Delaware County DUI Records
DUI records in Delaware County are stored at the Clerk of Courts office in the city of Delaware, Ohio. The clerk keeps OVI case files for the Common Pleas Court while the Delaware Municipal Court maintains its own records for misdemeanor charges. You can search these records online through the county's case lookup tools or visit the courthouse in person. Delaware County has seen steady growth in recent years, and its court system handles a high volume of OVI cases each year. This page covers how to find and access DUI case records from Delaware County courts.
Delaware County DUI Records Overview
Delaware County Clerk of Courts
Natalie A. Fravel serves as the Delaware County Clerk of Courts. Her office is at 117 North Union Street, Level 300, Delaware, Ohio 43015. You can reach them at 740-833-2500 or by email at clerkofcourts@co.delaware.oh.us. The Legal Division keeps all court records for the Common Pleas Court, including felony OVI case files. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Delaware County Clerk of Courts maintains over 22 million pages of documents between the Legal and Title departments. For DUI records, the clerk's office handles everything from case filing to certified copy requests. The records division protects and preserves all official court files. You can search their online system for case info going back to the early 1990s. Older records require a direct request to the records division. If you need a certified copy of a DUI case file, the office accepts cash, checks, credit cards, and money orders. Credit card payments come with a processing fee of $2.00 or 2.39%, whichever is more. Bail bond payments must be made by cash or cashier's check only.
The Delaware County Clerk of Courts site shows how to make public records requests and explains the fees for copies of OVI case documents.
How to Search DUI Records in Delaware County
Delaware County offers a solid online case search system. The Delaware County Records Search portal lets you look up court records by name, case number, case type, date range, or attorney. For DUI cases specifically, you can run a name search using the party's last name. The system pulls up matching results with case numbers shown as links. Click on a case number and you see the full docket with every filing listed by date.
The search tool covers criminal, civil, and domestic relations cases from the Common Pleas Court. For OVI cases, you can narrow your results by setting the case type to criminal and picking a date range. The results page shows party names, case status, charges, and hearing dates. To see the actual documents behind a docket entry, you need to request them from the clerk's office. The online system is updated regularly but there can be a short lag between when something gets filed and when it appears in the search results.
The Delaware County case search portal provides a way to look up OVI case dockets from the Common Pleas Court without visiting the courthouse.
The Delaware Municipal Court also handles DUI cases. It sits at the Delaware Justice Center, 70 N Union Street, Delaware, OH 43015. The criminal and traffic division can be reached at 740-203-1570. Most misdemeanor OVI charges in the county go through this court. The municipal court provides its own online case lookup and payment system for fines and tickets.
Note: Ohio calls its drunk driving offense OVI, but DUI and OVI refer to the same charge and the same records in Delaware County courts.
Delaware County OVI Laws and Penalties
DUI charges in Delaware County fall under Ohio Revised Code Section 4511.19. It is a crime to drive with a BAC of 0.08% or more. The same statute covers drug impairment. A BAC of 0.17% or higher triggers a "high test" OVI with stiffer penalties. Every one of these charges creates a court record in Delaware County.
A first OVI conviction brings a minimum of three days in jail or a Driver Intervention Program. Fines range from $375 to $1,075. The court suspends your license for one to three years. Second offense within ten years means at least ten days in jail and fines up to $1,625. Third offense carries 30 days and up to $2,750 in fines. When someone picks up a fourth OVI within ten years, it turns into a felony. The case then moves from the Delaware Municipal Court up to Common Pleas Court where prison time of six to 30 months is possible.
Ohio's implied consent law under ORC Section 4511.191 means every driver has already agreed to chemical testing when stopped for OVI. Refuse the test in Delaware County and you face a one-year Administrative License Suspension that starts right away. You can challenge that under ORC Section 4511.197 within 30 days of your first court appearance.
Fifth District Court of Appeals
Delaware County falls in the Fifth District Court of Appeals. This court hears appeals from Common Pleas Court decisions, including felony DUI convictions. If you want to appeal an OVI case from Delaware County, the notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days of the final judgment.
The Fifth District Court of Appeals website provides access to opinions, case info, court rules, and filing procedures. The court has an e-filing system for submitting appeal documents. It is located in Canton, Ohio, at 110 Central Plaza South, Suite 320. The Fifth District covers a broad area including Ashland, Fairfield, Guernsey, Holmes, Knox, Licking, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Perry, Richland, Stark, and Tuscarawas counties alongside Delaware. Published opinions from this court set precedent for how DUI laws get applied across the district.
The Fifth District site includes appellate opinions and court rules that affect how OVI cases from Delaware County are reviewed on appeal.
DUI Records and License Suspensions
Every OVI conviction in Delaware County triggers a license suspension. First offense is one to three years. Second offense runs one to seven years. The Ohio BMV tracks all suspensions on your driving record and adds six points per conviction. Reach 12 points in two years and your license gets suspended on top of the court-ordered suspension.
First-time OVI offenders in Delaware County can ask for limited driving privileges after 15 days of hard suspension under ORC Section 4510.037. The court sets restrictions on hours, routes, and purposes. Repeat offenders and high-test cases must install an ignition interlock device. Getting your full license back after a DUI suspension costs $475 through the BMV, and you need SR-22 proof of insurance on file.
Are Delaware County DUI Records Public
Yes. Ohio Revised Code Section 149.43 makes court records public. Anyone can request copies of OVI case files from the Delaware County Clerk of Courts. You do not need to be involved in the case.
Some information in a DUI file gets redacted before release. Social security numbers, bank details, and certain medical information are blacked out. Sealed records from expungement are not available. But the bulk of OVI case documents in Delaware County are open to anyone. The complaint, chemical test results, plea agreement, and sentencing order are all part of the public record. If a request gets denied, you can file a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General.
Nearby Counties
Delaware County borders several other Ohio counties. Each maintains its own court system and DUI records. Contact the neighboring county's clerk if you need records from their courts.