Find Peoria DUI Records
Peoria DUI records are available through the city court and Maricopa County court systems. When someone is charged with driving under the influence in Peoria, the case goes to Peoria City Court for most misdemeanor offenses. Felony DUI cases get sent to Maricopa County Superior Court. You can search for DUI records by contacting the court directly or using online databases. Peoria keeps DUI and domestic violence records for eight years after the case ends, which is longer than standard criminal records.
Peoria DUI Records Quick Facts
Peoria City Court DUI Cases
The Peoria City Court handles misdemeanor DUI cases for arrests made within city limits. This includes standard DUI, extreme DUI, and super extreme DUI charges. The court processes first and second offense DUI cases under Arizona law. Felony charges go to county court instead.
Peoria City Court is located at 8401 West Monroe Street. The court is open weekdays for in-person visits. You can call them at (623) 773-7400 to ask about specific cases or how to get records. Staff can look up cases by defendant name or case number. They handle questions about case status, hearing dates, and fine amounts for DUI matters in Peoria.
Most DUI cases in Peoria start with an arrest by Peoria Police. The officer files charges with the city court. A first appearance happens within days of the arrest. From there, the case moves through pretrial hearings and either goes to trial or gets resolved through a plea deal. The court keeps records of all these steps.
How to Request Peoria DUI Records
Peoria has a formal process for getting court records. The Peoria City Court records request page explains how to submit your request. You can ask for copies of court documents, case files, and other records from DUI cases handled by the city court.
To get records, you need to know some basic information. The defendant's name helps narrow the search. A case number makes it even faster. If you have neither, staff can search by date range, but this takes more time. Be ready to pay copy fees. Most courts charge fifty cents per page. Certified copies cost more.
One thing that makes Peoria different is their record retention policy for DUI cases. Peoria keeps records for DUI offenses for eight years after final adjudication and completion of sentence. This is longer than the five year standard for most criminal records in Arizona courts. If you need older DUI records from Peoria, they may still be on file even when other records have been purged.
Note: Processing times vary based on how complex your request is and how busy the court is that week.
Arizona Courts and Peoria DUI Searches
The statewide court system also has tools for finding Peoria DUI records. The Arizona Courts Public Access portal lets you search case records from courts across Arizona. This may include some Peoria cases, especially those that went to county court.
The state portal is free to use. It works well for finding felony DUI cases from Maricopa County Superior Court. Not all municipal courts upload data to the state system. For best results when searching Peoria DUI records, check both the city court directly and the state database.
If a DUI arrest in Peoria led to felony charges, the case went to Maricopa County Superior Court. Aggravated DUI is a felony in Arizona. This includes third DUI within seven years, DUI with a child in the car, and DUI while driving on a suspended license. These serious cases get handled at the county level, not city court.
Arizona DUI Laws Affecting Peoria Cases
Peoria DUI cases follow Arizona state law. The rules are the same across all cities in the state. Under A.R.S. Section 28-1381, driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher is illegal. You can also get charged if alcohol impairs your driving even a little bit. Arizona calls this "impaired to the slightest degree."
Higher BAC levels bring tougher charges. Extreme DUI applies when BAC is between 0.15 and 0.199 percent. Super extreme DUI kicks in at 0.20 percent or more. Both are still misdemeanors but carry much stiffer penalties. Jail time is mandatory for these charges. The minimums are thirty days for extreme and forty-five days for super extreme DUI convictions.
A person convicted of DUI in Peoria faces jail time, fines, and license suspension. The court may also require alcohol screening, treatment classes, and an ignition interlock device on the vehicle. These terms show up in court records and become part of the case file that anyone can request.
Peoria DUI and Arizona Criminal History
DUI convictions from Peoria become part of your Arizona criminal record. The Department of Public Safety keeps a statewide criminal history database. When you get convicted of DUI in Peoria City Court, that information goes to DPS. It shows up on background checks.
You can request your own criminal history for free through the DPS Public Services Portal. This shows all your Arizona arrests and convictions in one place. Employers and landlords often ask people to get their own records and submit them as part of an application. DUI convictions from Peoria will appear on these reports.
Arizona does not expunge criminal records. A DUI conviction stays on your record permanently. However, the state now allows record sealing under A.R.S. Section 13-911. This law took effect in 2023. It lets people petition to seal certain criminal records including some DUI offenses. Sealed records are hidden from most public searches but still exist in the system.
Driving Records and Peoria DUI
A DUI in Peoria also affects your driving record. The Motor Vehicle Division tracks all license actions. When the court convicts someone of DUI, MVD adds it to their driving record. This is separate from the criminal court record but equally important for many purposes.
You can get your driving record through AZ MVD Now. The site shows convictions, points, and suspensions. A DUI conviction adds eight points to your license. It also triggers a license suspension. The length depends on whether it is a first, second, or third offense. Insurance companies check MVD records and raise rates significantly after a DUI conviction from Peoria or anywhere else in Arizona.
The MVD also handles Admin Per Se suspensions. If someone fails or refuses a breath test during a Peoria DUI stop, MVD suspends their license administratively. This happens even before the court case is resolved. First time refusal means one year suspension. The suspension starts fifteen days after the arrest unless you request a hearing.
Peoria DUI Record Fees
Getting copies of DUI records from Peoria City Court involves fees. The exact amounts depend on what you need.
Standard copy fees run about fifty cents per page. This matches what most Arizona courts charge. If you need certified copies with an official seal, expect to pay more. Certification fees typically run seventeen dollars per document at municipal courts. Some courts charge a research fee if you ask staff to search without providing case details. Call ahead to confirm current fees before visiting the court.
Online record services may have different fee structures. Third party sites that aggregate court data often charge subscription or per-search fees. The official court and state databases are usually cheaper or free to search, though document downloads may cost extra.
Nearby Arizona Cities
Peoria borders several other cities in the Phoenix metro area. If a DUI arrest happened near city limits, the case might have gone to a neighboring jurisdiction instead. Check these nearby cities if you cannot find records in Peoria.
Each city has its own court and handles DUI cases separately. An arrest on the border of Peoria and Glendale could go to either court depending on exactly where it happened. Surprise sits to the northwest and Peoria cases sometimes get mixed up with cases from there as well.
Maricopa County DUI Resources
Peoria sits within Maricopa County. The county court system handles felony DUI cases that start in Peoria. It also has broader search tools that cover multiple courts across the metro area.
Maricopa County Superior Court handles aggravated DUI cases. The county also runs justice courts in areas outside city limits. If you are searching for someone who may have DUI records in both Peoria and other parts of the county, the Maricopa County court databases give you wider coverage. The county Clerk of Court can help with records from any Superior Court case, including felony DUI matters that originated from a Peoria arrest.