Morgan County DUI Records

Morgan County DUI records are kept at the Circuit Clerk office in Decatur. The 8th Judicial Circuit handles all DUI cases for this northern Alabama county. Morgan County offers an Online Traffic Resolution system for certain cases. The clerk office maintains all court records for DUI arrests and convictions, making them available to the public.

Morgan County Circuit Clerk

The Circuit Clerk keeps all DUI records in Morgan County. Chris Priest serves as clerk. The office handles case filings, stores court documents, and provides copies. Staff can help you find DUI records from any time period. The office is on Lee Street NE in the Decatur courthouse.

DUI cases in Morgan County follow state procedures. First offenses go to District Court. Felony DUI charges are heard in Circuit Court. Both use the same clerk office. Morgan County offers an Online Traffic Resolution system, though this may not apply to all DUI cases. All records become public after a case ends in Morgan County.

How to Search DUI Records

You can search Morgan County DUI records online or in person. Online searches work anytime. In-person visits let you view full files and get certified copies. Both methods access the same records database for Morgan County.

Alacourt is the state system for court records. It includes all Morgan County DUI cases. Go to pa.alacourt.com to search. A name search costs $9.99. Document images cost $5.00 for up to 20 pages. This is the fastest way to find DUI records in Morgan County.

For in-person visits, go to the courthouse on Lee Street in Decatur. Bring your ID. Tell staff whose records you need. They can search by name or case number. Copy fees apply for Morgan County records.

What you need for a DUI record search:

• Full name of the person
• Date of birth if known
• Case number if available
• Year of arrest

Alabama DUI Laws

Morgan County follows state DUI laws. Under Code of Alabama § 32-5A-191, driving with a BAC of 0.08% or more is illegal. Drivers under 21 face a 0.02% limit. Commercial drivers cannot exceed 0.04%. These apply to all DUI cases in Morgan County.

Alabama has a 10-year look-back for DUI sentencing. Courts in Morgan County check for prior offenses in the past decade. More priors mean harsher penalties. A fourth DUI becomes a felony regardless of timing. All this shows in Morgan County DUI records.

DUI convictions are permanent in Alabama. They cannot be removed from your record in Morgan County. The REDEEMER Act lets some charges be sealed, but not DUI convictions. Only dismissed cases may qualify.

DUI Penalties in Morgan County

First-time DUI offenders in Morgan County face up to one year in jail. Fines can reach $2,100. Most get probation and DUI school instead. License suspension is 90 days. Judges may add community service or treatment. Decatur requires mandatory court appearance for DUI cases.

Second offenses bring mandatory jail time in Morgan County. The minimum is five days. Fines go to $5,100. License suspension lasts one year. Third offenses require 60 days minimum with fines up to $10,100. A fourth DUI is a Class C felony with one to ten years possible. Morgan County courts follow state guidelines.

Other costs add up. Court fees, probation, and classes cost money. License reinstatement is $275. Ignition interlock devices add expense. Insurance rates rise for years. A DUI in Morgan County can cost thousands in total.

Morgan County Sheriff

The Morgan County Sheriff handles many DUI arrests on county roads. Deputies patrol the area and make traffic stops. Each DUI arrest creates records. The sheriff keeps arrest info while the court keeps case files in Morgan County.

Contact the sheriff for arrest details or jail booking info. For court records with case outcomes, go to the Circuit Clerk instead.

District Attorney

The District Attorney prosecutes DUI cases in Morgan County. The DA office handles all criminal cases from first offenses to felony DUI charges. They work with law enforcement to build cases against drunk drivers in Morgan County.

For information about DUI prosecution, visit morgancountyda.com.

DUI Record Fees

Morgan County charges standard fees. Online searches via Alacourt cost $9.99 per name. Document images are $5.00 for up to 20 pages. Extra pages are $0.50 each. In-person copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 per document.

State fees apply separately. ALEA charges $5.75 for driving records and $25.00 for criminal history checks. Call the Morgan County clerk to confirm fees before requesting records.

State DUI Resources

State agencies hold DUI records beyond local storage. ALEA runs the central criminal database. The court system keeps files for all counties. These track DUI offenses statewide, including Morgan County.

State resources:

• ALEA Criminal Records for background checks
• Alacourt for court case searches
• Alabama Driver License Portal for driving records
• AlaPay for court fines

DUI records are public under Code of Alabama § 36-12-40. Anyone can request them from Morgan County.

Cities in Morgan County

Morgan County includes the city of Decatur, which has a population over 50,000. All county-level DUI cases go through the Circuit Clerk.

Other cities include Hartselle and Priceville. All county-level DUI cases are handled by the Morgan County Circuit Clerk.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Morgan County. Each has its own court system for DUI records.