Garrett County DUI Records

Garrett County DUI records are held at the Circuit Court and District Court in Oakland, Maryland. This guide explains how to search for DUI cases in Garrett County, how to get copies of court records, and what the Maryland case search portal shows. Whether you need records from a recent case or one from years ago, the steps here will point you to the right office and the right process for finding what you need.

Searching Garrett County DUI Records Online

The Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal at casesearch.courts.state.md.us is the main tool for finding Garrett County DUI records without visiting the courthouse. It is free to use and covers both the Circuit Court and District Court. You can look up cases by name, case number, or date of birth. The system shows case status, charges, hearing dates, and dispositions for public cases.

Criminal records in Garrett County have been available online since October 4, 1999. Civil records go back to November 3, 1997. Cases before those dates are not in the online system. You would need to contact the Circuit Court clerk directly at garrettclerk@mdcourts.gov or go to the courthouse in Oakland to look up older records. The clerk can help locate cases that predate the online index.

When you search, use the full legal name as it appears on court documents. A partial name may return too many results or miss the one you want. Adding a date of birth narrows the list fast. The system shows both active and closed cases, so DUI charges that were dismissed or resolved years ago may still appear in search results.

Note: The Case Search portal shows public record information only. Restricted or expunged records will not appear in search results.

Garrett County Court Locations

Two courts handle DUI cases in Garrett County. The Circuit Court sits at 203 S. Fourth Street, Oakland, MD 21550. Phone is 301-334-1937. The clerk is Elizabeth A. Thomas, and you can reach the office by email at garrettclerk@mdcourts.gov. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The Circuit Court handles felony DUI cases and appeals from the District Court.

The District Court for Garrett County is just around the corner at 205 South Third Street, Oakland, MD 21550. Phone is 301-334-8020, with a toll-free line at 1-800-947-1029. District Court hours match the Circuit Court, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Most DUI cases in Garrett County start in District Court since it has exclusive jurisdiction over motor vehicle violations under Maryland law. The District Court is where you will find the bulk of DUI filings for this county.

The court records information page at marylandcourtrecords.us/garrett/ has a summary of what Garrett County court records contain and how to access them.

This page covers the types of records available at Garrett County courts, including criminal, civil, and traffic cases that may involve DUI filings.

What Garrett County DUI Records Contain

A DUI case record in Garrett County typically includes the charging document, which lists the specific violation. Under Transportation §21-902, DUI charges can cover driving under the influence of alcohol at a BAC of .08 or above, driving while impaired by alcohol at a BAC of .07, driving while impaired by drugs, or driving while impaired by a controlled dangerous substance. The charge type shown in the record reflects which subsection applies to that arrest.

Records also include the defendant's name, date of birth, and case number. You will see the arrest date, hearing dates, and the name of the assigned judge. The disposition tells you the outcome, whether the case was convicted, dismissed, probation before judgment, or continued. If a fine or jail sentence was imposed, that appears too. License point assessments tied to the conviction are not always in the court record but show up on the defendant's driving record with the MVA.

Some details may be redacted or sealed. Juvenile cases are not public. Cases that were expunged under Criminal Procedure §10-105 will not appear. If a DUI charge was part of a larger incident with multiple charges, the record may show all related charges together as a unit under the case number.

How to Get Copies of DUI Records in Garrett County

You can get copies of Garrett County DUI records in person or by mail. In person, go to the Circuit Court at 203 S. Fourth Street in Oakland. You will need to complete a records request form. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID and the subject's full name and date of birth. Staff will search the index and pull the file. You pay copy fees when the copies are made.

Copy fees in Garrett County are $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 for the first page of a document. If you need a certified copy of a complete case file, the cost adds up based on page count. The clerk's office accepts payment in cash or by money order. Call ahead at 301-334-1937 to confirm current fees and whether your case is available same-day or needs to be retrieved from storage.

Mail requests are accepted. Send your written request to: Clerk of the Circuit Court for Garrett County, 203 S. Fourth Street, Oakland, MD 21550. Include the full name, approximate case year, case number if you have it, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Processing time can vary. More information on the clerk's office is at mdcourts.gov/clerks/garrett.

Note: Older historical records may be available at the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis if they are not held at the clerk's office.

Maryland DUI Law and Garrett County Cases

Maryland's DUI statute, Transportation §21-902, covers the full range of impaired driving offenses charged in Garrett County. A first DUI conviction can bring up to one year in jail and a fine up to $1,000. A second DUI conviction carries up to two years imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum of five days, and a fine up to $2,000. A third offense can result in up to three years behind bars and a $3,000 fine.

Maryland also uses an administrative per se process separate from the criminal case. When a Garrett County officer makes a DUI arrest, the driver's license is confiscated on the spot. The officer issues a 45-day paper license. On the 46th day, the suspension begins. A driver has ten days from arrest to request an MVA hearing to fight the suspension. Refusing the breath test brings a 270-day suspension for a first refusal and a two-year suspension for a second.

The ignition interlock program, known as Noah's Law, applies to all DUI convictions and probation before judgment dispositions in Maryland. This includes Garrett County cases. The device connects the vehicle ignition to a breath analyzer. The car will not start if alcohol is detected. For repeat offenders, the interlock requirement can last up to three years.

DUI convictions earn 12 points on the driver's license under the Maryland point system. DWI convictions earn 8 points. Points stay on the record for two years from the violation date.

Expungement of DUI Records in Garrett County

Expungement removes a criminal record from public access. For Garrett County DUI cases, the rules under Criminal Procedure §10-105 govern who can apply and when. Charges that were dismissed or resulted in a not guilty verdict can generally be expunged. Convictions are harder to clear.

As of October 1, 2024, Maryland law allows expungement of a probation before judgment (PBJ) for DUI after 15 years have passed. A PBJ means the court withheld judgment while the defendant completed probation. If probation was completed successfully, the case did not result in a formal conviction. Still, the waiting period is long before expungement becomes available for those DUI PBJ dispositions.

Petitions for expungement in Garrett County are filed at the Circuit Court or District Court where the case was heard. The clerk can provide the forms. Resources on DUI law and expungement in Maryland are available at peoples-law.org. Legal aid organizations can also help low-income residents understand their options.

Garrett County Sheriff's Office Records

The Garrett County Sheriff's Office at 300 Alder Street, Oakland, MD 21550 handles arrest reports and incident records for DUI cases that the Sheriff investigated. The main line is 301-334-1911, and the records unit can be reached at extension 112.

To get police records from the Sheriff's Office, you need to submit a Public Information Act request. Write to the Sheriff's Office at the Oakland address above. Processing time is up to 30 days. Records maintained by the Sheriff include arrest reports, incident reports, and DUI investigation files. The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services also maintains statewide criminal history records at dpscs.state.md.us.

Warrant records for Garrett County are available through both the Circuit Court and the Sheriff's Office. Court records from the clerk and police records from the Sheriff are separate systems, so checking both may give a more complete picture of a DUI case history in Garrett County.

Nearby Counties

Garrett County sits in the far western corner of Maryland. The two counties below share borders with Garrett and also maintain DUI records through the same Maryland court system.