Choose the right Michigan criminal-record search first
Michigan criminal information is spread across several systems. MiCOURT shows public trial-court case history, Michigan State Police ICHAT provides statewide public criminal-history information, local police and sheriffs maintain arrest and jail records, and the Department of Corrections operates OTIS for qualifying prison, probation and parole information. These systems overlap, but they are not substitutes for one another.
Michigan criminal records are not kept in one database
A person may have information in a court file, Michigan State Police criminal-history database, county jail system and Department of Corrections record at the same time. Each source answers a different question.
| What you want | Official source | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal court case | MiCOURT / court of record | Online results do not replace the official court file. |
| Michigan public criminal history | Michigan State Police ICHAT | Does not include every arrest, warrant or local misdemeanor. |
| Your own complete Michigan record | MSP fingerprint-based personal record review | Requires fingerprints and a mailed request. |
| Recent arrest / police incident | Arresting police or sheriff agency | No single statewide public arrest-log database. |
| County jail custody | County sheriff / county jail | County detainees do not necessarily appear in OTIS. |
| Prison / parole / probation | Michigan Department of Corrections OTIS | OTIS is not a complete criminal background check. |
| Federal criminal case | PACER | Separate from Michigan state courts. |
Michigan district court vs. circuit court criminal records
Understanding the court level can make a Michigan search much faster.
Misdemeanors and felony preliminary proceedings
Michigan district courts generally handle misdemeanors punishable by up to one year, ordinance violations, arraignments, bail and preliminary stages of felony cases.
A felony can therefore have an early district-court record before the matter is bound over to circuit court.
Felonies and serious criminal cases
Circuit court is Michigan’s trial court of general jurisdiction and handles felony cases after bindover, along with certain serious misdemeanors within circuit-court jurisdiction.
How to search Michigan criminal court cases with MiCOURT
MiCOURT Case Search is Michigan’s primary public online trial-court case-search system.
Select the court
MiCOURT searches are tied to participating courts. Choose the county and court that likely handled the case.
Search by name or case number
Public searches can use party names or a court case number. A case number is usually the more reliable identifier.
Add identifying information
When available, use first name, middle name, birth year and court location to reduce false matches involving people with similar names.
Open the case history
Review the case number, parties, charges, court events, disposition and docket history.
Contact the court for the actual file
MiCOURT itself states that its online information does not replace the official record maintained by the court.
Michigan’s 7-year criminal sentence filter can hide older cases online
This is one of the most important Michigan-specific search limitations.
MiCOURT states that some participating courts only display criminal conviction case numbers and information when sentencing occurred within seven years of the date of the search.
MiCOURT identifies those courts with a check mark in its 7-Year Criminal Sentence Filter column.
What MiCOURT does not show
Online Michigan court access is intentionally narrower than access available at the court itself.
- sealed or otherwise nonpublic information
- protected personal identifying information
- many juvenile proceedings
- adoption proceedings
- name-change cases
- certain protective and confidential matters
- public document images through ordinary internet access
- some older criminal cases affected by the seven-year filter
How to inspect or obtain Michigan criminal court records
Michigan court files are governed by court-access rules rather than ordinary Michigan FOIA. The judicial branch is specifically outside Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act for court records.
Michigan Court Rule 8.119 provides that, unless access is restricted by law, court rule or a sealing order, the public may inspect qualifying case records and obtain copies.
Public court-file access
A court generally may not charge a fee simply to access public case-history information or inspect a public case document.
Reproduction charges
Courts may charge the actual permitted cost of reproducing a public document. Local copy procedures can vary by court.
Contact the court clerk
For certified or complete documents, contact the court where the case is filed rather than relying only on MiCOURT.
Use the Michigan Trial Court Directory to locate the correct court.
Michigan State Police ICHAT criminal-history search
The Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) provides name-based public criminal-history information maintained by the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center.
As of September 2026, Michigan State Police lists the cost as $10 per ICHAT search.
Information needed for an ICHAT search
- first name
- last name
- gender
- date of birth
What ICHAT generally covers
Michigan law requires reporting to the state criminal-history repository for felonies and serious misdemeanors punishable by more than 93 days from agencies, prosecutors and courts across Michigan’s 83 counties.
What ICHAT does not include
| Record type | Included in ICHAT? |
|---|---|
| Public Michigan criminal-history information | Yes, when eligible for public disclosure |
| Suppressed records | No |
| Warrant information | No |
| Federal criminal records | No |
| Tribal criminal records | No |
| Traffic records | No |
| Juvenile records | No |
| Some local misdemeanors | No |
| Criminal history from other states | No |
How to obtain your own fuller Michigan criminal-history record
Someone reviewing their own record for immigration, visa, adoption or personal-record purposes can request a fingerprint-based Michigan criminal-history search from the Michigan State Police.
Get fingerprinted
Michigan residents may ask a local law-enforcement agency to fingerprint them on a Michigan Applicant Fingerprint Card (RI-008).
Nonresidents use an FBI fingerprint card
A person living outside Michigan may obtain fingerprints on an FBI FD-258 card from an appropriate local law-enforcement agency.
Include a cover letter
State why the record is being requested and provide return contact information.
Include the current $30 processing fee
MSP currently requires a $30 check or money order payable to the State of Michigan.
Mail the request
Michigan State Police CJIC, P.O. Box 30266, Lansing, MI 48909-7766.
MSP currently advises allowing approximately 3 to 5 weeks for processing and mail delivery for this type of personal criminal-history request.
What to do if your Michigan criminal history is wrong
Michigan State Police explains that corrections generally begin with the agency that supplied the incorrect information.
Contact the arresting agency
If the arrest segment is wrong, contact the law-enforcement agency shown in that portion of the criminal-history record.
Contact the prosecutor
If charge information is wrong, MSP directs the person to the prosecuting attorney identified in the charge segment.
Contact the court
If judicial or disposition information is wrong, contact the court identified in the judicial segment.
Michigan State Police Criminal History Help Desk: 517-241-0606.
Michigan arrest records and police reports
A statewide criminal-history search should not be confused with a local police incident or arrest report.
If an arrest occurred recently, identify the agency that made the arrest:
- city police department
- county sheriff
- Michigan State Police
- university or other authorized police agency
If Michigan State Police created the record, use the MSP Public Records Request Portal or another MSP-approved FOIA submission method for eligible incident or agency records.
Michigan FOIA requests for police and agency records
Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act, MCL 15.231 et seq., allows people to request many public records from Michigan public bodies, subject to statutory exemptions.
How to make a useful Michigan FOIA request
- identify the correct public body
- describe the specific record clearly
- include an incident or report number when known
- include a useful date range
- identify location or involved parties when necessary
- state whether inspection or copies are requested
Michigan’s Attorney General explains that a public body generally has 5 business days to issue a response after legal receipt of a FOIA request. The agency may issue one written extension of up to an additional 10 business days.
A response may grant the request, deny it, grant it in part, or provide the permitted extension. Fees may apply for qualifying search, review, redaction, duplication and mailing costs.
Michigan FOIA guidance MSP public-record requestsMichigan county jail records are local
Michigan does not use OTIS as a statewide county-jail roster. County jails are operated locally, usually by county sheriffs.
If a person was arrested and remains in local custody:
Michigan warrant searches
ICHAT does not provide warrant information. There is also no general unrestricted Michigan statewide public warrant search that should be treated as a complete list of active warrants.
If you need warrant information:
- review the relevant court docket
- contact the district or circuit court handling the case
- check the responsible county sheriff
- check the relevant city police or local warrant portal where officially provided
Michigan OTIS prison, parole and probation records
The Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) is operated by the Michigan Department of Corrections.
OTIS contains qualifying information about:
- Michigan prisoners
- parolees
- probationers under MDOC supervision
- people discharged from supervision within approximately the previous three years
What OTIS does not include
- county-jail detainees
- city-lockup detainees
- people sentenced only to county jail
- people awaiting sentence who are not yet in DOC jurisdiction
- offenders more than three years beyond qualifying supervision discharge
- a person’s complete criminal history
Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry
Michigan State Police also operates a separate Sex Offender Registry.
It should not be treated as a general criminal-record search. If more information about an offense is needed, MSP advises contacting the court of conviction. If the county is unknown, ICHAT can sometimes help identify the county associated with a public conviction.
Michigan Court of Appeals and Supreme Court criminal records
A criminal case may continue beyond the local trial court. Michigan appellate cases are handled through the Court of Appeals and Michigan Supreme Court.
The Michigan Courts case-search resources allow users to locate appellate docket information and, where available, opinions and orders.
Michigan Courts Case SearchMichigan Clean Slate and automatic set-aside records
Michigan’s Clean Slate laws created both expanded application-based set-aside procedures and automatic set-aside of certain qualifying convictions.
The automatic process became effective on April 11, 2023.
| Conviction category | Automatic waiting period | General automatic limit |
|---|---|---|
| Misdemeanor punishable by less than 92 days | 7 years | No numerical limit under the automatic rule described by MSP |
| Misdemeanor punishable by 93 days or more | 7 years | Generally not more than 4 |
| Felony | 10 years | Generally not more than 2 |
Eligibility involves additional requirements. MSP lists categories that are not eligible for automatic set aside, including certain assaultive crimes, serious misdemeanors, crimes of dishonesty, certain offenses involving minors or vulnerable adults, human-trafficking offenses, specified serious offenses, OWI convictions and certain traffic offenses involving injury or death.
How to find out what remains on your own Michigan record
MSP gives three primary options:
- fingerprint-based personal record review
- ICHAT public criminal-history search
- check directly with the court of conviction
Michigan juvenile criminal records
Juvenile records should not be treated like ordinary adult criminal-history records.
ICHAT does not include juvenile records, and MiCOURT’s public case-search terms specifically exclude juvenile and child-protective proceedings from ordinary public display.
Federal criminal records in Michigan
Michigan state systems do not include federal court criminal cases. Michigan is divided between the Eastern District of Michigan and Western District of Michigan federal courts.
Federal electronic case information is generally accessed through PACER.
Eastern District of Michigan
Covers federal cases in the eastern portion of the state, including Detroit-area federal cases.
Eastern DistrictWestern District of Michigan
Covers federal cases in western and northern portions of Michigan.
Western DistrictIf you do not know which federal district handled the case, use the PACER Case Locator.
How to find the correct Michigan court
Michigan has 83 counties, but criminal court structure is organized through circuit and district courts rather than a single courthouse per county in every situation.
Use the official Michigan Trial Court Directory to locate:
- court name and number
- county and city served
- court address
- clerk phone number
- official court website
- local record-access instructions
Michigan Hall of Justice map
The Michigan Hall of Justice is headquarters for the state’s judicial branch and houses Michigan appellate-court functions. Ordinary local felony and misdemeanor record requests should still be directed to the trial court that maintains the case.
Michigan Hall of Justice
925 W. Ottawa St.Lansing, MI 48915
This location is useful for statewide judicial and appellate context; it is not a substitute for the local district or circuit court that holds a trial-court criminal file.
Michigan criminal-record search tips that save time
Start with court level
Misdemeanors generally point toward district court; felony trial proceedings ultimately move into circuit court.
Check the 7-year filter
An older conviction may be absent online because the selected MiCOURT court applies the seven-year criminal sentence filter.
Do not use ICHAT for warrants
Michigan State Police explicitly states that warrant information is not included in ICHAT.
County jail means county search
OTIS does not include ordinary county-jail inmates. Search the appropriate sheriff or jail.
Use DOB carefully
Common names can produce misleading results. Compare date of birth and other identifiers before assuming a record belongs to someone.
Get the official file
For legal, licensing or official purposes, obtain the court record itself rather than relying only on an online docket summary.
Check both district and circuit
A felony can generate district-court preliminary records before moving to circuit court.
Clean Slate can change public visibility
Qualifying convictions can be automatically set aside after statutory waiting periods.
Use fingerprints for your own record
A fingerprint-based personal review is more useful than a public name search when checking your own complete Michigan record for mistakes.
Using Michigan criminal records for employment or housing
An official public court search or ICHAT search is not automatically the same thing as a legally compliant consumer background report.
Employment, housing, credit and other eligibility decisions may trigger federal Fair Credit Reporting Act requirements when information is obtained from a consumer reporting company, along with other applicable laws.
Michigan criminal records: frequently asked questions
1. Where can I search Michigan criminal court cases online?
Start with MiCOURT Case Search. It provides public case-history information for participating Michigan trial courts. If the needed record is not available online, contact the court of record.
2. Is MiCOURT a complete Michigan criminal background check?
No. MiCOURT is a court case-search service. Michigan State Police ICHAT is the state’s public name-based criminal-history system, and the two services contain different information.
3. How much does a Michigan ICHAT search cost?
Michigan State Police currently lists the ICHAT name-based public criminal-history search fee as $10 per search.
4. Why can’t I find an old Michigan conviction in MiCOURT?
Some courts apply MiCOURT’s seven-year criminal sentence filter. If sentencing occurred more than seven years before the search, the case may not appear online through that court even though an eligible public court record may still be obtainable directly from the court.
5. Does ICHAT show active warrants?
No. Michigan State Police specifically states that warrant information is not included in ICHAT. Check the responsible court or local law-enforcement agency instead.
6. Where can I search Michigan prison records?
Use the Michigan Department of Corrections Offender Tracking Information System, commonly called OTIS. It covers qualifying prisoners, parolees and probationers under MDOC jurisdiction and certain recently discharged offenders.
7. Does OTIS show people in Michigan county jails?
No. Michigan DOC states that OTIS does not contain ordinary county-jail or city-lockup records. Those records should be searched through the responsible county sheriff or local jail.
8. How can I see my own complete Michigan criminal history?
Michigan State Police provides a fingerprint-based personal criminal-history review. The current processing fee is $30, and MSP advises allowing approximately three to five weeks for processing and mail delivery.
9. Can Michigan convictions automatically disappear from public criminal history?
Certain qualifying convictions may be automatically set aside under Michigan’s Clean Slate laws after statutory waiting periods. Eligibility depends on the offense, criminal history and other statutory requirements.
10. Are federal criminal cases included in MiCOURT or ICHAT?
No. Federal cases are separate from Michigan state records. Use PACER and the appropriate U.S. District Court, either the Eastern or Western District of Michigan.
Official Michigan sources used for this guide
- MiCOURT Case Search
- Michigan Trial Courts
- Michigan Court Rule 8.119 — Court Records
- Michigan State Police — Criminal History Records
- Michigan ICHAT
- MSP — Search, Expunge, Modify or Update Criminal History Records
- Michigan Clean Slate
- Michigan State Police FOIA
- Michigan Attorney General — FOIA Guidance
- Michigan Department of Corrections — OTIS
- Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry
- Michigan Appellate Case Search
- PACER Federal Case Search
- U.S. District Court — Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court — Western District of Michigan