Search Detroit Criminal History

Detroit criminal history records come from several courts and law enforcement agencies across the city. The 36th District Court handles misdemeanor cases and felony arraignments, while the Wayne County 3rd Circuit Court processes all felonies. Detroit is the largest city in Michigan, with roughly 630,000 people. Criminal case searches can be done online through free court portals, or in person at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice. You can also file FOIA requests with the Detroit Police Department for police reports and arrest records. This page covers each method for finding Detroit criminal history records, the fees you can expect, and where to go for help.

36th District Court Criminal Records

The 36th District Court is the busiest district court in Michigan. It sits at 421 Madison Ave in Detroit. The phone number is 313-965-2200. This court handles all Detroit misdemeanor cases, traffic crimes, and felony arraignments. If someone gets arrested in Detroit, the case starts here. Preliminary exams for felony charges also take place at the 36th District Court before cases move up to circuit court.

You can search Detroit criminal history cases from the 36th District Court using their online case inquiry tool. The search is free. Type in a name or case number and the system pulls up charges, hearing dates, and case status. It covers current and closed cases. The tool works well for recent cases, though very old records may not appear in the system. If you need certified copies, contact the court clerk directly.

The 36th District Court case inquiry page lets you search Detroit criminal cases by name or case number at no cost.

The court also handles bond hearings and sentencing for misdemeanor crimes. Fines and fees from Detroit criminal cases can be paid through the court's online payment system or in person at the courthouse. If you owe money on an old case, the 36th District Court can set up a payment plan.

Detroit Criminal History at Wayne County Circuit

All felony cases from Detroit go to the Wayne County 3rd Circuit Court. The court is at 2 Woodward Ave, Suite 500 in downtown Detroit. Call (313) 224-5261 for records questions. The 3rd Circuit is the largest circuit court in the state. It handles thousands of criminal cases each year from Detroit and the rest of Wayne County.

The Odyssey Public Access portal is the main online tool for searching 3rd Circuit Court records. It is free to use. You can search by name, case number, or date range. The system shows charges, hearing dates, disposition, and the register of actions. It does not show full documents like motions or orders. For those, you need to go to the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice at 1441 St. Antoine in Detroit. Criminal records in the digital system go back to 1983. Anything before that is on paper and stored at the courthouse. Staff can pull older files, but it takes more time.

Detroit criminal history for felony cases also shows up in the statewide MiCOURT system. This is a free search tool run by the Michigan courts. It covers the 3rd Circuit Court and other courts across the state. You can search by party name or case number. MiCOURT can be helpful if you want to check multiple courts in one place.

Detroit Police Department Records

The Detroit Police Department keeps arrest records, incident reports, and police files. The department is a key source for Detroit criminal history records that may not appear in court databases. Not every arrest leads to charges. Some cases get dropped. Police records capture the full picture.

You can visit the Detroit Police Department website for general information about the department and its services. Records requests go through the FOIA process.

To request police records, send a FOIA request to the Detroit Police Department. The police FOIA email is DPDFOIA@detroitmi.gov. You can also send requests to the general city FOIA office at FOIA@detroitmi.gov. Include the full name of the person, the date of the incident if you know it, and what type of record you need. Under MCL 15.231, agencies must respond within five business days. They can extend that by ten more days if they send written notice. Copy fees are typically $0.10 per page, plus labor costs for search time.

The Law Department is at 2 Woodward Ave, Suite 500. If your FOIA request gets denied, you can appeal to the department head. Detroit handles a large volume of FOIA requests, so expect some wait time during busy periods.

Statewide Tools for Detroit Records

Several state-run databases cover Detroit criminal history. ICHAT is the main one. Run by Michigan State Police, it costs $10 per search and checks the statewide criminal history database. ICHAT shows felony and serious misdemeanor convictions. It does not show pending cases, minor misdemeanors, or juvenile records. You need a name and date of birth to run a check.

The OTIS system from the Michigan Department of Corrections is free. It tracks people who are in state prison or on parole. If someone from Detroit was sentenced to prison, OTIS shows their offense, sentence length, earliest release date, and current location. It updates regularly. The Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry is another free tool. You can search by name or zip code to find registered offenders in Detroit.

For accident reports and some police reports from Detroit, the CLEMIS portal handles those. Crash reports cost between $10 and $19. CLEMIS is not a criminal history tool specifically, but it can surface records tied to incidents that also involve criminal charges. You pay online and get the report right away in most cases.

Detroit Criminal History and Clean Slate

Michigan's Clean Slate law changed how criminal history works in Detroit and the rest of the state. Under MCL 780.621, certain convictions get automatically set aside after enough time passes. Misdemeanors can be expunged after seven years. Some felonies can be cleared after ten years. The Michigan State Police handle the automatic review process.

Not all Detroit criminal history records qualify for expungement. Assaultive crimes, serious felonies, and sex offenses are excluded. Crimes punishable by ten or more years in prison are also not eligible. Once a record is expunged, it will not show up in ICHAT, MiCOURT, or court clerk searches. If you want to check whether a specific conviction qualifies, you can talk to a legal aid attorney or look at the Clean Slate guidelines on the Michigan State Police website.

Juvenile records in Detroit are sealed under MCL 712A.28. They do not appear in public criminal history searches. The Wayne County juvenile court handles these records separately.

Getting Detroit Criminal Records by Mail

You can request Detroit criminal history records by mail from both the courts and police. For court records, write to the Wayne County Clerk at 2 Woodward Ave, Detroit MI 48226. Include the full name, case number if known, and what copies you need. Enclose a check or money order payable to the Wayne County Clerk. Copies run $1.50 per page. Certified copies cost $10 plus $1 for each extra page.

For police records by mail, send a written FOIA request to the Detroit Police Department. Include your return address, a clear description of the records, and any details that help staff find the right files. There is no set form you must use, but your request should be specific. General requests like "all records about a person" may get sent back for more detail. Expect a response within 5 to 15 business days depending on the complexity of your request.

Detroit Criminal History in Wayne County

Detroit sits in Wayne County, which is the largest county in Michigan. All Detroit criminal cases flow through the Wayne County court system. For more on county-level resources, fees, and the Wayne County Clerk's office, see the Wayne County criminal history page.

Nearby Cities