Search Ontonagon County Criminal History

Ontonagon County criminal history records are managed by the county clerk and the 32nd Circuit Court in the village of Ontonagon. This remote Upper Peninsula county has a small but searchable set of court records. If you need to look up a criminal case or check someone's record in Ontonagon County, you can use online tools like ICHAT and MiCOURT or contact the clerk's office directly. The county sits in a sparsely populated part of Michigan's western UP, so most records are handled through a single courthouse. Getting criminal history here is straightforward once you know where to look.

Ontonagon County Clerk Records

County Clerk Susan M. Randa manages criminal history records for Ontonagon County. The clerk's office is at 725 Greenland Rd, Ontonagon, MI 49953. Call 906-884-4255 for questions about record requests. The office keeps files from the 32nd Circuit Court, which handles felony cases in this part of the Upper Peninsula. You can visit in person to request copies of case files, or send a written request by mail.

Standard copies cost $1 per page. Certified copies are $10 for the first page and $1 for each page after that. Mail requests should include the full name of the person you are searching, any case numbers, and a check or money order made out to the Ontonagon County Clerk. Staff can look up records by name or by case number. Under MCL 28.241a, criminal history records include arrest data, conviction details, and case disposition information maintained by courts and law enforcement in Michigan. The clerk's files cover circuit court cases going back many years, though older records may take longer to locate in this small county.

Walk-in hours are limited. Call ahead to confirm times.

32nd Circuit Court Criminal Cases

The 32nd Circuit Court handles all felony cases in Ontonagon County. This court shares its circuit with Gogebic County, which is common for less populated areas in the Upper Peninsula. Felony charges that begin with an arraignment at the district court level move up to the 32nd Circuit for trial and sentencing. The court sits in Ontonagon village.

You can search 32nd Circuit Court records through MiCOURT, the free online case search tool run by the Michigan courts. Type in a name or case number and the system will show charges, hearing dates, and case status for Ontonagon County criminal cases. MiCOURT does not display the full text of court orders. For complete documents, you need to contact the clerk directly. The 98th District Court also serves Ontonagon County and handles misdemeanors, traffic offenses, and preliminary exams for felony cases. District court records are searchable through MiCOURT too.

Under Michigan Court Rule 8.119, court records are generally open to the public. Some records are sealed or restricted. Juvenile cases, for instance, are not available through public search tools. Cases expunged under MCL 780.621 also will not appear in search results.

Online Criminal History Search for Ontonagon County

Several online tools let you search Ontonagon County criminal history without visiting the courthouse. The best one depends on what type of record you need.

The ICHAT system from the Michigan State Police is the main statewide criminal history search tool. It costs $10 per name search. ICHAT pulls felony convictions and serious misdemeanors from all 83 Michigan counties, including Ontonagon. You need a name and date of birth to run the search. Results come back within minutes in most cases. ICHAT does not include minor traffic offenses, juvenile records, or cases that have been expunged. The Michigan State Police Criminal History Records page explains the difference between public record checks and fingerprint-based searches.

The ICHAT portal is the primary tool for running a statewide criminal history check that covers Ontonagon County records.

For people serving time in state prison or on parole, the OTIS offender tracking system is a free tool from the Michigan Department of Corrections. It shows sentence details, offense information, and expected release dates. This is useful if someone was sentenced to prison from Ontonagon County and you want to check their current status or location within the corrections system.

Ontonagon County FOIA Requests

Some Ontonagon County criminal history records can be obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. FOIA covers police reports, arrest logs, and incident records held by law enforcement. It does not cover court records, which go through the clerk under Court Rule 8.119. Under MCL 15.231, any person can submit a FOIA request to a public body in Michigan.

Send your request to the agency that holds the records. Include your name, contact info, and a clear description of what you want. The agency has five business days to respond, with a possible ten-day extension if needed. Copy costs run about $0.10 per page for paper records. Labor and search fees may apply depending on the scope of the request. Under MCL 15.234, the first $20 in fees may be waived if you can show proof of being indigent. The MSP FOIA portal handles requests directed at the Michigan State Police for any records they hold involving Ontonagon County investigations.

Expungement and Clean Slate in Ontonagon County

Michigan's Clean Slate law affects how criminal history records work in Ontonagon County. Under MCL 780.621, certain misdemeanors are automatically set aside after seven years. Some felonies clear after ten years. The Michigan State Police manage the automatic process statewide. Not every crime qualifies. Assaultive offenses, sex crimes, and offenses punishable by ten or more years in prison do not qualify for automatic expungement.

You can find details at the Clean Slate information page from the Michigan State Police. Once a record is expunged, it will not appear in ICHAT, MiCOURT, or a search at the Ontonagon County clerk's office. The 32nd Circuit Court handles petition-based expungements for people who want to clear eligible Ontonagon County records before the automatic timeline applies. You file the petition with the court that entered the conviction.

Sex Offender Registry in Ontonagon County

The Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry lists all registered sex offenders in Ontonagon County. You can search by name, zip code, or address. Each listing shows a photo, home address, offense details, and tier level. The registry is public and free to use. The Michigan State Police update the data based on offender registration reports from local law enforcement in Ontonagon County and across the state.

Ontonagon County has a small population, so the number of registered offenders is low compared to downstate counties. But the registry still covers anyone required to register who lives in this area. Tier levels range from one to three, with tier three being the most serious and requiring lifetime registration.

Nearby Counties

These Upper Peninsula counties border Ontonagon County and may hold related criminal history records.