Find Dearborn Criminal History
Dearborn criminal history records are handled by the 19th District Court, the Wayne County 3rd Circuit Court, and the Dearborn Police Department. The city has about 110,000 residents and sits in Wayne County just west of Detroit. Misdemeanor cases go through the 19th District Court, while felonies are tried at the Wayne County Circuit Court level. Police records are available through FOIA requests to the Dearborn Police Department. Crash reports can be accessed through the CLEMIS payment portal. This page covers how to find Dearborn criminal history records, what fees apply, and how long things take.
Dearborn Criminal History Overview
19th District Court Criminal Records
The 19th District Court handles Dearborn misdemeanor cases. The courthouse is at 16077 Michigan Ave, Dearborn MI 48126. The phone number is (313) 943-2060. This court covers misdemeanor charges, traffic crimes, ordinance violations, and felony arraignments for the city of Dearborn.
You can search Dearborn criminal history from the 19th District Court through the MiCOURT system. MiCOURT is free and open to the public. Search by name or case number to find charges, hearing dates, and case outcomes. The system covers current and closed cases. For copies of court documents, contact the court clerk. Standard copies are $1.50 per page. Certified copies cost $10 plus $1 for each additional page.
Preliminary exams for felony charges also take place at the 19th District Court. If the judge finds probable cause, the case moves up to the Wayne County 3rd Circuit Court. So when you search Dearborn criminal history for a felony case, you may find records in both courts. The district court has the initial filing, arraignment, and preliminary exam. The circuit court has everything from the trial onward.
Dearborn Criminal Cases at Circuit Court
Felony cases from Dearborn go to the Wayne County 3rd Circuit Court. The court sits at 2 Woodward Ave in Detroit. The Frank Murphy Hall of Justice at 1441 St. Antoine handles criminal matters. Call (313) 224-5261 for court records questions. This is the largest circuit court in Michigan and handles felony cases from across Wayne County, including Dearborn.
Search Dearborn criminal history from the circuit court through the Odyssey Public Access portal at the 3rd Circuit Court website. MiCOURT also covers the 3rd Circuit Court. Both tools are free. The circuit court's digital records go back to 1983. Cases before that date are on paper at the courthouse. For certified copies or full case files, contact the Wayne County Clerk's office.
Dearborn Police Department Records
The Dearborn Police Department keeps arrest records, incident reports, and other law enforcement files. The department is at 16099 Michigan Ave, Dearborn MI 48126. The chief is Issa Shahin. For records questions, call 313-943-2230. You can also email Police-FOIA@dearborn.gov or fax requests to 313-943-3048.
The records window has specific hours. It is open Monday and Wednesday from 12:30 to 4:00 pm. Tuesday and Thursday hours are 8:00 to 11:30 am and 12:30 to 4:00 pm. Friday hours are 8:00 to 11:30 am only. Plan your visit around these times if you want to pick up Dearborn criminal history records in person.
FOIA requests to the Dearborn Police Department take 5 to 15 business days to process. Under MCL 15.231, the department must respond within five business days. They can extend that by ten more days if needed. Copy fees are $0.10 per page plus labor costs. Include your name, address, and a clear description of what you need in your request.
Note: Dearborn Police records window hours vary by day, so check the schedule before visiting in person.
CLEMIS Reports for Dearborn
Dearborn uses the CLEMIS system for crash reports and some police incident records. You can access the CLEMIS payment portal to order reports online. Crash reports cost between $10 and $19 depending on the type. The portal is run by Oakland County but covers agencies across southeast Michigan, including Dearborn.
The CLEMIS portal lets you search for and purchase Dearborn crash reports and some incident records online.
CLEMIS is not a criminal history search tool. It mainly handles crash reports. But if a traffic crash in Dearborn involved criminal charges like drunk driving, reckless driving, or leaving the scene, the crash report from CLEMIS can give you details about the incident. For actual criminal case records, you still need to use the court search tools or file a FOIA request with the police department.
Online Search Tools for Dearborn
Several statewide databases cover Dearborn criminal history. ICHAT from Michigan State Police costs $10 per search. It checks the statewide criminal history database and shows felony convictions and serious misdemeanors. You need a name and date of birth to run a search. Results come back fast.
OTIS from the Department of Corrections is free. It tracks inmates and parolees. The Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry is also free and lets you search for offenders in the Dearborn area. MiCOURT covers all Wayne County courts in one free search. You can also check the Michigan State Police FOIA portal if you need records from the state level.
MiCOURT is the best starting point for a free Dearborn criminal history search. It covers the 19th District Court and the 3rd Circuit Court. You can search by name or case number across all courts.
Dearborn Criminal History Laws
Dearborn follows Michigan state law for criminal records. Under MCL 28.241a, criminal history records include arrest data, conviction records, and disposition information. Court records are public under Michigan Court Rule 8.119, except for sealed and expunged records.
The Clean Slate law under MCL 780.621 affects Dearborn criminal history. Certain misdemeanors get automatically set aside after seven years. Some felonies qualify after ten years. Not everything qualifies. Assaultive crimes, sex offenses, and crimes carrying ten or more years are excluded. Juvenile records are sealed under MCL 712A.28.
Once a Dearborn criminal record is expunged, it drops out of ICHAT, MiCOURT, and court clerk searches. The person can legally say the conviction did not happen. Michigan State Police manage the automatic expungement process through the Clean Slate program.
Dearborn Records in Wayne County
Dearborn is in Wayne County. All felony cases from the city go through the Wayne County 3rd Circuit Court. For more about county-level resources, court fees, and the Wayne County Clerk's office, visit the Wayne County criminal history page.