Michigan Arrest Records and Warrant Search

Michigan law makes most arrest and court records public, but the state has no single database that holds all of them. Records are split across 83 county Sheriff offices, 83 Clerk of Court offices, and several separate statewide portals — each with its own search interface, its own update schedule, and its own rules about what it shows. This site maps that structure. It identifies which official source holds the record type you need, explains what each source will and will not show, and links directly to the county-level pages and statewide tools where searches actually happen.

What you can look up here

Arrest records in Michigan begin as booking records created by a Sheriff or local law enforcement agency at the time of custody. Those records typically include the person’s name, date of birth, the charges listed at booking, and the arresting agency. They live at the county level, not in a single statewide registry, which is why searching the right county matters.

Active warrants are court-issued orders authorizing arrest. Checking whether one exists is possible through county court records and, for some warrant types, through law enforcement inquiry. If a search suggests a warrant may be active, the appropriate next step is to speak with an attorney before taking any other action.

Inmate and jail lookups let you find out whether someone is currently held in a county facility. Most Michigan county jails maintain an online roster or respond to phone inquiries. For people serving sentences in a state prison rather than a county jail, the Michigan Department of Corrections maintains its own locator.

The county-by-county index below this page leads to a dedicated page for each of Michigan’s 83 counties, with direct links to that county’s official sources.

Where Michigan records actually live

County-held records are the starting point for most searches. The Sheriff’s office generates the booking record at arrest. The Clerk of Court then maintains the case file as charges move through the district or circuit court. Those two offices are separate, and a booking record at the Sheriff does not automatically mean a court case file exists yet.

For court cases, MiCOURT Case Search is the statewide portal maintained by the Michigan Supreme Court. It covers district, circuit, and probate courts across the state and shows case numbers, charge descriptions, hearing dates, and dispositions. It does not show every case equally — some older cases and some juvenile matters are excluded — and it is not a substitute for a certified record from the Clerk of Court.

For people in state prison custody, the Michigan Department of Corrections Offender Tracking Information System shows current location, sentence information, and projected release dates for individuals under MDOC jurisdiction. It covers state prisons, not county jails.

The Michigan State Police maintains the state’s criminal history repository and oversees the ICHAT system, which provides public access to certain conviction records. ICHAT shows convictions, not arrests that did not result in conviction, and it charges a per-search fee set by statute.

Before you search

Most searches work best with a full legal name and a date of birth. A common name without additional identifiers will return multiple results, and sorting through them takes care. County searches are bounded by geography — a search in Wayne County will not surface a booking that happened in Kent County.

An arrest record documents that an arrest occurred. It is not evidence of guilt and it is not a conviction. Charges are sometimes reduced, dismissed, or result in acquittal after the booking record is created. The booking record may remain visible even when the case outcome was favorable.

Record systems update on their own schedules. A very recent booking may not appear yet in an online roster or court portal. If a search returns no result, that does not confirm no record exists.

Michigan law provides real processes for sealing and expunging certain records, and eligibility depends on factors specific to each case. The individual county pages on this site explain those processes in more detail. No waiting periods, fees, or eligibility cutoffs are stated here because those details belong on the pages where they can be kept current and accurate.

How we keep this current

Every source cited on this site is an official government source. Each page carries a verified date showing when its links and information were last confirmed against the live source. When an agency changes its portal, moves a page, or updates its procedures, the relevant pages here are updated to match.

Public records infrastructure in Michigan changes more often than most people expect. Sheriff offices redesign their roster pages. Court portals expand their coverage. This is ongoing maintenance work, not a one-time claim.

If you find a broken link, outdated information, or a factual error, use the Report an Error link and the editorial team will review it promptly.

This site is an informational guide to public records. It is not legal advice and it is not a law firm. It is not a government agency or court and is not affiliated with any. It cannot access private data and cannot remove, seal, or change any official record.