Howard County DUI Records

Howard County DWI and DUI records are maintained by the District Clerk and County Clerk in Big Spring, the county seat located on I-20 in the Permian Basin of West Texas. DWI case records in Howard County cover everything from first-offense misdemeanor charges to felony intoxication cases. You can request records at the courthouse in person or by mail, and state-level tools provide access to related driving history and arrest data.

Howard County District Clerk

The Howard County District Clerk is the custodian of felony DWI records in the county. The 118th District Court handles all felony criminal matters in Howard County, including third or subsequent DWI offenses, intoxication assault, and intoxication manslaughter as defined under Texas Penal Code Chapter 49. Big Spring sits on I-20, a heavily traveled West Texas corridor, and the county processes a steady DWI docket as a result.

The clerk's office is at the Howard County Courthouse in Big Spring. Online record access is limited for this county. In-person and mail requests are the normal way to get case copies. Document copies are $1.00 per page. Certified copies add a $5.00 certification fee. You will need the defendant's full name and date of birth or a case number. Felony criminal records are kept permanently. Attorneys file through the state portal at txcourts.gov.

Howard County Clerk - Misdemeanor DWI Records

Misdemeanor DWI records in Howard County are held by the County Clerk through the County Court at Law. Under Penal Code Section 49.04, a standard first DWI with BAC below 0.15 is a Class B misdemeanor. A first offense at 0.15 or above, or any second DWI, is a Class A misdemeanor under Section 49.09. Second offense DWI has a mandatory minimum jail term of 30 days. All misdemeanor DWI filings go through the County Clerk.

Records show the charge, plea, all court hearing dates, and the final outcome including any sentence, fine amount, or probation order. If an ignition interlock device was required as a bond condition, that is documented in the file as well. Services are in person at the courthouse. The same copy fees apply: $1.00 per page and $5.00 certification fee.

The Texas DPS Crime Records Service holds statewide conviction data and can complement local Howard County court records when researching DWI history.

Texas DWI Law and Howard County Cases

Howard County DWI cases follow Texas Penal Code Chapter 49. The standard intoxication threshold is 0.08 BAC or the loss of normal mental or physical faculties due to alcohol or drugs. DWI enforcement in Big Spring and along I-20 is active given the high traffic volume through the Permian Basin region. Records in Howard County show the specific charge, BAC level when documented, and the full hearing history through final disposition.

Charge levels run from Class B misdemeanor for a first offense below 0.15 all the way up to second-degree felony for intoxication manslaughter. A third DWI is a third-degree felony carrying 2 to 10 years in prison. DWI with a child under 15 in the car is a state jail felony under Section 49.045. Each level determines the court and the clerk's office handling the record. Bond records in repeat offense DWI cases frequently include ignition interlock device conditions, which are documented in the case file at the clerk's office.

For DWI-related crashes in Howard County, the peace officer's CR-3 report is available through Texas Department of Transportation. Standard copies are $6, certified copies are $8. These are ordered through the TxDOT CRIS Request system and kept for 10 years.

License Suspension After DWI Arrest in Howard County

A DWI arrest in Howard County triggers the Texas Administrative License Revocation process through Texas DPS. The officer takes the physical license at arrest and issues a 40-day temporary permit. The driver has 15 days to request an ALR hearing, or the suspension becomes automatic. This process is governed by Transportation Code Chapter 524 and runs separately from the criminal DWI case.

A first-offense test failure brings a 90-day suspension. A first-offense refusal brings 180 days. Both double when a prior ALR suspension occurred in the past 10 years. A $125 reinstatement fee is required after the suspension ends. Driver records showing suspension and reinstatement can be ordered from dps.texas.gov for $4 to $22 depending on the record type. The Type 3A certified complete history is the version most often used for legal purposes and costs $10 online.

Note: The ALR hearing is administrative, not criminal. The outcome of an ALR hearing has no direct effect on the criminal DWI case proceeding in county or district court in Howard County.

State Resources for Howard County DWI Cases

Texas DPS processes public information requests for DPS-held records through the DPS public information portal. For DWI crash data for Howard County and the broader West Texas region, the TxDOT impaired driving page provides compiled statistics from peace officer crash reports. For alcohol violations involving minors, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission enforces Alcoholic Beverage Code Chapter 106. Those violations may appear alongside DWI charges in Howard County court records when young drivers are involved.

Nearby Counties

Howard County is in the Permian Basin on I-20 in West Texas. Neighboring counties process their own DWI cases through separate courts.