Montmorency County Criminal History Lookup
Montmorency County criminal history records are available through the county clerk in Atlanta, Michigan and through state-level databases. This is one of the smallest counties in Michigan by population, located in the northeast part of the Lower Peninsula. The 26th Circuit Court handles felony cases for Montmorency County. Despite the low population, the same search tools and processes apply here as in any other Michigan county. This page walks through how to find criminal records from Montmorency County.
Montmorency County Quick Facts
Montmorency County Clerk and Criminal Case Files
Cheryl A. Neilsen is the Montmorency County Clerk. The office is at 12265 M-32, Atlanta, MI 49709. The phone number is (989) 785-8022. The clerk serves as Clerk of the 26th Circuit Court and handles all criminal record requests for the county.
To request Montmorency County criminal records, go to the clerk's office in Atlanta during business hours. Bring the case number or defendant's name. The staff will look it up. Copies cost about $1.00 per page. Certified copies have an extra fee. The clerk can pull charging documents, plea records, sentencing orders, and other papers from the criminal case file.
You can also send a mail request. Include the case details in a letter. Add a check or money order for the copy fees and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Processing takes about one to two weeks. For a small office like this, calling ahead is a good idea to confirm they have what you need before you visit or mail a request.
The 26th Circuit Court also covers Alpena, Presque Isle, and other northeast Michigan counties. Court resources are shared across the circuit. Records for Montmorency County cases stay with the Montmorency County clerk, even though the circuit covers multiple counties. Under MCL § 15.231, these court records are public and open to inspection.
Search Montmorency County Criminal Records Online
MiCOURT covers Montmorency County courts. It is free to use. Search by name or case number. MiCOURT shows charges, case status, hearing dates, and dispositions from the 26th Circuit Court and district courts in the area. No account is required.
Montmorency County is very small. MiCOURT searches here tend to return very few results, which can make finding a specific case easier. The system covers felonies and misdemeanors from courts in the county. It updates on a regular cycle managed by the Michigan courts system.
The Michigan State Police criminal history page below links to ICHAT and other statewide tools that include Montmorency County records.
ICHAT costs $10 per search. It checks the statewide criminal history database. ICHAT covers all counties including Montmorency. It returns felony and serious misdemeanor conviction records. Name-based search. Provide the full name and date of birth for accurate results.
Note: Montmorency County has a very low population, so if MiCOURT shows no results, it likely means no criminal cases were filed there under that name.
State Tools for Montmorency County Criminal History
The OTIS system tracks offenders from Montmorency County who are in state prison or on parole. Free to use. Search by name. OTIS shows current facility, sentence details, and release information. Maintained by the Michigan Department of Corrections.
Below is the OTIS search page covering all Michigan counties including Montmorency.
The Michigan Sex Offender Registry tracks registered sex offenders in Montmorency County. Search by name, zip code, or address. Free to use. Shows photos, addresses, and conviction info. Maintained by the Michigan State Police.
Fingerprint-based background checks go through the Michigan State Police under MCL § 28.241a. The fee is $30 by mail or $50 to $70 at a LiveScan vendor. The nearest LiveScan locations to Montmorency County are in Alpena and Gaylord. Fingerprint checks tie results to one person and are more reliable than name-based ICHAT searches.
Montmorency County Expungement Process
Under MCL § 780.621, Michigan's Clean Slate law allows automatic expungement of certain Montmorency County criminal records. Some misdemeanors qualify after seven years. Some felonies after ten. The process is automatic and does not require filing a petition.
The Clean Slate page from the Michigan State Police is shown here.
If your conviction does not qualify for automatic expungement, you can petition the 26th Circuit Court. You need the forms, a filing fee, and may need to attend a hearing. The prosecutor can object. The judge reviews the offense, your conduct since the conviction, and public interest. Violent crimes and certain sex offenses are not eligible for expungement under Michigan law.
Juvenile records in Montmorency County are sealed under MCL § 712A.28. They are not available through any public tool.
Montmorency County Police Records
Police records in Montmorency County are held by the law enforcement agency that handled the case. The Montmorency County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency here. Michigan State Police posts also cover the area and handle many calls in this rural part of the state. File a FOIA request under MCL § 15.234 to get arrest reports or incident records. Put the request in writing. Include dates, names, and locations. The agency has five business days to respond.
The MSP FOIA portal handles state police records from posts in the Montmorency County area. State police cover a lot of ground in northeast Michigan, so their records are often relevant.