Kalamazoo County Criminal History Lookup
Kalamazoo County criminal history records come from the 9th Circuit Court, the 8th District Court, and local law enforcement agencies across the county. You can search criminal cases on the statewide MiCOURT system for free, or request records in person at the county clerk's office on Kalamazoo Avenue. The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety also handles records requests for police reports and arrest records. This guide covers how to access criminal history information in Kalamazoo County through every available channel.
Kalamazoo County Quick Facts
Kalamazoo County Criminal Records at the Clerk's Office
Meredith A. Place is the Kalamazoo County Clerk. The office is at 201 W Kalamazoo Avenue, Room 104, Kalamazoo, MI 49007. Call 269-383-8840 for record requests. The clerk handles all court records for the 9th Circuit Court, which is the felony court for the county.
You can request copies of criminal case files in person at the clerk's office. Bring the case number or the full name of the defendant. The clerk can look up cases and print documents while you wait for most requests. If you need certified copies for legal use, the clerk will add the certification stamp for a fee. Processing times depend on how far back the records go. Recent cases are usually available right away. Older cases stored in archives may take longer to pull.
The 9th Circuit Court sits at 227 W Michigan Avenue in Kalamazoo. The court phone number is (269) 383-8837. All felony criminal cases in Kalamazoo County are filed here. The court also has a law library on the second floor at the same address. You can reach the law library at (269) 383-8920. It is open to the public and has resources for people who need to look up criminal statutes or court procedures.
Under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act, MCL § 15.231, you can request police records from Kalamazoo County law enforcement. Court records are not covered by FOIA. They fall under Michigan Court Rule 8.119 instead. Police reports, arrest logs, and incident records from local departments can be obtained through a written FOIA request.
Kalamazoo County Criminal History from Public Safety
The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety handles records requests for the city of Kalamazoo. KDPS is at 150 E Crosstown Parkway, Suite A in Kalamazoo. The records division number is (269) 337-8106. You can request police reports, arrest records, and incident reports through their online form or in person.
The KDPS records request page lets you submit requests for police reports and related criminal history documents from the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety.
KDPS records cover criminal activity within the city of Kalamazoo. For incidents that occurred elsewhere in the county, you would contact the local police department or the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office. Each agency maintains its own records. A FOIA request is the standard way to get police records from any of these agencies.
Search Kalamazoo County Criminal Cases Online
The statewide MiCOURT system covers the 9th Circuit Court in Kalamazoo County. You can search by name or case number. Results show charges, case status, hearing dates, and dispositions. MiCOURT is free and does not require an account. It is the easiest way to search Kalamazoo County criminal history from home.
The 8th District Court is also on MiCOURT. This court handles misdemeanor cases in Kalamazoo County. The 8th District sits at 150 E Crosstown Parkway, and you can reach them at (269) 383-8938. Misdemeanor records from this court show up on MiCOURT, including traffic offenses, retail fraud, simple assault, and other lower-level criminal charges.
ICHAT from the Michigan State Police is another option. It costs $10 per search and covers all 83 Michigan counties. ICHAT shows felony convictions and serious misdemeanor convictions. It is name-based, so results may include people with the same name. For a more targeted search, the fingerprint-based check through the Michigan State Police under MCL § 28.241a ties results to one specific person.
Note: MiCOURT may not show document images for Kalamazoo County cases. Contact the clerk for copies of actual filings.
Kalamazoo County Criminal History and Expungement
Michigan's Clean Slate law applies to Kalamazoo County. Certain criminal records can be automatically expunged under MCL § 780.621. Qualifying misdemeanors are cleared after seven years. Some felonies are cleared after ten years from sentencing or release. Records that have been expunged no longer appear on ICHAT or MiCOURT.
If you want to petition for expungement in Kalamazoo County, you file with the 9th Circuit Court. The petition goes to the clerk's office at 201 W Kalamazoo Avenue. There is a filing fee. You may also need to get your criminal history from the Michigan State Police to attach to the petition. Legal aid organizations in the Kalamazoo area can help with the process if you cannot afford a lawyer.
Juvenile records in Kalamazoo County are sealed under MCL § 712A.28. They do not appear in any public search tool. Only authorized parties and the court can view juvenile case files.
Statewide Tools for Kalamazoo County
OTIS, the Michigan Offender Tracking Information System, is free and tracks state prisoners and parolees from Kalamazoo County. The Michigan Sex Offender Registry lets you search for registered offenders by name or location. Both are run by state agencies.
Kalamazoo County is not part of the CLEMIS system. CLEMIS only covers Oakland, Wayne, Macomb, Washtenaw, and Genesee counties. For crash reports and police records in Kalamazoo County, you go through the local department that handled the incident.
Kalamazoo County Criminal History by City
The city of Kalamazoo is the county seat and the largest city in the county. Criminal cases from Kalamazoo go through the 9th Circuit Court for felonies and the 8th District Court for misdemeanors.