Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. The jail figures are from the Vera Institute of Justice's Incarceration Trends data. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and October 2, 2026.
Lafayette County, Wisconsin, has about 17,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). An OWI arrest in Lafayette County starts two cases, a criminal case in the Lafayette County Circuit Court and a license case before the Division of Motor Vehicles, and leaves three records. This guide follows the arrest from the roadside to the court file and the driving record.
This guide covers the law, the arrest, booking, the court case, the license case, the records and common questions.
Related guides: Lafayette County public records, Lafayette County arrest records, Lafayette County warrants, Lafayette County inmate search, Lafayette County criminal records, Wisconsin arrest records and Wisconsin inmate search.
The OWI Law in Wisconsin
In Wisconsin the offense is OWI, and the limit is 0.08.
Driving in Wisconsin is consent to a breath or blood test when an officer has cause to suspect OWI; the license case that follows a refusal or a failed test is run by the Division of Motor Vehicles, separately from the criminal case.
Wisconsin sets no time limit on prior offenses: every earlier conviction counts toward a repeat charge.
Who Makes OWI Arrests in Lafayette County
The Lafayette County Sheriff's Office and the agencies that report for Darlington, Shullsburg, Blanchardville and Argyle make the OWI arrests in Lafayette County.
The Cuba City Police Department and the Hazel Green Police Department are each listed by the FBI across several counties including Lafayette County, so their arrests are not broken out for Lafayette County here.
Booking After an OWI Arrest in Lafayette County
A driver arrested for OWI and kept in custody goes to the county jail, whichever agency made the arrest. The jail, run by the Lafayette County Sheriff's Office, held about 20 people on an average day in 2025 by the Vera Institute of Justice's count and has a jail page SearchSystems verified at lcsheriff.com/detention. The Lafayette County inmate search guide covers the jail in full.
The Court Case
An OWI charge from Lafayette County is brought by the District Attorney in the Lafayette County Circuit Court.
The District Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at lafayettecountywi.org/da, phone 608-776-4842.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at lafayettecountywi.org/coc.
Statewide, Wisconsin Circuit Court Access is the free statewide case search of every circuit court.
The License Case
The court case is only half the record. The Division of Motor Vehicles runs a separate administrative case over the license, which can suspend it before the criminal case is decided, and the Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles keeps the driving record the conviction goes on.
The Records an OWI Leaves
- The arrest report: from the agency that made the arrest, under the Wisconsin Public Records Law.
- The court file: from the Lafayette County Circuit Court, kept by the Clerk of Circuit Court.
- The driving record: from the Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles.
More on each: Lafayette County arrest records, Lafayette County police reports and Lafayette County court records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the OWI limit in Wisconsin?
0.08 percent blood alcohol.
Where is an OWI case from Lafayette County heard?
In the Lafayette County Circuit Court, brought by the District Attorney.
Where is a person arrested for OWI in Lafayette County held?
At the county jail, run by the Lafayette County Sheriff's Office, if kept in custody.
Who handles the license after an OWI arrest in Wisconsin?
The Division of Motor Vehicles, in an administrative case separate from the court case.
How long does an OWI count as a prior in Wisconsin?
There is no time limit; every prior conviction counts.
Is this the official Lafayette County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.