arrest history, and driving record information linked to DUI cases in the county.

Washington County Circuit Clerk

Andrea Renken is the Washington County Circuit Clerk. Her office at 125 E. Elm Street in Nashville, Illinois is the official repository for every DUI case filed in Washington County. The clerk holds charge documents, hearing records, plea entries, sentencing orders, and final dispositions. To find out what happened in a DUI case in Washington County, start at the circuit clerk's office in Nashville.

The clerk's website at washingtoncountyil.gov/circuit-clerk has office hours, contact details, and guidance on how to request court records from Nashville, Illinois. Full DUI case documents usually need an in-person visit or a written request to the clerk's office. Staff can search by name or case number and tell you what is in the public file for any Washington County DUI case.

Washington County is part of the 2nd Judicial Circuit, which covers several counties in southern Illinois. All DUI cases from Nashville, Illinois and communities throughout Washington County are heard at the courthouse in Nashville. The circuit handles both misdemeanor and felony DUI charges under 625 ILCS 5/11-501.

Washington County Sheriff and Arrest Records

The Washington County Sheriff's Office is at 120 E. Main St. in Nashville, Illinois. The sheriff handles DUI enforcement in unincorporated Washington County and keeps arrest records that are separate from the court case files held by the circuit clerk. Both offices may be relevant depending on what part of a Washington County DUI case you are researching.

Arrest record requests go through the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. The sheriff's office must respond within five business days. Records for closed DUI cases are part of the public record. Records tied to active investigations may be held back for a time. The sheriff's website at washingtoncountysheriffil.com has contact information for FOIA requests.

The sheriff and the circuit clerk are two separate offices that hold different types of records. The sheriff has arrest data from the DUI stop and initial detention. The clerk has the court case record from filing through final judgment. A full picture of a Washington County DUI matter may require looking at both.

The ISP Bureau of Identification is the central state repository for DUI criminal history. Both arrest and conviction data from Washington County agencies flow into the ISP system through fingerprint submissions and court reporting.

Illinois State Police and Washington County DUI Records

When a Washington County DUI case results in a conviction, the circuit court reports that to the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification. The ISP holds this as a permanent entry in the person's criminal history. Under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2, DUI convictions in Illinois cannot be expunged or sealed. Every Washington County DUI conviction in the ISP system stays there permanently, no matter when the case was decided.

The ISP database is fingerprint-based. A Washington County DUI arrest triggers a fingerprint submission that connects the event to a statewide record. When the court reports a conviction, the ISP links that outcome to the fingerprint file. This creates a full record that includes arrests and convictions from every Illinois court that reports to the ISP. Washington County DUI records are included in 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 records that include Washington County DUI data. The image below shows the ISP criminal history request portal.

The CHIRP portal at chirp.isp.illinois.gov gives authorized users online access to Illinois criminal history. Individuals checking their own records and certified requestors can use CHIRP to access Washington County DUI conviction data faster than a mail-in request allows.

Driving Record and License Actions for Washington County DUI Cases

A DUI conviction in Washington County leads to mandatory license revocation under 625 ILCS 5/6-205. The Illinois Secretary of State handles this as a separate administrative process from the criminal case in Nashville, Illinois. Reinstatement requires a formal SOS hearing. Waiting periods and conditions depend on the driver's prior DUI conviction count.

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

Driving record abstracts are available from the Secretary of State for $20 at ilsos.gov. The abstract shows DUI convictions, summary suspensions, revocations, and other license-related actions for any Illinois driver. It is a direct way to see the driving record side of a Washington County DUI case, separate from the court documents at the circuit clerk's office in Nashville, Illinois.

DUI Charges and the Washington County Court Process

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

Charge level depends on prior DUI history. A first offense is a Class A misdemeanor, with up to one year in jail and fines up to $2,500. The second offense is still a misdemeanor but carries longer mandatory minimums. The third DUI is a Class 2 felony. Each prior conviction from any Illinois court counts when the 2nd Judicial Circuit sets the charge level for a new Washington County DUI case.

Some facts can push a charge higher even on a first offense. A DUI involving a minor in the car, one causing serious injury, or one committed in a school zone may bring elevated charges. The clerk's records show every count filed, any amendments, and the final outcome for each Washington County DUI case in Nashville, Illinois.

The Illinois Courts website at illinoiscourts.gov/courts/circuit-court covers how the 2nd Judicial Circuit handles DUI cases and how they move from filing to disposition. Review it before contacting the Washington County Circuit Clerk or speaking with a local attorney about a DUI case in Nashville, Illinois.

Cities in Washington County

No cities in Washington County meet the population threshold for individual DUI records pages. Nashville, Illinois is the county seat where the circuit court handles all DUI cases in the county. Note that this is Nashville, Illinois, not Nashville, Tennessee. All records from Washington County DUI cases are maintained by the Circuit Clerk at the courthouse in Nashville, Illinois.

Nearby Counties

Washington County is in southern Illinois. Each neighboring county runs its own circuit court for DUI cases filed within its borders.