Kent County DUI Records Lookup

Kent County DUI records are filed and maintained at the Circuit Court and District Court, both located on North Cross Street in Chestertown, Maryland. This page explains how to search for DUI cases online, how to request copies from the clerk's office, and what historical records the Kent County court system holds. Kent County keeps an unusually deep archive of older case files, and this guide covers both current and historical DUI records access in Chestertown.

Searching Kent County DUI Records

The free Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal at casesearch.courts.state.md.us covers Kent County DUI cases. You can search by name, case number, or date of birth. The system returns the case type, charges, hearing schedule, and disposition for public records. Kent County criminal records have been in the online system since May 8, 2000. Civil records go back to August 3, 1998. Cases before those dates are not in the online portal.

Kent County has an unusually rich archive of pre-digital court records that the clerk's office maintains directly. This includes records going back decades for criminal, civil, equity, and paternity matters. For DUI cases from before May 2000, the clerk's office at 103 N. Cross Street in Chestertown is the right place to start. Staff can search older indices and pull records that never made it into the electronic system.

The records page for the Kent County clerk is at courts.state.md.us/clerks/kent/records. This page describes what the clerk holds and how to request access.

This page is the official source for understanding what Kent County court records exist and how to request them from the clerk in Chestertown.

Note: Older Kent County case records are maintained on the "Papervision" imaging system for files that predate the online case search. Ask the clerk about Papervision access when searching for older DUI cases.

Historical Kent County Court Records

Kent County maintains an impressive set of historical court records at the clerk's office. These go back much further than any other county we cover, and they matter for anyone researching older DUI or criminal cases. Criminal Dockets in Kent County run from 1945 to November 2000. That is over 55 years of criminal case records available directly at the courthouse. If you are researching a DUI case from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, or 1990s, the Kent County clerk may have it on file.

Law Dockets run from 1944 to July 1984. Equity Dockets cover 1975 to July 1984. Civil Dockets span July 1984 to March 1999. Paternity Dockets go from 1964 to March 1999. Divorce Decrees are also held at the clerk's office. This depth of record-keeping reflects the small size of the county and the care taken to preserve its legal history. For researchers, genealogists, and legal professionals, the Kent County clerk's office is one of the more complete archives in the state.

Records in the pre-digital era are paper-based. Some have been scanned into the Papervision imaging system. Others may still be in physical folders. Call the clerk at 410-778-7460 before making a trip to confirm whether the specific records you need are accessible and in what format.

Kent County Court Locations

Both courts in Kent County share the same address: 103 N. Cross Street, Chestertown, MD 21620. The Circuit Court phone is 410-778-7460. Clerk Sherise L. Kennard runs the office, which can also be reached by email at kentclerk@mdcourts.gov. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The Circuit Court handles felony DUI cases and appeals. The clerk's general information page is at mdcourts.gov/clerks/kent.

The District Court for Kent County is in the same building at 103 N. Cross Street. Phone is 410-810-3360, with a toll-free line at 1-800-941-3347. Hours are the same. Most DUI cases in Kent County begin here. The District Court has primary jurisdiction over motor vehicle violations, including all charges under Transportation §21-902. District Court directory information is at mdcourts.gov/district/directories/kent.

Having both courts at the same address in Chestertown makes in-person records access straightforward. You can visit one location for both Circuit and District Court files without needing to travel to a second site within the county.

Getting Copies of Kent County DUI Records

To get copies in person, visit the clerk's office at 103 N. Cross Street in Chestertown. Fill out a records request form. Provide the subject's full name and date of birth. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. The clerk will search the system or pull a physical file for older records. Copy fees are $0.50 per page for standard copies. Certified copies are $5.00 per document. The clerk can tell you which older records are on Papervision versus paper only.

Mail requests are accepted at the Kent County Circuit Court. Write to: Clerk of the Circuit Court for Kent County, 103 N. Cross Street, Chestertown, MD 21620. Include the name, date of birth, case year, and case number if you have it. Attach a self-addressed stamped envelope. For certified copies by mail, include a check or money order for the applicable fees. Processing times will vary based on how old the record is and whether it needs to be pulled from physical storage.

Maryland DUI Law and Kent County Filings

DUI cases in Kent County are charged under Transportation §21-902. Maryland defines DUI as driving with a BAC of .08 or above. Driving while impaired at .07 BAC is a DWI, a lesser charge. Drug impairment and impairment by a controlled dangerous substance are also charged under different subsections of the same statute. Each carries its own penalty range.

A first DUI conviction in Maryland brings up to one year in jail and a fine up to $1,000. Second offense: up to two years in prison with a mandatory minimum of five days and a $2,000 fine cap. Third offense: up to three years in prison and a $3,000 fine. DWI first offense is up to two months jail and a $500 fine. DWI second offense is up to one year in jail. A DUI conviction adds 12 points to the driver's license under the state point system. DWI adds 8 points. Points remain on the record for two years.

The administrative side of a Kent County DUI arrest runs parallel to the criminal case. When a driver is arrested and fails or refuses a breath test, the officer confiscates the license and issues a 45-day paper license. License suspension starts on the 46th day. The driver has 10 days to request an MVA hearing. Refusing the test results in a 270-day suspension for the first refusal or a two-year suspension for a second. These MVA actions are separate from what appears in the Kent County court record.

Maryland's Noah's Law requires ignition interlock for DUI convictions. The device must be installed by an MVA-authorized provider. It prevents the car from starting if alcohol is detected. For repeat offenders, the interlock requirement can last up to three years. This applies to Kent County DUI cases just as it does statewide.

DUI Expungement in Kent County

Expungement petitions for Kent County DUI cases are filed at the Circuit Court or District Court where the original case was heard. The applicable statute is Criminal Procedure §10-105. Charges that were dismissed or resulted in a not guilty verdict are generally eligible. Probation before judgment dispositions for DUI became eligible for expungement after October 1, 2024, but only after a 15-year waiting period.

A full DUI conviction is generally not expungeable in Maryland. However, charges that were dropped or not prosecuted can be cleared from the record. Because Kent County maintains older records going back to the 1940s, someone with a decades-old dismissed charge might still want to petition to clear it from the county's historical archive. The clerk at 103 N. Cross Street can provide expungement petition forms and basic procedural guidance. For more on the law and process, visit peoples-law.org/duidwi.

Kent County Sheriff's Office Records

The Kent County Sheriff's Office is at 104 Vickers Drive, Chestertown, MD 21620. The main number is 410-778-2279. The records unit is at extension 112. The Sheriff handles DUI-related arrests and maintains incident and arrest reports separate from court case files.

To get police records from the Kent County Sheriff, submit a Maryland Public Information Act request. Write to: Kent County Sheriff's Office, 104 Vickers Drive, Chestertown, MD 21620. Processing takes up to 30 days. The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services maintains statewide criminal history records at dpscs.state.md.us. That database includes Kent County DUI convictions and can provide a broader view of a person's criminal history across all Maryland counties.

Nearby Counties

Kent County is on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The counties below border Kent County and each maintains DUI records through the same Maryland court system.