Find Orange County DUI Records
Orange County DUI records are maintained by the Superior Court and local law enforcement agencies throughout the county. The court system offers two online portals for searching criminal and traffic cases. One portal handles case lookups by case number while the other provides name searches. Traffic citations may take up to 21 days from the issue date to appear in the online system. The Orange County Sheriff operates an inmate information portal where you can find current custody status and booking details. Most court searches are free, though document copies cost money. The Central Justice Center in Santa Ana processes many DUI cases, but the county has courthouses in other cities as well.
Orange County Key Facts
Orange County Court Portals
The Orange County Superior Court runs two separate online search systems. The first is Vision Public, which handles criminal and traffic case access. The second is the Case Name Search portal. Both are free to use, but they work differently and serve different purposes.
Vision Public lets you search by case number if you already know it. Enter the full case number to pull up the case details. This shows the parties, charges, hearing dates, and disposition. You can see when the next court date is scheduled. The portal displays information for both criminal and traffic cases, including DUI charges filed under Vehicle Code Section 23152.
The Case Name Search portal works when you do not have a case number. Type in the person's name to find all cases that match. The system returns a list showing case numbers, filing dates, and case types. DUI cases appear as criminal matters. You can click on a case from the search results to see more details.
Traffic citations take time to enter the court system. A DUI arrest that includes a traffic citation may not show up online for up to 21 days from when the officer wrote the ticket. If you search right after an arrest and find nothing, wait a few weeks and try again. The delay applies to the initial entry of the case, not updates to existing cases.
The main courthouse is the Central Justice Center at 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701. Call 657-622-6878 for general court information. Staff can help you find a case or explain how to request documents. The court website at occourts.org has links to both search portals and instructions for using them.
Sheriff Inmate and Booking Info
The Orange County Sheriff's Department maintains the county jail system. When someone gets arrested for DUI in areas patrolled by the sheriff, they go through booking at a jail facility. The department runs an inmate information system on its website. This portal shows current inmates and recent bookings.
Search by the person's name to see if they are in custody. The system shows booking date, charges, bail amount, and facility location. Most DUI arrestees post bail quickly and do not stay in custody long. If someone remains in jail, you can see where they are being held and when their next court appearance is scheduled.
For questions about inmates or bookings, call the Inmate Booking and Release line at 714-584-6790. This number connects to staff who can look up custody information. The Intake and Release Center is located at 550 North Flower Street, Santa Ana, CA 92703. Visit this location for in-person inquiries about booking status.
Cities with their own police departments handle their own arrests. Orange County has many city police agencies including Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, and Huntington Beach police. If the arrest was by a city police department, contact that agency for arrest records. All criminal cases still get filed at Orange County Superior Court regardless of which agency made the arrest.
Getting Court Documents
The online portals show case information but do not provide full documents. To get copies of police reports, court filings, or other case documents, you must submit a records request. Visit the courthouse where the case was filed or contact the clerk's office by phone. Some documents may be restricted or sealed by court order.
Document copies cost 50 cents per page at most California courts. Orange County follows this standard. Certified copies of court orders or judgments cost more. The clerk can tell you the exact fees when you request specific documents. Bring photo ID when picking up documents in person. Payment is due when you receive the copies.
Court minutes show what happened at each hearing. The judge's orders become part of the file. Sentencing documents show probation terms and fines. All of these remain in the case file unless the case gets sealed. Most DUI cases are public records unless special circumstances apply.
How to Search Orange County
Start with the Case Name Search portal if you only know the defendant's name. Use their full name or just last name to cast a wider net. The system returns all matches. Look for criminal cases with dates that match when you think the arrest happened. DUI cases typically get filed within days or weeks of the arrest.
If you have a case number from a court document or citation, use the Vision Public portal. Enter the case number exactly as it appears. The system pulls up the full case record instantly. This works faster than name searches when you have the right case number.
Remember the 21 day delay for traffic citations. A brand new DUI arrest may not appear in the system right away. Check back after a few weeks if your initial search finds nothing. The case might be in the system but not yet visible online if it is still being processed.
For arrests by city police, you may need to contact that police department for arrest reports. The court records show the case once charges get filed, but police keep their own records of the arrest. Each city has its own records request process and fee schedule.
Costs and Fees
Both court search portals are free. You can look up as many cases as you want at no charge. The court does not require registration or payment to use the online systems. Document copies cost 50 cents per page. Certified copies cost more based on what you need certified. Ask the clerk for a fee estimate before requesting large files.
The sheriff's inmate search is also free. No fees apply for checking custody status online. If you need copies of booking documents or arrest reports, the sheriff charges fees. Contact the Records Division for current pricing. Fees vary based on the type of record and how many pages it contains.
City police departments set their own fees. Anaheim PD charges 50 cents for the first page and 20 cents for each additional page. Other agencies have different rates. Check each city's website or call their records division for fee information.
Orange County Contacts
The Central Justice Center is the main courthouse in Santa Ana. Call 657-622-6878 for general information. The address is 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701. The clerk's office handles records requests and can direct you to the right department. Hours vary by department, but most clerk windows open at 8:00 AM on weekdays.
The Sheriff's Inmate Booking and Release line is 714-584-6790. The Intake and Release Center is at 550 North Flower Street, Santa Ana, CA 92703. For general sheriff questions, visit the main website at ocsheriff.gov. The site has links to the inmate search portal and other online services.
For DMV questions about license suspensions, call the Driver Safety Branch at 833-543-7703. This statewide number handles Admin Per Se hearings for all DUI arrests in California. You must request a hearing within ten days of your arrest to challenge an automatic license suspension.
Cities in Orange County
Orange County includes many cities with large populations. Some have their own police while others use sheriff services. All DUI criminal cases get filed at Orange County Superior Court.
- Anaheim
- Santa Ana
- Irvine
- Huntington Beach
- Garden Grove
- Fullerton
Nearby Counties
Orange County borders Los Angeles County to the north, San Bernardino County to the northeast, Riverside County to the east, and San Diego County to the south. DUI arrests near county lines may get filed in the neighboring county.