Wayne County Criminal History
Wayne County is the most populous county in Michigan, home to Detroit and more than 1.8 million people. Criminal history records here go through the 3rd Circuit Court, the 36th District Court, and the Wayne County Clerk's office. The county handles a huge volume of criminal cases each year. You can search records online through the Odyssey Public Access portal, the MiCOURT system, or the 36th District Court case inquiry tool. In-person requests go through the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice or the county clerk at 2 Woodward Ave in Detroit. This page walks through each way to find Wayne County criminal history records.
Wayne County Criminal History Overview
Wayne County Clerk Criminal Records
The Wayne County Clerk's office is the main place to get criminal history records at the county level. Clerk Cathy M. Garrett runs the office at 2 Woodward Ave in Detroit, MI 48226. You can call them at (313) 224-5530 or send an email to wcrecordroom@waynecountymi.gov. The office keeps court records for the 3rd Circuit Court, which is the largest circuit court in the state. Walk-in requests are taken during business hours.
You can view the clerk's records portal at the Wayne County Clerk Records page. Copies cost $1.50 per page for standard copies. Certified copies are $10 plus $1 for each additional page. A name search costs $1 per name. These fees apply to both in-person and mail requests. The clerk's office can pull records going back decades, though digital records are most complete from the mid-1990s forward. Older cases may need to be pulled from archived paper files, which takes more time.
The Wayne County Clerk's records page lets you learn about what records are held and how to request them.
If you visit in person, bring a valid photo ID. You can search the public terminals at the clerk's office for free. Staff can help with searches too, but the $1 per name fee still applies. Mail requests should include the full name of the person, the case number if you have it, what records you need, and a check or money order made out to the Wayne County Clerk.
3rd Circuit Court Criminal Cases
The 3rd Circuit Court handles all felony cases in Wayne County. It also takes misdemeanor appeals from the district courts. This is where serious criminal cases are tried, from assault and drug crimes to robbery and homicide. The court sits at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice, 1441 St. Antoine, Detroit MI 48226. Call (313) 224-2502 for court records questions.
Wayne County criminal history records from the 3rd Circuit Court go back to 1983 in the digital system. Cases before that are on paper and stored at the courthouse. The Odyssey Public Access portal lets you search 3rd Circuit Court cases online for free. You can look up cases by name, case number, or filing date. The system shows the register of actions, charges, hearing dates, and case status. It does not show the full text of filings or orders. For those, you need to contact the clerk's office or visit the courthouse.
You can also search Wayne County 3rd Circuit Court cases through MiCOURT. This is the statewide system run by the Michigan courts. It pulls from the same data but has a different search interface. Both tools are free. MiCOURT can be useful if you want to search across multiple courts at once.
Note: Records expunged under MCL 780.621 will not appear in online searches or clerk records.
36th District Court Records
The 36th District Court covers the city of Detroit. It is one of the busiest district courts in the state. The court handles misdemeanors, ordinance violations, arraignments on felony charges, and preliminary exams. It sits at 421 Madison Ave, Detroit MI 48226. The main phone number is 313-965-2200.
For Wayne County criminal history tied to misdemeanor cases in Detroit, the 36th District Court is where you look. The court has an online case inquiry tool at the 36th District Court case inquiry page. You can search by name or case number. The system shows case type, charges, hearing dates, and disposition. It is free to use. Some records may not appear if they were expunged or sealed by court order.
If you need copies from the 36th District Court, contact their records division. Fees are set by the court and may differ slightly from the circuit court. Most district court records in Wayne County follow the same general fee schedule, with copies at $1.50 per page and certified copies at $10 plus $1 per page.
Wayne County Criminal History Online
Several online tools cover Wayne County criminal history. Here are the main ones worth knowing about.
The ICHAT system run by Michigan State Police checks criminal history statewide, including Wayne County. It costs $10 per search plus a $2.50 card fee. ICHAT shows felony convictions and serious misdemeanors over 93 days. It does not show minor misdemeanors, traffic tickets, juvenile records, or cases from other states. Results come back fast. You need a name and date of birth to run a search.
MiCOURT is free. It covers the 3rd Circuit Court and other courts in Wayne County. Search by name, case number, or court. The OTIS system from the Department of Corrections tracks people in state prison or on parole. It is free and shows offense details, sentence length, and release dates. The CLEMIS portal covers crash reports and some police reports in Wayne County. Crash reports run $10 to $19. CLEMIS is not a criminal history tool, but it can surface records tied to criminal incidents.
Wayne County FOIA Requests
Some Wayne County criminal history records can be obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. Under MCL 15.231, you can request police reports, incident logs, and other law enforcement records from local agencies. FOIA does not cover court records. Court files fall under Michigan Court Rule 8.119 and must be requested directly from the court clerk.
To file a FOIA request in Wayne County, write to the agency that holds the records. Include your name, address, and a clear description of what you want. The agency has five business days to respond. They can extend that by ten more days with written notice. Copy fees are typically $0.10 per page. Search and labor fees vary by agency. Under MCL 15.234, the first $20 in fees can be waived if you qualify as indigent.
Criminal History Laws in Wayne County
Wayne County follows Michigan state law for criminal records. The definition of a criminal history record is found in MCL 28.241a. It includes arrest data, conviction records, and disposition information held by law enforcement and courts. Juvenile records are sealed under MCL 712A.28 and are not part of the public record.
Michigan's Clean Slate law affects what shows up in Wayne County criminal history searches. Under MCL 780.621, certain misdemeanors are automatically expunged after seven years and certain felonies after ten years. The Michigan State Police handle the automatic process. You can learn more at the Clean Slate information page. Not all crimes qualify. Assaultive crimes, sex offenses, and offenses punishable by ten or more years are excluded from automatic expungement. Records that have been expunged will not show up in ICHAT, MiCOURT, or clerk searches.
The sex offender registry is another statewide resource. Search the Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry by name or location to find registered offenders in Wayne County. The registry shows photos, addresses, offense details, and tier level.