Charles County DUI Records Search

Charles County DUI records are filed and maintained at the Circuit Court and District Court in La Plata, Maryland. You can search DUI case records in Charles County for free through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal, which covers criminal filings going back to October 1998. In-person access at the La Plata courthouse and mail-in requests are also available. This page explains the courts, fees, procedures, and laws that apply to DUI records in Charles County.

Finding Charles County DUI Records Online

The Maryland Judiciary Case Search is the starting point for anyone looking up DUI records in Charles County. The tool is free to use and covers all Maryland courts. Criminal records for Charles County are available from October 26, 1998. Civil records go back to August 23, 1996. DUI and DWI charges appear in the criminal case index. Enter the defendant's name and select Charles County to pull up results.

Each result shows the case number, charges filed, hearing dates, and the final outcome. You can see whether the case ended in a conviction, a probation before judgment, or a dismissal. The site also shows charge codes, so you can tell whether the DUI was filed under the basic impairment statute, the per se BAC standard, or a drug-related impairment charge. For most Charles County DUI lookups, the online system gives you enough detail to get a clear picture of the case without going to the courthouse.

More details about searching Charles County criminal records are available at charlesrecords.us/criminal-records. That page covers what records are available and how requests work for this county.

Charles County Circuit Court

The Circuit Court for Charles County handles DUI cases that involve jury trials, felony-level charges, and appeals from the District Court. The court is at 200 Charles Street, La Plata, MD 20646. Clerk Sharon L. Hancock oversees the office. You can reach the general clerk line at 301-932-3200 and the criminal clerk specifically at 301-932-3201. Email is charlesclerk@mdcourts.gov. The Circuit Court clerk's page has full contact details and forms.

To access records in person, visit Room 108 at 200 Charles Street. That is the Criminal Clerk's Office. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. You will fill out a record request form, provide the subject's name and date of birth, and show valid government-issued photo ID. Staff will pull the file and you pay copy fees. The fee is $0.50 per page for self-service copies. If staff assistance is needed, the first page costs $5.00. Certified copies are $5.00 per document plus the per-page copy fee. Checks are made payable to Clerk of the Circuit Court.

The screenshot below shows the Charles County criminal records information page, which gives an overview of how court records access works in La Plata. The Charles County criminal records page outlines the in-person and mail request processes.

The image shows the records access overview for Charles County, where DUI case files are stored and made available to the public through the clerk's office at the La Plata courthouse.

Charles County District Court

Most first-offense DUI cases in Charles County start in the District Court. The court shares the same address as the Circuit Court: 200 Charles Street, La Plata, MD 20646 (P.O. Box 3070). For general inquiries, call 301-932-3300. For criminal matters, call 301-932-3295 or 301-932-3296. A toll-free number is available at 1-800-941-3463. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. More information is on the Charles County District Court directory page.

The District Court hears DUI and DWI charges under Transportation Article §21-902. This covers driving under the influence at .08 or above, driving while impaired at .07, and drug-impaired driving. All District Court records for Charles County are accessible through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search. When a defendant requests a jury trial or a case involves a felony DUI, it transfers to Circuit Court.

Charles County DUI Citation Data

The Charles County Sheriff's Office annual reports track DUI enforcement activity each year. The data shows significant variation in enforcement levels over the past decade. In 2023, the Sheriff's Office issued 206 DUI citations. The 2022 total was 218 citations. In 2021, the number dropped to 149, likely reflecting reduced traffic during the pandemic recovery period. Going back further, 2019 saw 612 DUI citations and 297 DUI arrests before activity leveled off in later years.

The historical data shows higher enforcement in earlier years. The Sheriff's Office reported 391 DUI citations in 2017 and 521 in 2016. In 2015, the total was 430. In 2013, the number peaked at 1,295 citations. These figures reflect all DUI enforcement activity by the Charles County Sheriff's Office and represent cases that would generate DUI records in the county court system. Not every citation leads to a court filing, but most do result in a case record in the Charles County system.

This data helps put individual DUI records searches in context. Charles County has consistently had active DUI enforcement, and the courts maintain records of all cases that resulted in a court appearance. The full annual report archive is available at the Sheriff's Office website.

How Long Charles County DUI Records Are Kept

Charles County follows Maryland court record retention schedules, and DUI cases fall under the traffic and criminal categories. Traffic cases involving DUI or DWI are kept for 10 years in Charles County, compared to just three years for standard traffic cases. This reflects the seriousness of impaired driving charges. Felony case files are kept for 80 years, or permanently for capital offenses. Misdemeanor case files are retained for 10 years. Arrest records are held for 75 years.

These retention rules mean that older DUI records from Charles County may still exist in the physical file archives even if they do not show up in the online Case Search system, which goes back to 1998. If you need a DUI record from before 1998 in Charles County, contact the Circuit Court clerk at 301-932-3200 to ask about archived records and how to request them.

Charles County Sheriff's Office Records

The Charles County Sheriff's Office is at 6915 Crain Highway, La Plata, MD 20646. The main number is 301-932-3070. For records, call extension 222. Sheriff's records include arrest reports, incident reports, and other law enforcement documents that are separate from the court record. To get these, you must submit a written Public Information Act request.

Include the incident date, the location, and the names of those involved when you write your request. Mail it to: Charles County Sheriff's Office, 6915 Crain Highway, PO Box 189, La Plata, MD 20646. The office has up to 30 days under Maryland law to respond. Accident reports in Charles County are available through BuyCrash.com. These are useful if the DUI case you are researching arose from a traffic crash in Charles County.

The Charles County State's Attorney's office is at 200 Charles Street, La Plata, phone 301-932-3010. That office handles prosecution of DUI cases in Charles County and may have information on case status or outcomes for matters currently under their purview.

Note: Sheriff's Office records in Charles County are kept separate from court records and require a Public Information Act request rather than a standard court records inquiry.

Maryland DUI Laws Relevant to Charles County

Charles County DUI cases are prosecuted under Maryland state law. The core statute is Transportation Article §21-902, which covers the full range of impaired driving offenses. DUI is defined as driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or above. DWI covers impairment at .07. Driving while impaired by drugs or a combination of drugs and alcohol is also covered under the same statute.

For a first DUI in Charles County, the maximum penalty is $1,000 in fines and one year in jail. The driver also receives 12 points on their Maryland license. A second DUI carries up to $2,000 and two years in jail, with a mandatory five-day minimum. A third offense brings up to $3,000 and three years. Maryland's DWI penalties are lower: up to $500 and two months for a first offense, with 8 points added to the license.

Maryland's implied consent rules mean that refusing a breath test in Charles County triggers an automatic license suspension. First refusals lead to a 270-day suspension. A second refusal doubles that to two years. The driver has 10 days from arrest to request an MVA hearing to challenge the suspension. If the test comes back at .08 or above, the officer takes the license and issues a 45-day temporary paper license. Suspension starts on the 46th day.

Noah's Law requires ignition interlock installation for all DUI convictions in Maryland. The device is installed in the driver's vehicle and requires a breath test before the car will start. If alcohol is detected, the car will not start. Charles County DUI convictions are subject to this requirement, and the Maryland MVA administers the program statewide.

Expungement of Charles County DUI Records

Maryland's expungement law under Criminal Procedure §10-105 applies to Charles County DUI records. A case that was dismissed or ended in a not-guilty verdict can be expunged right away. Cases that ended in a probation before judgment can be expunged after 15 years under the October 2024 rule changes. A standard DUI conviction does not qualify for expungement in Maryland under current law.

To file for expungement in Charles County, go to the Criminal Clerk's Office at Room 108 in the Charles Street courthouse. Forms are available at the window. You need the case number and the legal basis for your request. After filing, the State's Attorney has 30 days to object. If no objection is raised, the court will consider the petition. If approved, the Clerk sends orders to all agencies that have the record, directing them to destroy or seal it.

The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, which handles state offender records, also receives expungement orders. The DPSCS website has more on how expungement works with state-level records. For plain-language guidance on DUI expungement in Maryland, visit the People's Law Library DUI page.

Note: Even after a successful expungement, Charles County DUI records tied to license sanctions remain with the MVA, as those are administrative rather than court records.

Nearby Counties

Charles County is in southern Maryland. These bordering counties also have DUI records searchable through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search system.